My Father grew up near Olney and our family still lives here. Here, there’s no shame in needing someone to watch the baby while you work a shift at the liquor store or borrowing your neighbor’s lawn mower. People trade steak tomatoes for homemade wine and hose their kids down in bunches before they come in the house from playing outside all day.
Most of the people here in Olney, Illinois don't know why I would want to photograph them. They ask what I'll do with the pictures and don’t know about blogging or value documenting their lives. I wonder if that’s because they are busy living them instead of being self reflective about how. They are disconnected from the pulse and the urgency of the marketable image or the image for sale. Maybe they don’t understand authenticity because they are too busy surviving to fake anything.
Christopher Anderson says, “There are at least two kinds of photographic bravery: the bravery of those who risk life and limb to show the world the ugly truths of war and conflict, and the bravery of those who push themselves in long-term, intimate projects — confronting themselves while documenting their subjects. There is no hierarchy of bravery.”
Be brave. Be very brave.
county road # 327 southern, illinois
13 bikes in the front yard, i counted. 
i stop home to check on grandpa and have lunch. i take him to walmart for his prescriptions and we hit the drivethrough before my second half of the day.i'll go north till supper.
These are all taken with Pan F 50 35 mm film.
You in trouble? Sit here.
ReplyDeleteSo, is that a "timeout" seat, or a "I was having so much fun splashin' around and now I can't find my mommy" seat? Either way, I think the world needs more of these in public places.
ReplyDeletewhen was the last time i told you that your pictures make my heart stop? that's what it felt like looking at these again.
ReplyDelete