A Personal Project…

“Don’t undertake a project unless it is manifestly important and nearly impossible.”

-Edwin Land, Inventor of Instant Photography

For sometime now I have been working on a project that has become very near and dear to my heart. It started out as a class assignment to simply put together a portfolio of really anything. The only rule was that the portfolio had to have a running theme…a consistent “thought” throughout it. For example, if I chose to photograph the beauty of the mountains then I couldn’t throw in a portrait of my dog…I knew exactly what I wanted to do and since starting this project several months ago it has now evolved into what seems may very well be a lifelong project for me.  Ever since I can remember I have seen panhandlers on the street, the people that hold the signs outside the local shopping mall or along the sides of the road. Many people drive by and go about their day and don’t think twice….but I look, look at their faces and wonder what happened? What road in life took them to where they are at now? What choices or lack of choices did they have and I started to realize that they are just like me, they are a daughter, a son, a father, a mother, someone loves them just as someone loves me and I realized they have a story to tell. So with my camera in hand and a pen and paper I began documenting their lives, sitting with them, talking to them, getting to know them. Each and every person that I meet and speak to change my view of this world and I walk away every time amazed at their strength and amazed at how insightful and utterly wonderful some of them are. I don’t quite know where this project will take me, all I can say is that I have big hopes and dreams for this and I’m working very hard to make them come true.

Looking back at the things in my life that inspire me, make me want to do better, be better, taking photographs has always been at the top of my list and through out the years of exploring this medium I have come to find out that I thrive and absolutely love documentary photography.  Exploring those sides of people that we wonder about but are to afraid to ask. Perhaps it is the human condition that ties us all together…that is what I am striving to achieve here…to provide some insight into people’s lives, to tell their story and to really just show how remarkable they truly are.

Meet Milton….a kind hearted soul who told me he hasn’t seen his family in 20 years. He told me quietly, “for all they know, I am dead.” Growing up Milton’s dream was to become a chef just as his grandfather was. He hopes one day the money he makes panhandling will return him to Ohio where he will be reunited with his two sons and two grandchildren he has never met. I asked him what is the first thing you will say when you see them and he said, “I will walk up to the porch and say, “Grandpa is home, Grandpa is home at last.”