The rest of the time here will be refining this historical material and adding contemporary photographs and projects that I do. I'm grateful to have the chance to photograph actors in plays at the Theater in the Round because the work there is at the highest level of theater in The Twin Cities. The Festival Theater gives me a chance to provide photographs for up-and-coming actors and directors to showcase their work. This volunteer work gives me a sense of contributing to the arts and helping people, who might not otherwise be able to afford good photography of their acting, have examples of their work for future gigs. Besides, it feels really good to not have a commercial interest in the shooting...beholding to no one, free to come and go as I please, and able to create the images I think represent the play.
The Photo Documentary Project is a slow-paced affair. It's not that easy to be available to travel around and make photographs of life in Chisago County in the early 21st century. Moreover, the landscape is so neutral and so simple that it is difficult to capture the essence of life in rural America. I'm just not used to it myself, so it is difficult to make powerful images of the environment here. The residents I have encountered are also a little skeptical of a large bearded man taking photographs of everything around, and they often shy away from letting me shoot what they are doing. It takes a lot for an Eastener to figure out how to penetrate the Midwestern personna.
Slowly, all the material will come together to give a composite look at my work, past and present. That's all I ask of this site. Soon, I'll be sending out a broadside email to everyone I know that the site is up and running.
Until then, all the best.
RPW