My love of travel was fueled by the time spent in small and large cities alike as a trade magazine editor in the furniture industry and later small towns and rural areas as a writer for custom publications covering agricultural topics. The photos taken on those trips were made to illustrate the article—manufacturing plans, farmers, more farmers—and that documentary approach informs my images still today.
Several years ago, I discovered that I had travelled to 39 states, so I put it in the back of my mind to look for opportunities to hit those other states at some point in my life.
Two years ago, I travelled south to meet up with a college friend in Oklahoma, see what captured the heart of Georgia O’Keeffe in New Mexico, and make photos of what I se there. 40 and 41.
Early last summer I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Hawaii on a cruise with my wife, Kelli, and see the deep blue waters of Kona, and capture photos, several of which are not going to found in your typical travel book. 42.
In the heat of last summer, I took off for Wyoming and Montana to capture cowboy culture and some big sky on a solo photo trip. 43 and 44. Trying to avoid the 100-degree temps, in Wyoming, I compared Google maps to the three-day weather forecast and figured Butte, Montana was my least blazing choice. I didn’t find cowboy culture, but the town is known for its mining industry. Butte is home to the largest historical district in the United States, and you couldn’t walk a block without reading a brass historical marker. The front door to my little guest house opened onto an alley, and I spotted the window in the garage next door (photo above). Across the alley, was a crossbuck barn door that drew my lens. Eventually, I’d also make a series of black and white abstract images of one of the many headframes that dot the landscape. These were the structures that stood atop the mines and held the lifts that took the miners deep into the earth.
Head Frame No. 1
Head Frame No. 7
Headframe No. 6
I sometimes capture these road trips in magazine format. If you’d like to buy a copy of “True Road Trip: Out West”, you can do so here. The Hawaii trip is captured in “True Blue Hawaii”, which you can purchase here. Other Road Trip magazines can be viewed and purchased on the ‘Zines page on my website.
I am blessed to see these compositions and make images that are pleasant to my eye and attractive to other. It’s very affirming to be told “you have a very good eye” by those who see my work. It helps me keep making this kind of art when they purchase a piece for their homes or offices.
Later this year, we’ll be headed to Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire to see what I can find and photograph there. Stay tuned for 45, 46, and 47.