In the ever-growing expansion of technology, where websites and apps are pristinely designed for easy use and accessibility, Craigslist stands as a remedial virtual bulletin board that hasn’t changed its look in twenty years of existence. Craigslist is used for an endless amount of community listings; including buying and selling unwanted goods, job postings, and real estate. One of the most interesting, yet seemingly least useful, aspects of Craigslist is the Missed Connections page. There we find listings upon listings of men and women who have had a brief encounter with someone, a potential connection or interest, and for one reason or another were not able to act on it until they got home to their computer. These Missed Connections can be funny, sad, poignant, and beautiful all at the same time, but one thing they are never is dull.
My photographic version of Missed Connections takes a look at these oddly hopeful pursuits. Going to the scene of the missed connection and providing a glimpse into the moment that love at first sight was realized, and just as quickly lost. These voyeuristic images, paired with the original listing, provide context and objectivity to the fleeting romanticism experienced by the author.
Not So Far From Here is an ongoing series of photographs that explores the Western American landscape and the wonders and curiosities that lay beyond the focused eyes of this twenty-first century society. We place so much emphasis on our destination, and everyone, myself included, is seemingly always on such a tight schedule that enjoying the proverbial journey has become a thing of the past. With this project I have set out to embrace that journey, destination be damned.
While so much of the world feels crowded and overpopulated, you don’t actually have to travel that far to find vast open spaces, untouched landscapes, and towns so small they don’t even have a Starbucks. Old gas stations and broken down cars stand like Roman ruins scattered across the land; completely useless and forgotten, these treasures are waiting to be found all at the same time. Religious promotions and political endorsements stand as a cultural statement unto themselves, unwavering and preaching to the choir. Empty buildings and rotting signs linger as reminders of more active economic times. Small businesses cater to niche communities hoping to avoid that same fate.
This project has been fueled by my desire to find things that I’ve never seen before – things that make me think about generations past, things that would be missed by flying by a little town on the highway, or things that simply make me laugh. Any given journey starts simply by getting in the car, pulling out of the driveway and pointing it in one direction or another with no preconceived notions on where I might end up, where I’ll stay when I get there, or how long I’ll be gone. It’s a freeing and cathartic experience that reveals itself in my work. The process and the photographs offer a quiet simplicity – whether it be ironic, sad, beautiful, or just plain odd – that allows for an escape within the moment and the image.
Not So Far From God is a parallel offshoot of Not So Far From Here that focuses on the peculiarities and fervor of religion in America.
Lumen prints are an alternative photographic process where organic material is exposed on black-and-white photo paper outdoors for an extended period of time. Results vary depending on exposure time, weather, age and type of paper, natural chemicals of subject, and post-exposure toning.