Deployment photos.

This was the second time that I attended Jacob's departure for foreign battlegrounds. I took my camera to record his goodbyes with Nikki, his wife.  I tried to capture a little of the mood going on around him as so many of his men are going through the same experience.

You can see the photos here. These are the friends and families that we waited with and interacted with until the men were called into formation and marched away.

Jacob's Deployment to Afghanistan

This is the fourth time we have watched Jacob leave to serve in foreign countries in a time of struggle. It is Nikki's third time in their marriage.  At this point there is no panic in his leaving. There is sadness and apprehension but acceptance.

Jacob left with uneasiness. At yet he has not encountered trauma or assault. He knows that with each deployment, the odds of being fired upon or facing serious challenges increases. Experiencing the realities and damages of war are unavoidable. It is only a matter of time before it becomes personal. So he has concerns.

Our faith is strong and our prayers are sincere. I believe he will be okay.

No More Freebies!

Lesson recently learned: When one does a free photo shoot for individuals, they feel a sense of entitlement instead of ownership. It is not costing them. They are not sacrificing. It is done for them, not with them. Critical comments and demands increase. Gratitude is only minimally expressed.

I do not mind being generous with skills and talents but the final product costs money. When individuals pay for services, they are owners and participants in the end result. In this position their respect for me increases. No more freebies.

Tourist Trap

After the last blog a photographer friend expressed concern about my ideas and limitations on shooting when I travel. He is a good friend, so he was not being confrontational. I think, therefore I write. I have been thinking about our exchange. Time to write.

When I travel and take pictures, my images need to stand apart and be interesting. I already know that I can take a picture that is equal to any tourist shot. They can take tourist shots as well as I. However, by my standards, my pictures need to be noticeably different.. Also, if what everyone is shooting has been in National Geographic or is available on a post card, I probably will skip it unless there is something compelling. If I need to shoot the subject, I will challenge myself to make the picture mine and not a copy.

Here in Watertown I have not seen anyone else walking around with a camera. There are no tourists. Also, there are no postcards to buy to send home. I am home free. I get to make my own postcards. There is no competition.

Photography when I travel

Right now I am in a different state and trying to find ways to use my camera. I can always take pictures. That is the easy part. However, I am not big on the old style tourist images made for slide shows. So I get stuck trying to figure out what I can photograph to create a nice image that won't get the touristy label.

This location is different from Arizona. The weather here is night compared to our perpetual day. Wet when we are dry. Lots of historical imagery is here while we plow ours under for modernization. The people are pretty much the same. I don't photograph the food and paste it on the web as some people do.

I can shoot buildings and churches, statues and all the things we do not have back there. But then, I become a tourist and not a "professional". What am I going to do? It is hard to decide.

I know there are people who want those shots of old buildings and historical landmarks. They want to see the oddities that we lack out west. They need the posed family shots. What do I need?

I need to feel challenged. To get around that, I give up the focus upon objects and subject matter. Since photography is about capturing light with patterns and contrast, that is what I look for. Maybe I will come away with one winner. Maybe one image will jump off the screen and demand to be printed. At least the camera will not be stored in the suitcase while I am out exploring.

Photographs and footprints

Photography is a functional art. Some people do it as a hobby while others do it as a career. Some take pictures to document a reality while others shoot to document a fantasy. Parents do it so they won't forget the changes their children went through. Others do it to have memories of what they went through. Some do it to record what the world around them went through.

Photography documents an event, an era, a culture. It tells a story. It makes time stand still or takes us back in time. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on things overlooked or missed. It allows us to understand things we might have been too young to understand. It touches the inner emotions and memories and connects us to friends, family, and humanity.

I shoot pictures because I enjoy capturing individuals in their memorable moments.  I strive to help people have their memories, their documentation, and their opportunities for understanding. It is wonderful to know that these images will ripen in meaning, value, and significance on the footprints of time.

War is Hell.

I believe it has been four years since Jacob last deployed. That was his third trip to Iraq. Next week he will deploy to Afghanistan for the first time.

In a few days I will take the Greyhound to his station in New York. Again, I will capture the tearful goodbyes between him, his "Band of Brothers", and their wives as they go and serve their country. I am honored to do that.