I’ve mentioned this project before – an ongoing project – that I’ve been working on, and I call it Second Amendment. It is really beginning to take shape. My goals are to accomplish a strong body of work in twenty images, and eventually put together a show. I don’t want to get ahead of myself though. I’m much closer to the image count that I’d like, but I really don’t see stopping at twenty on this one. Even if I get twenty that I am thrilled about, I see this project as one that may go on for years and years. I find myself very passionate about it.
I’ve talked about this in a couple of previous blog posts – my concern for our wild spaces and the needless destruction of trees just because our laws allow people to shoot their guns in the national forests, and the great amounts of trash left behind in these beautiful areas. I am also reminded of my inspiration as I make these new images, the environmental destruction in the images of Robert Adams, and the war torn trees of George Bernard.
I’ve been at it again, and last week I added a handful of new images to my Second Amendment portfolio on this website. Boy, self-editing is something of a challenge. I often talk to my students about editing their work (I’m talking image selection, not Photoshop editing/post processing). It can be hard to determine what images are the best, which stand on their own and help to tell the story you seek, and which might be just fluff. This process is a constant learning process for us all. I feel like I learn something new about my work and myself each time I set out to edit. And, it is something that will evolve with time, and hopefully, by the time I am ready to set another goal with these images, I’ve paired the collection down to one that I am happy with.
In the meantime, I enjoy sharing the images I have selected and getting feedback from others. Often, we’re just too close, or too critical, or the exact opposite – we love everything and can’t be objective. So, in the end, it helps to get other creative eyes on our work. Critique is a wonderful learning experience, and as I always tell my students in classes – not a time to be critical and hurtful, but a time to learn and grow and get inspired to improve our work, taking it to the next level.
On this subject, I was excited to get an email from my mom yesterday mentioning an article in our own Gazette that just happened to be about this very subject, although, they don’t call it Second Amendment like I do! Enjoy it, as there are many people concerned with this issue, and having read quite a few articles from years back in my research on this subject, I was glad to see it in the news again!
Campers in National Forests Worried about Target Shooting
The image I’ve attached didn’t make the portfolio cut. I felt like it didn’t tell the whole story, whereas the one I did select of the Swiss-cheese chair does – it is a wider view that includes the surrounding forest, the beautiful light of the morning, and an additional trash/bucket target for an added element of interest. You’ll have to check out the portfolio to see what I’m talking about! But, I sure love this close up shot it for its texture, shapes and lighting. So, I’ll add it here, for fun, and for me!
