Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st
Well, thanks for bearing with me over the last few days – unfortunately either the local pollens or the air travel petrie dish has gotten the better of me, so I’ve been spending my down time trying to sleep.
Anyhow, enough of my poor health (sympathies are welcome) here’s a little of what has been going on.
Tuesday saw me in the classroom, talking to Michael’s photograph students – young people taking photography as a minor subject alongside their majors in business studies, nursing etc. It was interesting to see and hear how people, 3-weeks into a class, had ideas and approaches to photography. As these aren’t arts majors they are probably in a similar place to many of us; photography as secondary to key activities. I will hopefully be able to think more about this as I report back upon my return.
Following the class – which included my first proper critique – I got a chance to visit an amazing exhibition of images from 9/11 – an incredibly moving experience to see and feel the impact this single incident had on a population; without going into too much detail I’d felt a little detached from it all – but this helped me realise a better understanding the impact of the event.
I also had my first US Starbucks – and captured a few more portraits along the way; guys in “beer is food” t-shirts and I walked home along Market – finding, along the way, a great little store doing old school letterpress printing – where I managed to grab a card to (belatedly) deliver Michael birthday wishes.
Following this I met Paul Paletti, a great guy who started as a photographer but chose the law as a better way to earn money. However Paul still photographs, and also collects photography. There’s little to say yet about where this meeting may lead – but Paul is about to launch the Louisville photo biennial; which I would am hoping to link to the next time around.
Wednesday found me up and about again – visiting the whole starting point for this trip. Meeting the very bubbly Zoe, we entered the Frazier museum and headed to the third floor, where we arrived at the Royal Armouries (USA). A very odd experience – traveling half way round the world to visit a museum that is in your home town, but it was a good visit and I grabbed a few portraits along the way.
That evening saw the opening party for the Idea Festival – with a couple more photo opportunities; including snapping the city’s mayor – the day before he headed to Washington DC to talk to President Obama about the local bridge crisis. In complete opposite I got to attend a rehearsal of The Rocky Horror Show at a gay showbar, again on East Market.
So, at the half-way point in the trip where are we? Well – I am physically at Idea Festival; which will impact on what I shoot for the next couple of days. But the good news is I have now made all the connections I set out to do and I’m starting to find a shape to the project I hope to deliver when I return – and I have to say that there will be a photography project based around how Michael’s neighbourhood is a shining example for local development, enterprise and regeneration. But there will be more than this – and I look forward to returning to the UK and sharing these ideas with you all.
So, I’ll sign off for now with a photo of the students I spoke to on Tuesday – and, focus on the idea festival, having just learnt about the science of kissing – it’s tough being here!
