About this project
I am a fine art photographer based in Martinsburg, West Virginia. My project is to explore and photograph abandoned and forgotten places in North Dakota and to produce a book and an exhibit with the images. I am seeking $3,500 in backing to cover expenses for two trips covering a total of 3-4 weeks of exploration and photographing.
How did I get from West Virginia to North Dakota? In May of this year, I had a unique opportunity to participate in a workshop with photographer Tillman Crane. This was a "shooting workshop" to photograph abandoned farms and towns in North Dakota. I was captivated by the visual feast offered by the old houses, barns, abandoned vehicles, and the wonderful surprising texture of the prairie landscape.
Since I returned home from this trip, I have been working on editing the images that I captured during that week. Although I feel I captured some good images, and maybe a couple of great images, in such a short trip I realize I have barely scratched the surface of the visual potential of the region.
As a result of this experience, I feel like something has awakened in me as an artist. I am not content with a few good or even great images. Perhaps for the first time I can visualize a real photographic project that explores this fascinating place in-depth, and to share the project with those who will never have the opportunity to go there.
To accomplish this, I believe it's necessary to revisit some of the places I have been and to find new places; to spend more time finding the images "below the surface"; to get beyond the obvious. Every visit offers different light, different seasons, different feeling, and a different perspective that comes with greater familiarity.
Although this project is primarily an art project, it will certainly serve a documentary purpose as well. Much of the history of the Northern Plains is found in the abandoned towns and farms, which reflect the evolving economy of the region. I fear that a just a year from now, some of the places I have already photographed will fall to the winter wind or the bulldozer. But my intention is not just to document these places, but to capture them in an artistic way using my decades of experience in photography.
I am planning the first trip for September, 2010 and the second trip in the spring of 2011.
As soon as the funding is successful, I will finalize my travel plans and start contacting galleries to line up the exhibit. Most galleries schedule exhibits far in advance, so I'm probably looking at early 2012 at the earliest.
The soft cover book will be printed by an online print-on-demand publisher and will be available online through my web site and the publisher's website. If funding significantly exceeds $3,500, I will consider producing the book with a hard cover. I am looking at Blurb, Lulu and a couple of others. An effort will also be made to have the book listed on Amazon.com.
FAQ
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9
Backers
$432
pledged of $3,500 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on August 11, 2010.
Pledge $2 or more
Every little bit helps and if you back me with at least $2 I'll acknowledge your support on a special project web page and you'll be able to follow the progress of this photo adventure.
Pledge $10 or more
For $10 I'll send you a signed fine-art note card with one of the project images printed with archival pigment inks on beautiful 100% cotton rag fine art paper. Plus, I'll acknowledge your support on a special project web page and you'll be able to follow the progress of this photo adventure.
Pledge $25 or more
For $25 I'll send you a signed archival inkjet print of one of the project images, approximately 6x9 inches on 8.5x11 inch fine art paper. Plus, I'll acknowledge your support on a special project web page and you'll be able to follow the progress of this photo adventure.
Pledge $50 or more
For $50 I'll send you a signed 8x12 inch exhibit quality print of one of the project images. The prints are printed using archival inks on fine art paper. Plus, I'll acknowledge your support on a special project web page and you'll be able to follow the progress of this photo adventure. Finally, all pledges of $50 or more will be acknowledged in the book.
Pledge $100 or more
For $100 I'll send you a signed 12x18 inch exhibit print of one of the project images. The prints are printed using archival inks on fine art paper. Plus, I'll acknowledge your support on a special project web page and you'll be able to follow the progress of this photo adventure. Finally, all pledges of $100 or more will be acknowledged in the book.
Pledge $200 or more
For $200 or more I will send you a special limited edition copy of the project book, numbered and signed. This version of the book will include a special Introduction and will be limited to the number of $200+ backers. In addition, I’ll include an exhibit quality 8x12 print. Plus, I'll acknowledge your support on a special project web page and you'll be able to follow the progress of this photo adventure. Finally, all pledges of $200 or more will be acknowledged in the book.
Pledge $300 or more
For $300 or more I will send you a limited edition portfolio of 10 prints in a special folio package. The prints are printed using archival inks on fine art paper and each print will be numbered and signed. Plus, I'll acknowledge your support on a special project web page and you'll be able to follow the progress of this photo adventure. Finally, all pledges of $300 or more will be acknowledged in the book.
Pledge $500 or more
The $500 support level gets you the complete collector’s package that includes the special limited edition version of the project book described above, and a limited edition portfolio of 10 prints in a special folio package. The prints are printed using archival inks on fine art paper and each print will be numbered and signed. Plus, I'll acknowledge your support on a special project web page and you'll be able to follow the progress of this photo adventure. Finally, all pledges of $500 or more will be acknowledged in the book.
Project By
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I have been doing photography off and on for nearly 50 years. I started with a folding camera and black & white roll film. Over time I have dabbled with various formats but mostly I have worked in 35mm. I enjoyed the versatility of the 35mm SLR and took on the challenge of making high quality images from this small format. Little by little I moved from the purely mechanical cameras through the modern 35mm single lens reflex cameras until I have finally embraced the digital world. I now work with a professional digital SLR, a computer, and an archival inkjet printer.
In the 1960s I worked in a small photo studio where I spent many hours in the darkroom making black and white prints. Then I moved from still photography to television and video. I have now come full circle, returning to photography as art after a 30-year career in visual communication.
With the great progress in the development of digital tools for photography over the last few years, the debate is pretty well settled as to whether digitally captured and processed images are valid art forms
To me, photography is about the image, and the photographer’s vision. All of the technical tools, whether film-based or digitally-based, are are nothing more or less than tools for translating the photographer’s vision into a medium that can enjoyed by others.
