Hello all,

Working diligently on an initial book dummy for Gays in the Military - as well as photographing and teaching - has prevented me from sending an update until now, but then I also do not want to overload you (especially those who actively donate to Kickstarter ventures - you know who you are).

First, I have recently completed an initial version of a book dummy for Gays in the Military on Blurb and have sent a copy to the European Publishers Award for Photography: http://www.dewilewispublishing.com/EUROAWARD/EUROAWARD2012.html, for which I was shortlisted in 2002 for We Skate Hardcore, and the Dummy Award 2012 at the 5th Annual International Photobook Festival in Le Bal, France: http://2012.fotobookfestival.org/en/dummy_award/.  The book dummy can be seen on Blurb.com.  If you are interested in seeing the prototype, please contact me and send your email address since viewing the book on the web site is private and by invitation.  I'd be happy to send you the link.

I was in San Antonio, Austin and Houston, Texas again making more pictures of veterans for the project.  Some of the pictures can be seen below.  They include photographs of LTC Ken Sheppard, Omar Lopez, Ira high and Jim Halloran, who turned out to be someone who knew my sister back in high school (and me peripherally since he was a freshman at Scranton Prep when I was a senior.)  He pulled out some of Scranton Prep's old year books and boy did that jog my memory and recognition of years passed.  But then this is what photographs do.  They are palpable testaments to lives lived and histories forgotten.

I'll be traveling again to Houston and Austin in May to photograph two women who are officers in the armed forces and proud parents of two children as well as another woman who recently retired.   In Houston, I'll be photographing a Vietnam Vet - a friend of a friend - as well as to meet again with the Station Museum of Contemporary Art about an exhibition.  But more on that later.

Before going to Texas in May, I'll be spending the month of April photographing more people locally, including Bob Garon, the Vietnam Vet in New Hampshire - whom I mentioned in my last update - as well as Duane Michals and W.M Hunt in NYC.  Also, during the four Saturdays in April, I have conscripted four students from Parsons School of Design to travel to Newburgh from NYC on Metro North to join me and my intern, Andrew, for a transcribing marathon.  We'll be working from 10am until 6pm transcribing many of the interviews that I have done over the past two years. These will ultimately be used for editing the audio pieces, which Steve Heffner, an editor dedicated to documentary films and works with independent filmmakers and the History Channel, will be assisting with.  I'll be providing them with transportation, lunch and as much coffee as they need to transcribe until 6pm, then we'll break for a homemade meal, some wine and a salon to look at their work.  Should be fun.

I'll also be heading to New york City for Fleet Week at the end of May and San Francisco and Los Angeles in June to photograph more active duty personnel after DADT.  Other than a few other trips in the fall to the interior of the U.S., this should pretty much wrap up the interviewing and photographing for the project. 

Now for the juicy news: the Stephen Daiter Gallery <http://www.stephaniesinclair.com/selfimmolation/> in Chicago will be exhibiting the work of Ashley Gilbertson <http://www.ashleygilbertson.com/projects/bedrooms_of_the_fallen/>, Stephanie Sinclair <http://www.stephaniesinclair.com/selfimmolation/>, Samantha Appleton (Iraqi refugees living in the United States) and my Gays in the Military project in early September, 2012 as part of an exhibition titled, "Collateral Damage", which focuses on the effects of war on people's lives.  The opening reception will be planned for mid-September to coincide with a major photography fair/exposition.  In addition to the exhibition, there will be programming centering around lectures and panel discussions at the Contemporary Museum of Photography and Columbia College. 

I've known Stephen for years and have the greatest admiration for him as a gallerist as well as concerned citizen.  He has been very affected by human casualties sustained because of war and how this is depicted differently through the eyes of concerned photographers. Stephen is committed personally to mount this exhibition and will donate all the proceeds the gallery makes on the sale of prints to organizations.  Since the other three photographers have photographed in war zones, they also suffer from PTSD and are closely connected to organizations that service service member and veterans with PTSD.  I will also donate my share of the proceeds from the sale of prints, as I'm sure the other photographers will.  I would like to donate to either SLDN or OutServe to continue their work advocating for GLBT rights in the military.  I hope some of you will join me there as well as to support the exhibition's goals.

And finally, the discussions with the Station Museum of Contemporary Art are still in the works but no date has been set.  When I return to Houston in May, I'll be meeting with Tim Gonzalez and Jim Harithas to update them on the project as well as to discuss possible scheduling. 

Read a blog on the Gays in the Military on La Lettre de la Photographie, voted one of LIFE's Best Photo Blogs of 2011: http://www.lalettredelaphotographie.com/entries/5594/vincent-cianni-gays-in-the-military?utm_source=La+Lettre+de+la+Photographie+List&utm_campaign=ac9d5a88a7-La_Lettre_de_la_Photographie_13_02_2012&utm_medium=email

Hello Everyone,

Gays in the Military closed at Fovea Exhibitions yesterday having had a well-attended run as well as panel discussion on January 14, so thought I would send some installation shots below. 

Chronogram Magazine included a photograph from the panel discussion in the ChronogramScene its February issue. 

I'll be photographing some people locally on the east coast including a Vietnam Vet in New Hampshire - Bob Garon - who had a much-publicized "confrontation" with Mitt Romney on Gay Marriage while campaigning for the New Hampshire primary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRN9Y5Nvdqk or in the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/13/mitt-romney-gay-veteran-bob-garon_n_1146216.html.

I'll be in Houston in March to drop in on Fotofest briefly (Mar 16-18) and to photograph more subjects in Austin and San Antonio (Mar 13-15).