As the deadline for The People, Places and Patterns Project looms like a giant, big, looming thing only 3 days away, I want to take this moment to thank those (currently)41 of you who have pledged your support for this project. While it is looking just a wee bit like the goal will not be reached in time, I want to show my thanks by offering you, and anyone else who pledges to the project, a permanent 30% off coupon to Hidden Creek Photography (http://hiddencreekphoto.com). This coupon will be honored as long as I draw breath on any photo I sell, even if I become ultra super rich and famous. It's like a black American Express card, but better.

And it's not too late for anyone sitting on the fence. Just think, if the project doesn't get funded 100% nothing comes out of your pocket and you STILL will get the 30% discount. You can't lose!

Thank you!

It's time for another People, Places and Patterns Update!! (http://pppproject.com)

On suggestion from a fellow photographer I met yesterday, I've added to the project description. In short, I've included the types of photographs and video I plan on bringing back. I find it works well to have a general list of what I want to bring back with me (while also being wholly open to letting the trips unfold in front of me).

To that end, here is a compilation of of what is on my radar for each of the locations:
History, distances traveled, daily life, countryside, city life, every day life, work, markets, camels, mountains, coast, ethnic groups, religion, smiles, examples of adaptations for climate, food, spices, nightlife, tightly shot panoramas, crowds, modern life meeting old world traditions, wildlife, school children, classic safari images, Kilimanjaro, big game, tourist towns, rural life, transportation, culture, smiles, impacts of economic recession, birds, sweeping panoramas, history, The Great Migration, food preparation, village life, subsistence farming, tourism impact, Sherpa life, classic trekking, more sweeping panoramas of the Himalayas, parties and celebration, dancing, singing, commerce

If there is any thing specific you'd like brought back, please email me peter@thecareyadventures.com

I'm big on lists to make projects a success. While I came up with a few lists before kicking on this project, I'm now most excited about my latest set of lists. These include one for schools to visit, one for libraries to show at and one for community groups to get involved with. I'm really excited to already have some data to fill the lists! If you have a local school or community group who you think would like to see this free presentation, please drop me a line.

I also received the first batch of postcards which have been sent out. If you'd like to have one of these oversized monsters show up in your mailbox, please send me your address and I'll get one out to you. If you have a couple of community bulletin boards they can be tacked to, I'd be glad to send you a few! Just email peter@thecareyadventures.com

Thanks!

It's time to set some goals. In all my communications to others trying to help them understand teh People, Places and Patterns Project (http://pppproject.com) I've been adding in something concrete. I believe in goals and I think it helps people visualize the impact I have planned for this project.

To that end, I picked a few numbers I feel are realistic. 50 Schools, 10 Libraries and 20 Community Group Presentations in 2010. In my loose estimate that's touching the lives of over 1000 students (ranging from 1st grade on up) and about 700 adults by the end of the year. Mind you, I don't plan on stopping when Jan 1, 2011 rolls around, but I want to book end the impact of this project so I picked a year (handy for tax purposes too!)

My goal is based upon being able to schedule all those presentations and get to where they will be. I've already started planning my shows further a field, with friends in Portland, OR, Utah and San Diego asking if I can come visit. My plan for remote sites is to enlist the help of as many locals as possible to help identify other venues during a visit. These locations are all semi-close to home and I have friends to stay with, keeping my overhead down. I can then plan for four days on the ground and ideally schedule two schools per day, one library and one community group every other day, per day.

I believe this is a pace I can keep up through the Fall school season (getting a jump start on community groups and libraries during the summer). This would mean for each city visited I want to impact at least 160 students and 100 adult (ideally the adult numbers will be more, but I'm being cautiously optimistic). Three cities on the list so far = 480 students and 300 adults. And things start looking completely doable.

You help in making this goal a reality is heartwarming, to say the least. Every time I get a new backer (like Ivone's latest pledge!!) it's a serious buzz. Sure, my ego likes it for the personal validation, but on a deeper level I realize someone else out there believes like I do, that this project really can make an impact on life here at 'home'. That being exposed to and learning about different cultures can bring about a better understanding of the world outside our borders.

Again and again, thank you for supporting The People, Places and Patterns Project!! http://pppproject.com

Yeah, it's time for some Friday type updates! Light and easy.

In thinking this project forward I rebranded the easy with which others connect to it on the internet. Using tinyurl.com gave me the willies since it was hard to remember. Maybe not the real, "someone else is in the house and they want to rearrange my furniture" kinda willies, but an unevenness. So I changed that.

You can now find the latest on the People, Places and Patterns Project by hitting http://pppproject.com That's 3 Ps then Project. This serves two purpose:
1) It's easy to remember and communicate.
2) It will give me an place to continue posting updates about the project once the funding is finished successfully. I'm not sure how long Kickstart keeps info up (I assume it's a good long while) but I wanted some place I could expand the use of the photos, videos, information that I gather on this trip and dole out at schools, libraries and community groups. This lets me build on that brand and even, maybe just maybe, do it again in the future.

So if you haven't already, check out http://pppproject.com and consider making a contribution.

Me again! If you've been following along with the People, Places and Patterns Project (http://tinyurl.com/pwc-pppp) you know by now I'm intent on visiting classrooms and presenting photos, videos and stories from the trip to help inspire children to explore beyond their borders. This is one of the main reasons for the trip, with another being to have my daughter experience the Africa leg firsthand.

Last night I hit upon a crazy idea, induced by lack of sleep and too much chocolate. And I could use your help in making it reality. First, if you haven't already done so, please find a way to scrape a few pennies together to donate to the project at http://tinyurl.com/pwc-pppp. Second, and this is a bit more important because the positive results are further reaching, I need a contact at a portable data storage company. Some place like Kingston or Sandisk. I need this contact because I want to offer the presentation I'll be, uhh, presenting in schools and community groups to follow the kids home.

My plan is to make a PC/Mac slideshow that kids can play at home that have the best shots from the trips. Most of these they will have seen in class when I visit. I want the inspiration planted that day to live on past my visit. To that end, I want to package the slideshow and some other location information about Spain, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania and Nepal, onto a USB thumbdrive and deliver it to each student I meet. It would be accompanied with a picture postcard explaining to their parents what is on the drive and how they can explore the areas, virtually, with their children.

I know not all kids have computers at home, but I know a lot of schools and libraries do. It is my hope that at least ten children out of every class I visit will take the drive home and start dreaming about visiting far off places like Africa and Nepal. It is my hope they will hold on to that dream and find a way to make it a reality, and share their experience with others. I realize many kids will either lose the drive or wipe it clean so they can trade pirated software and music with friends, but I'm willing to lose a few for the chance to motivate many.

Can schools and community groups get the same type of slideshow from the academic mainstream? I'm sure they can and I'm sure there are some big names behind presenting that material. What I'm offering, I believe, is different. I strongly believe kids of differing ages will connect much better with a real live person in their classroom, showing pretty pictures and stories up on their video screen, rather than just the screen running the show. I'm offering the added value of someone who can directly answer questions about what it's really like to see elephants lumbering through the forest or watching snake charmers in Marrakech.

If you have a contact with a likely corporate sponsor, I'd love to hear from you. Or if you're directly connected with a company fitting the profile I outlined, I'd love to talk with you today. Here's my email address. Thank you!!

Hello!
Some people have asked about my Project and who is going with me. Basically the trip is in two parts; first Africa and then Nepal.

For Africa (and that short stay in Spain) my eight year old daughter will be with me as well as a friend named Julie. Julie wasn't invited, not that I didn't want anyone to go. But the idea I had was to take my daughter and open her eyes, first hand, to the wonders of Africa. Julie simply asked to go when she heard about the trip. She had the vacation time saved up so we started planning.

Nepal will be a solo endeavor, although I *will* be traveling with a group. I've been on another trek with Matt, our trek and climbing guide as well as one other guy on this trip, Dave. Dave was an absolute hoot on my last Nepal trek and I'm glad to be climbing with him. So while I say solo, I will know some people on the trip.

I'm happy to have Julie along for the first trip as she's been feeding my excitement about planning things. And she's been helping keep me a bit sane and on task. We have tickets now so next up is booking some of the bigger things, like safaris. I'd also love to get up in a plane over Ngororgoro crater or the Serengeti and see it all from above.

My daughter and I watched a DVD on the Great Migration and have a better idea of what lies ahead. We're both very excited and a little nervous.
pwc

Howdy! First, if you're a People, Places and Patterns Project backer, THANK YOU!! If I haven't said it enough, I'll say it again: Thank you! It really means a lot to have friends and complete strangers helping me make this project a reality. I'm not accustomed to asking for help with the big things in life so I feel humbled by the response so far. Thank you.

Second, I'm adding video to the school and community presentations. Some place between here and a photography warehouse is a Canon 7D making it's way to me. I love my trusty Canon EOS 5D and have been using it for four years now. It's a solid camera, no doubt about it. But the new 7D has some irresistible upgrades, such as video (and a sensor cleaner!!). I don't plan on making any form of Planet Earth type production, but instead will shoot shorter 10-30 second clips to give a feel for the place. I also plan on doing some descriptive work and "vloging".

Yes, you could say I'm aiming at the anticipated attention span of my chosen audience of school children.....and you'd be right. My overall goal with this project is to plant the seed and ignite interest that will hopefully drive those viewing the slideshow/videos and listening to my ramblings, to go find out for themselves what else is out there.

Thank you!
pwc

Hello!
And thank you for checking out the People, Places & Patterns Project. I'm excited to kick off this project in hopes of funding this extraordinary photographic journey.
Let me explain a bit of how this works in case you haven't checked any of the other links. When you click on the nice green button on the right hand side you will be backing me for this trip, BUT! And it's a big but, only if the entire $10,000 gets funded. Further, your credit card will not be charged if the entire amount is not backed by the 16th of February, just before I leave on the first leg of the trip.

You will be asked to create a Kickstarter account, which is easy. Or you can use your Facebook logon, which is equally handy. You pick the amount you'd like to back and the award you'd like to receive. Payments are handled through Amazon for super easy convenience.

And now to throw in a little incentive! If you back PPPP in the next 48 hours ( until midnight on Friday they 18th, Pacific Time) I will send you a BONUS 5x7" custom printed fine art Giclée photo on archival watercolor paper for FREE! That's like getting backing for an extra $30 for free! But the offer is only good until midnight on Friday the 18th, 2009!

Thanks for stopping by!
pwc