Later this year, I’m turning 40. To celebrate, I’m going for a 5,000-mile drive.
I believe that I am who I am because of the grace, kindness, criticism, and expertise of those around me. I’m taking this year to collect those relationships the best way I know how, in photos, to bring them closer to me, rekindle the old, and launch a few new ones. I can only hope that by highlighting the impact that so many people have had on me, I can do so similarly for those in my own sphere.
I’m leaving Portland early on the morning of August 27th and heading south. I’ll be in San Francisco the next morning, then Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson, Salt Lake City, Boise, Seattle, and back home, all in under 10 days. This trip is just the start of my year, however. At some point, I’ll need to make it east. Then France and South Korea. Here’s hoping.
Because this initial trip is a bit of a race, I’m not planning on much more than 15 minutes per portrait session. Amazing Race, for sure.
I’ve already started sending out email requests for time on calendars and have received gracious responses so far. This coming week is the big week, though, lining up schedules and locations and rest stops and showers.
I’ll be writing more about the experience here. As for the photos, I’ll be publishing them all in my own gallery under the Creative Commons licensure. They’ll be making their way into my daily photo project as well.
So, as I get ready to kick this thing off, I suppose I’ll close with a quick note of pre-thanks. For all those I’ll be shooting and those I’m sure I’ll miss this time around, thanks for all you’ve done to make me who I am and for the work you do every day that goes to make my own work better. I’m honored to be in your orbit, and I look forward to seeing you soon.