FIRETRUCK REPOSE

FIRETRUCK AT SAMOA, 2010

I am still pondering the notion of sharing one's history. I think most of us that live lives of relative comfort have the time to reflect. I think it is especially true of those of us in my age group. We, for the most part, have raised our families, had our careers, and in general have more opportunities to ponder our life's stories.

I think that some of us value our past endeavors enough so that we become part of the type of historical groups that reflect our earlier lives or dreams. I am certain that those WWII bombers still fly because of the passion of those whose intent was to preserve the aircraft. I associate with a group that maintains old railroad artifacts, rolling stock and buildings. Those folks invest a lot of time and energy into the maintenance and restoration of their railroad related relics.

I am pondering the notion that my participation with these artifacts somehow bring to life a somewhat idealized concept of my youth and my dreams of my youth. When I photograph historic buildings, structures, aircraft, and heavy equipment I do experience a sort of time travel. I place my attention on a subject that in some manner takes me back in time to the haunts and desires of my youthful years. In essence I build a shrine to my dreams, visions, history, and adventures each time I complete a photograph, and exhibit it in a gallery.

I think it goes beyond "living in my past". I think too that I am validating who it is that I have become. Yes, my history includes the fact that I worked on the railroad, served in the army, raised a family, built a house and so on, but it also reflects who it is that I am now. I take the common thread that runs through my story. I almost always photographed in the style that I photograph today. It is with that thread of photography that I may tell my story. I acknowledge that that is what I am doing. I am sharing my passions, and my story as best as I can through my photographs.