New Photo Project

I'm starting a new project as well as a new phase of photography. Let's face it. I didn't go into photography to photograph weddings. Yes, I am a product of our Hollywood infiltrated, materialistic culture that falls for the happy ending romance and glamour of today's trends in wedding photography. I love the first kiss, the moment of commitment in the "I do's", tears in parents' eyes, white dresses, lace, flowers, wedding cakes...I cry at every wedding I photograph at some point even though I haven't known the people I am photographing for very long and sometimes not at all. In fact, I've been a wedding voyeur for as long as I've discovered that sometimes you can watch a wedding take place at a church by happenstance or wait until the wedding is over and watch the bride and groom leave the church (this was a past time of mine when I lived in Spain) However, this isn't nor wasn't what I want "do" with my life and my photography solely. So, I'm starting a new phase of projects that mean something to me personally or about something that I care about.

This project is the first of my "new phase". I love gardening, I believe in sustainable food practices, community gardens, environmentalism, organic farming, you name it. I was raised in a "back to earth" type community that consisted of hippies and farmers, loggers and people who consciously moved to the hills of Northern California to be a part of the earth and live more naturally. My dad was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam war, my mother is a nurse and now works with the homeless and the mentally ill at a free clinic in Santa Rosa, CA. My brother is adopted and my parents' house is powered by solar power and propane. My dad makes bio diesel fuel when he can.

Steve and I had a beautiful garden in Ohio and we just didn't get it together this year for a garden. We try to buy as organic and sustainably as possible, deciding to get a used car as part of our not contributing to the ever increasing materialism this culture pushes on us to support this economy which isn't sustainable. Throwing away things to buy more energy efficient isn't necessarily energy efficient if you think about it. Where did all that energy come from to make the new energy efficient stuff? Don't just go throwing things out or buying our way to be efficient. That's not efficient. Buy less...studies have shown that even though things are more "energy efficient" Americans have increased their consumption so much it hasn't made a difference with conservation.

Steve works on finding truly green and sustainable ways to make polyurethanes, which are most commonly made with petroleum products. There is a lot of science that is out there now to move us away from dependence on oil and other processes that aren't sustainable or necessarily healthy for us. Not all "green" things are green either. You really have to get educated on what is green and what is not.

I just want to explain my background and why this matters to me. I am not a perfect person in anyway when it comes to being "green" or in any other matter for that instance. I'm so flawed it can be sad if I dwell on it. I try not to dwell on it but I also want to better myself so sometimes I do end up dwelling a bit on my dark side and then I move on. But no matter what we all can make a difference in the little things we do. We all have light in ourselves. Myself, sometimes I think, "what can I do? I am not a teacher, a doctor. I have been photographing weddings for the past 8 years and haven't worked for any large corporation or have "skills" to directly make a difference. I don't even know what kind of job I could get at this point. But I can take a photo and maybe that will help. I can document and I can just move forward to like everyone else who maybe struggles in the same way."

So, my new project is about the people that are making a difference in Houston. It is a homage to them, to the people that get out there and do something even if it is pulling weeds once a month. The little things all together make a big difference. Gardens bring beauty and life, invigorate a plot of land that once was abandoned, help people have better health by being active in the gardening, provide food, bring people together, spread beauty and so much more. Gardens are a metaphor for life in that you have to take care of them so they can produce fruit. You have to constantly pull out the weeds so the plants that give us life can grow fully. They are healing.

If you are a photographer you'll see that my photos are also going to be a sort of homage to Richard Avedon. However, you will not see carnies, miners, homeless and other interesting characters who look like he drug them out of some sort of freak show. I really want the photos to show happier or perhaps more healthy people than some of his photos. Maybe they'll lack the grit but that's okay. I want the photos to show anyone can do something little to make a difference and make the world a better place. Everyone's ideas count, everyone counts.

Here are the first portraits. I am looking for more gardeners, more community gardens and perhaps more people who you think fit into the community sustainable garden movement in Houston-who might fit in the collection. Chef Tarsha is planning an event to celebrate the one year anniversary and the photos of the gardeners will be on display there.