Book Project is Back on Track!

The Spring semester is quickly coming to a close and in-between getting my final exams ready (among a deluge of other things) I actually carved out some time this weekend to work on my book project.

Yes…that book project I was so excited about a few months ago. As usual it stalled due to the constant demands of teaching, freelancing and my DL duties.  I always had the project in the back of my mind, working it out conceptually. I was initially inspired to revisit it by an all day Adobe Creative Suite workshop that I attended this past Friday. The new applications I learned in the seminar got me thinking about innovative ways to organize and prioritize my hundreds of photographs in a program called Bridge.

Andei at the Beach and Posing for the Camera

Anyway… I started laying the book out and designing the template in In-Design and Photoshop two different times and couldn’t decide how I wanted the overall design to be for the photographs and journal entries. Since that time however, I discovered Blurb an online Book Publishing company with excellent and nicely designed templates and advanced layout features for someone with design skills. I also decided to start small in order to learn the Blurb software and see how a finished book looks from this company.

My darling daughter Andei’s 16th birthday (Yikes I feel old) is in June so I’m doing (and dedicating) my first book for her. It’s essentially a series of black & white photographs and journal entries I took of her since she was born. I’m also laying out a second book with all the best photographs she’s taken since she has been interested in photography. So I have my work cut out for me, but it should go fast because Blurb is very user friendly and has a relatively quick turn around time.

Andei in late afternoon light with Globe and Silly Expression

Once I get these two projects finished I’ll be ready to work on the bigger BOOK project that will include a cross section of photographs juxtaposed with my  journal writing over the past 25 years.

Andei and I in New York City 12/07

It’s always a great feeling to actually see some progress on a major creative “personal” project - I feel confident I can get these first 2 books out by the middle of May and mailed to my daughter in time for her birthday. I am envisioning laying out an entire series of photo books in the coming years.  You gotta LOVE  technology!

Observations and Revelations

There’s a subtle connotation of sadness and introspection in many of my black & white photographs that I’ve taken over the years. This revelation hit me HARD while I was organizing, editing and scanning my negatives for the book project. Even many of the ones that don’t have people in them communicate a sense of solitude, isolation and quite sadness. Is it because I was experiencing sadness as I composed the pictures?

Self Shadow Portrait, Beaufort 1988

Adam at Atlantic Beach, 1995

Robin at Ft. Macon 1983

I’ve asked myself where this subliminal sadness come from? Is sadness different from depression? I think it is because I can be feeling a little sad, somber and introspective yet not necessarily be depressed. I think the sadness is very deep rooted in my Irish Catholic heritage. My mother also struggles with sadness and slight depression, yet she doesn’t even know where it comes from most of the time.

Adam on Long Island, 1987

I think it may be deeply ingrained in my Celtic genes (heritage) and goes back to the potato famine and even before when the Vikings (then the English) conquered Ireland and misplaced so many of my people. Is it possible to carry the heavy sadness of generations that came before me? The Irish can be incredibly fun loving and joyous people, but they (based on personal experience) can be very introspective, highly creative slightly manic and sad as well being incredible storytellers. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not whining about these revelations and feelings – I’m just making an observation based on my personal experiences and my photographs.

Banks Street Woods, 1998

I’m slowly making progress with my book, although now that school’s kicked back in I’m not getting as much accomplished as I would like. I have a 3 day weekend and hope to digitize more black & white negatives and journal pages.

Ocracoke Beach 1993

I also have to get some new photographs framed and ready for a Juried Exhibit in Raleigh and the Art From the Heart show that opens here in Morehead next month. So I suppose I need to shake IT off and get back to work. Just something to ponder as I sift through my photographic archive of over 30 years.

Adam at MHC Park, 1993

Andei Waking Up, 1995

Amberlie in Window Light 1994

When I see a potential photograph in my field of view I go into my “shooting zone”. From that point on the image making process becomes very intuitive. Everything from setting my aperture, shutter speed, composition, framing, subject placement and angle are become a involuntary response to my subject based on my personal style and approach. I photographically explore every aspect, gesture, expression and angle possible during those brief moments that my subject (no matter what it is) interests me. So when I say that many of my images have a somber tone to them I wonder if it’s something I am doing subconsciously in addition to the emotional response I create in my subjects during my photographic investigation of them.

One final note on this BloG entry. There are no winners in divorce and I’m well aware that my photographs, writing and art have been impacted greatly by the demise of my 2 marriages over the past 22+ years. With that said, I’m very, VERY blessed and fortunate to have wonderful, kind and even loving relationships with my children’s mothers. I’m not sure how many single Dad’s can say that.

food for thought…

Click Here for more Ireland Photographs

My Book Project Continued…

Journaling, Ocracoke 1992

I continue to plod methodically along on my book project. Just editing through and scanning my huge negative archive is a monumental task in itself. I woke up early and got caught up with all my online courses - hard to believe this semester is rapidly coming to an end. The next two weeks are going to be hectic to say the least with final exams, projects and averaging/posting grades for all my courses. I spent 2 hours scanning more negatives for the book today.

Amberlie, Adam and Friend, 1992

Its funny how the pictures don’t lie. The photographs I’ve taken over the past 30 years tell it all. They tell a story. These pictures of my family, friends and environments has given me deeper insight and clarity. The more I work on this project, the better I understand myself and the people that shared and impacted my life.

Adam at Atlantic Beach / Amberlei holding Andei 1992

Even though I’ve been divorced (more than once) many of my images show good, positive and loving relationships. Sure there were some tough, heartbreaking times, however, there was also a great deal of fun, love and joy and that’s what I want to remember and savor about the past.

Shadow Portrait of Stacy, Andei and I, 1992

I hope to continue learning from the mistakes and difficult times of the past, but not dwell or let them eat away at me. It’s time to move on once and for all - enjoy the present moment, my children, extended family and wonderful friends. This book of photographs and journal entires is a cathartic journey and hopefully will communicate a story that readers can relate to and possibly learn from.

Adam and his B B Gun, 1994

Andei picking flowers, 1995

The Book Project - 1977 - 2007

I’m very excited about my new book project. It is a monumental undertaking, however it’s something I’ve been thinking about doing for many years. I started writing seriously (almost daily) in journals in 1975 and have close to 80 filled notebooks and journals 30+ years later.

Cold and miserable at jungle training somewhere in the swamps of Florida, 1977

Shadow Portrait of Robin holding Adam 1983

Journal Entry April, 1985

Essentially I’ve been scanning (digitizing) what I consider my “favorite” images taken over the past 30 years. Pictures that reflect and reinforce my “personal vision” as a photographer and have the most meaning to me, in addition to helping me tell the story of my journey as a father, husband, artist, writer and teacher. I’m concentrating on the black & white negatives first and this book will be strictly black & white even if I have to convert some color to grayscale. I’ve scanned over 200 negatives (35mm & 2/1/4) so far and have another 150 + to go.

Adam at Short Beach, Long Island 1986

Journal Entry, July 1985

The other part of this project is scanning excerpts from my personal journals written over the past 30 years and then juxtaposing my photographs with appropriate journal entries written approximately the same time the photograph was taken and hopefully reveal my state of mind when the photograph was taken.

My Brother Dennis and Amberlei sleeping, Atlantic Beach House 1994

Journal Entry, July 1985

There is no doubt that I have focused my camera on family, friends and my environment over the years - that has become extremely evident to me as I edit through the boxes of negatives I’ve saved over the years.

Adam with Camera, Beaufort NC 1989

Luckily, I’ve kept all my photographs and negatives stored properly and organized so its just a matter of editing the work down and scanning the negatives that best communicate my heart and soul as a photographer and my 30+ year journey as a writer/photographer.

Andei at Adams Creek, 1998

Amberlei at Atlantic Beach Circle, 1994

This project is a labor of love and will most likely take me a year or so to compile, design and publish. I spend so much time teaching both in the classroom and online, I must have a creative project to work on order to keep the artist within me alive, well and sane.

Mirror Portrait (Adam and I) 1986

Self Portrait in Reflection of Motorcycle Engine 1988

Click here for a cross section of some of the photographs I am including in this book.

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