Idea Blog IV - Journey

This week I have chosen to talk about “the journey.”  “The journey” can refer to many things:  it can be the evolution of the project from the start to the finished product, or the physical journey one  must travel to find these objects.  As most people know the Richmond fan district is a college part of town and this is often where I am able to find furniture that has been thrown out or disregarded.   When I initially started the project my mode of transportation  were my own two feet.  I would would walk and walk and walk for hours sometimes finding very little, other times finding many items to photograph quickly.   One thing that has changed since I started  is how far I will travel--I now really have no limits.   This is due in part  to my new mode of transportation: car. But I have found it much harder to find objects in smaller cities and towns.  C.W. Banfield is someone I often admire at the local shows back home in Williamsburg, VA.  Banfield has “a love of nature and a wanderlust” that lead him to journey “down 15,000 miles of hiking trails.”  He is a very good nature photographer who works with large format negatives.  He also said that his hike through the entire Appalachian trail changed his life.This leads me to believe that there is a strong importance  in “the journey” in a spiritual sense, not just in the sense of photography [1].    One thing that really stands out in Banfield’s work is the scale he likes to print in, which is at least 40 in. x 50 in.  Scale of prints is something that definitely plays a roll in the effect of the images.  I like to think that the journey is mediative and part of the thrill but at times it certainly can be stressful.  According to Maya Clinc “Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health [2].”  I believe this to be true and that’s how I felt  initially with this project.   When I took on the project I really enjoyed the search.  Now I am little stressed about making good images every week and finding enough items to complete weeks goals.  Last time I was out I didn’t find anything to shoot related to the project, but at least I have a new project in mind.


[1] Banfield, C.W.. "About C.W.." The Wilderness Gallery - C.W. Banfield. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.fadinglightphotography.com/about_c_w_>.

[2] "Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic medical information and tools for healthy living - MayoClinic.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070>.