garrison beau scott

Anne over at Ample Sanity is a pretty cool soul. Besides being a friend of this site, she’s also got a perspective on things that you don’t find everyday. And did I mention her impeccable taste?

When I started this blog, I had no idea who would come. I have been very lucky to form some friendships with other photographers, and through mutual appreciation of work, I’ve been given the chance to see some great imagery and share some of mine.

I am in no way qualifying the contributions of others, as I deeply appreciate everyone’s kind thoughts when they are so moved to speak about my pictures. I’m just pointing out that it has been Anne’s words that have taught me the most about my own photography.

And what I mean by that, is I had thought the series of pictures I made at Bowdoin College, while pretty cool if I don’t say so myself, were just images of some goal posts on an athletic field, it was Anne who opened my mind to the possibility that they were much more.

A friend of mine in college wanted frogs in her backyard. She built a pond. I asked her how she knew frogs would come. She told me they always do, just build a pond. Sure enough, a few months later, she had frogs. Much in the same way the 1919 Chicago White Sox materialized out of an Iowa cornfield.

So, it’s come to this. I have a goal. I am building it. The voices in my head have yet to make their presence known, but I have a feeling they’re just biding their time, and I want to avoid them at all costs. Unless they sound like Jerry Garcia and play a mean Dire Wolf.

My goal, is to write and direct for film.

Growing up in Southern California, complete with grandparents that redefined the concept of doting, well, we went to Disneyland. A lot. My grandfather and I had a favorite ride, Autotopia, where you would get into a car and drive along a course that wove through Tomorrowland. He’d always let me drive, even when I couldn’t see over the steering wheel, and would laugh with delight whenever I crashed into the car ahead of us, or were crashed into from behind.

It really wasn’t driving, as the cars were on a track and the only real control you had over the car was stopping and starting. If one was so inclined, they could take their hands completely off the steering wheel and just step on the accelerator and make it through just fine.

And I’m wondering now, thirty and change years later, and my shotgun grandpa no longer with us, what if we just take our hands off the steering wheel? Would it be just as fun to bump along on the track, crashing into and being crashed into the cars that are on the track with us? Or is that why we pay admission to theme parks, because life isn’t like that? Though sometimes it feels like it.

When it does, I try to remember my grandfather’s sage advice when it came to those cars in our way, “Ram ‘em!”

Here’s another from the Bowdoin Fields series. I’ve just recently finished scanning, spotting, sizing and ordering the ten images I’m going to use for an upcoming “Featured Portfolio” on the web site. Announcements will be made, links will be sent, and babies will be kissed.

Is it too early to start drinking?

The more time I spend with these images, the more I’m liking them. At first they were merely the result of an exercise in how to occupy one’s time when the person with the car keys is gone for 45 minutes and you’re 3 states north of home with nothing more than a Holga and a few rolls of film. But as I’ve said, I’m beginning to enjoy them for more than just a creative diversion. They might actually have a modicum of merit as pictures. But maybe that’s the drink talking.

I’m currently serving as Director of Photography on an independent film being shot here in New England. One of the scenes required an in-door track and field facility and lucky for us, the director of the film has connections with the head coach at Bowdoin College.

After the day’s shooting, I was left alone for about forty minutes with my Holga, and so I did what I’d normally do. Wander. Bowdoin has a gorgeous collection of athletic fields that surround the school and I had them all to myself as school wasn’t in yet. What makes them even more beautiful is the setting. The school is surrounded by wall of trees and it makes for a very isolated vibe as one wanders the fields. I’ll be posting more of these soon, and selecting my ten favorites for the featured portfolio on my web site.