In my final 30 days here on campus, I am embarking on my Final Capstone Picture Essay. In non photo-j speak, its the culmination of my four year education put into one project. A picture story focuses on one person, one story, and generally has a complication or some sort of plot. An essay on the other hand, is a series of photographs on one topic or issue, that the photographer feels merits discussion, illumination, etc.
Since I do not feel I can accurately tell someone’s story in only 30 days, I have chosen to work on an essay, and am calling it “Farmer Portraits”, tentatively. Essentially, I will be going around to local farms and growers, setting up a white backdrop, one umbrella-ed light, and make the subject’s portraits at dawn or dusk. Friday was my first “fact-finding” mission was at Pierpont Farms just south of town. Rob and Angela have a great new system up that kinda of acts like a green house for a half-acre. When I do their individual write-up, of course, I’ll include all these details, but bottom-line, they were incredibly friendly, gave me a whole tour of their beautiful property, and on top of that, it was a gorgeous day. If you didn’t go outside Friday, you missed out.
Other families I plan on visiting so far: Bonne Femme (honey), Goatsbeard (goats), HWL Meats (bison), and the Stanton boys (chickens). If you, or anyone you know is willing to let me make their portrait on their property, please let me know.
