I’ve really been struggling with keeping up with this blog. The last time I really kept one was with Scruffy Nomads, which was easy because it was a synopsis of world travels my partner, Bryan, and I experienced last year. I guess I’m just having a hard time comprehending why someone would want to read about the securities/insecurities that I’ve been struggling with through this Master’s program in Windsor. That being said, I think I’ve found the perfect outlet to keep me writing…
Anyhow, let’s catch you all up to where I’m currently at with the development of my artistic concept:
Even though I’ve never had a car registered to my name since I received my license on August 4th 1998, I have always had a car to use at my leisure. There was the Suzuki Swift throughout high school, registered to my Mom, the Chevy Beretta, registered to Joan (Bryan’s mother) throughout our undergrads, Betsey, the van we drove over the course of 11 months in New Zealand was registered to Bryan, Scarlet, the car we put 14,400 KM on in Australia over the course of 4 months in 2010 was also registered to Bryan, and most recently, Cherry, is currently in Saskatoon, registered under Bryan’s name.
When I came to Windsor in September, my parents graciously undertook the 3-day drive with a U-Haul of my stuff in tow. But when they left for the 3-day drive back to Saskatchewan, I was left carless – which really felt like my biggest nightmare. All I could do was dwell on the fact that I didn’t have a car, so how was I going to get out and shoot what I wanted to? So, I bought a bike, and rode around my area of town randomly taking panoramic photographs, which subsequently revolved around the theme of auto-recyclers, scrap yards, and the auto industry. But I still wasn’t satisfied. I wasn’t seeing enough of the city.
After Christmas break, I came back to a snowy Windsor, which immediately made me even angrier about the fact that I did not have a car. As Bryan can attest to, I may have on an occasion or two, cried and whined and pouted about how I didn’t have one but NEEDED one, perhaps in the off chance that he would say, “Hey, guess what! I didn’t tell you, but I have a few extra thousand lying around… Why don’t you go and buy yourself a car.” This did not happen. Instead, I was told to quit being counterproductive and constantly focusing on the negative, and instead, turn my attention to the positive. Wow… I must really be rubbing off on Bryan!
But, I agreed, and since two of my classmates in the program, Amanda White and Riaz Mehmood, had offered to either drive me around, or lend me their cars, I took up Riaz on his offer this past Tuesday, February 15th. He was busy, so Monday night let me keep the car overnight so I could head out and shoot the next day. It felt so good to be in a car, and driving myself home, that I couldn’t stop thinking about it.Then, later that night, I had an epiphany that could turn my disadvantage into an advantage.
I figured, if one person was willing to lend me their car, why wouldn’t a number of people be willing to lend me there ‘expertise’ on the auto industry? The word automobile and Windsor seem to be deeply intertwined, so through this process I will also be learning more of people’s opinions on the matter. So my question will be, “What do you think represents the auto industry? And would you be willing to drive me to this location so I can document it?” Of course, I’ll be fronting gas and food money to make it worthwhile…Additionally, I will take a portrait of each person’s vehicle and keep track of where we go through a mapping process, and through this blog. So, every time someone takes me out, I will write about our adventure here. As being on the hunt, and the thrill of seeing new places is part of what drives me to be a photographer, this seems like the best way to make my current situation work for me. The idea is still being formulated, so I don’t have much more to say about it at the time being, but I appreciate any feedback or ideas that people have… that is if anyone bothers to read my random ramblings.
Portrait of Riaz's car from February 15th 2011. Just a sample, as I would like to re-shoot with direct light, rather then side light.
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