I love this film. Mediastorm’s “Inside Tracks” is the perfect balance of ingredients. A bit of motion, some interviews, and an outstanding set of still photographs with voiceover that carry the entire piece. Still photographs and audio. That combination, for me, is the most powerful combination of elements. But there is more to this story than the filmmaker’s intention. There is the story of Robyn Davidson.
In 1977, Robyn Davidson set out from the dusty frontier town of Alice Springs and walked 1,700 miles alone across the Australian outback. In search of solitude and self, Davidson journeyed alone with only four camels to carry her gear and her beloved dog, Diggity, as her companion.
Ya, there’s that. Just 1,700 miles across the outback. I was nervous driving across the outback, and I was never really IN the outback. I was outback adjacent. We drove 3,000 kilometers, and in places where they warned us it could be a week before another vehicle came our way, but still tame in the Davidson grand scheme. At times, she was not alone.
National Geographic sponsored Davidson’s trip, and in return, she reluctantly allowed photojournalist Rick Smolan to document the trek— his first big assignment for National Geographic Magazine. It took Davidson nine months to complete the trip, walking through the perilous and barren desert landscape—a journey that tested and transformed them both, forming a friendship and an immutable bond that continues to this day.
If you don’t know Rick Smolan, he’s someone you should investigate. He’s had a real career. I’ve met him a few times, and if he has an ego, I’ve yet to discover it. He’s cool. And ya, I’m jealous. This assignment is the stuff of dreams. In my opinion, he nailed it. His photographs make this film, and for this to work, he had to have an abundance of solid imagery. The picture of Davidson walking on a road surrounded by Indigenous children is mindblowing. I can’t see this image enough. The light, the color, the spacing, and that red Australian Earth.
When I think about films I’d like to make, I think about films like this. I won’t make films like this, but I think about doing so. People send me a lot of links. Too many. Most of the time, I delete them, but the ones I do see often leave me flat. Sure, there is plenty of drone footage and cinematic clips, but rarely am I inspired by the story. Hipsters riding motorcycles in the California desert, or photographers shooting old buildings with film, don’t do it for me. I will watch anything about Miami Vice or Smokey and the Bandit, so please keep sending those links, by all means.
There is a motion picture. I don’t need it, but I might try it on for size. This clip is enough for me. And I will investigate the book, which I’m surprised I haven’t already read. I don’t know anything about the context of this story, which means I don’t know much about Davidson other than what I see here. Reclusive, pioneering, etc. I also don’t know the backstory with Smolan and The Geographic. I don’t know how First Nations people or Australians feel about this. All of these things are valid. I just wanted to comment on the film itself. The combination of ingredients I find so appealing.
Comments 18
Incredible! What a story. Rick Smolan is a legend and I had no idea about this chapter in his career. The Day in the Life Of series was a staple of my early photo education and to be honest the north star of aspiration. The days of those kind of assignments seems long gone, sadly. We have to make our own, which seems less romantic and exciting but is equally fulfilling.
Author
Those Day in the Life books were incredible.
And audio, clear, well narrated and with a beautiful score.
Author
Yep, it’s a gem.
I spent five years in Alice Springs as a kid. 1980-85. 11 to 15yo. Dad was sent to work at Pine Gap. No doubt that will ping some NSA bot out there somewhere. It was spectacular for a kid. The skies were so clear that at the drive in it looked liked someone had taken a paint brush with white paint and flicked a canvas painted black.
Author
I remember the first night we pulled over in WA. Camping and cooking. Sky was best I’ve ever seen, and we have dark skies here too.
You’ve read The Crossing by Sophie Matterson, right? It’s a more contemporary version of the same (ish) journey – https://www.sophiematterson.com/the-book. There’s also this: https://www.sidetracked.com/in-the-company-of-camels/
Damn you…Western Australia has just burnt itself to my retinas again 🙂
Author
Not sure I’ve read this, but will now!
Thanks, I will give this a watch.
Related: I was just out doing your least favorite style of photography today when I met a lady who is a friend of journalist Jennifer Crandall. She recommended I see Jennifer’s 2-year documentary and poetry project, Whitman, Alabama.
I enjoyed watching her light up while explaining her friend Jennifer’s project. She was passionate about it. Maybe that is why I forgot to ask the lady I spoke to her name. We never got around to it during our conversation (it was all about photography).
Here are project links if you’re curious. I just started looking at it. We spoke less than an hour ago.
Site: https://whitmanalabama.com
About the project/Jennifer: https://whitmanalabama.com/about/
Author
What’s my least fav style? There are so many. This seems like a glorious project.
Your least favorite style is street photography, isn’t it? I don’t take it personally.
Just FYI, I think you or WordPress changed some comment setting. Now, a hyperlink to my Gravatar account loads up automatically in the “website” field when I comment here. I don’t recall if you’ve ever written how you feel about folks linking their sites in your comments.
Author
Lifestyle photography is pretty darn soulless. That might take top billing.
What an incredible story! I just ordered her book from the library. Thanks for sharing this.
Author
Turns out, it’s in our library too.
I finished the book yesterday. Good read!
Author
A friend has our library copy but will give me a shot when he’s done.
Loved the feature film. Saw it a few years ago and I am pretty picky about films. The photography is beautiful. Thanks for sharing this, you’ve inspired me to order the book – not a long ago I read One Girl, One Dream, the memoir of Laura Dekker who solo sailed around the world when she was 16. Laura Dekker and Robyn Davidson are remarkable and inspiring women who broke the mold.
Author
Hey Guy, there is a great doc about Laura if you haven’t seen it. And someone else shared a story of another woman who walked the entire width of Australia with camels.