Vacation is awesome. People think I take vacations all the time. I’m on the road a lot. People who don’t travel think I must be on vacation. Why else would you travel? But most of my trips are work trips. Teaching with Elena, and now with Evelyn, hopefully. And then there is the Blurb travel. These trips put me in wonderful places, but they aren’t vacations. Jamaica, on the other hand, was light duty. Strict orders came through. No teaching, no photography, no nothing. Just sit and stare, okay? Beach, sand, more beach, more sand, some light socializing, and plenty of time for reading, writing, watercolors, and general waxing poetic about whether to get my hair braided.
I didn’t braid my hair, or do watercolors, or read a single page, and my writing was fun but limited. And in a clear dereliction of duty, I did make some photographs.
If I had to describe it, I would say, “Observationalist.” That’s me. That’s all I do. Everywhere, at all times. I can’t stop it, nor can I turn it off. This morning I was up at 3:30 AM to watch the Blood Moon. I went outside alone with just my binoculars. “Just watch it.” “Be happy.” “You don’t need photographs of this.” “Just enjoy the moment.” Five minutes later, I had two cameras on two tripods firing away like flak over Normandy.
The first day back from Jamaica, the journal was taking shape. In less than one hour, I’d made my edits, printed, and adhered them to the book you see here. These are the beginnings of the spreads, which I will work over however I see fit. Clear film, regular prints, ink transfers, both 16×9 and 3:2. This is the centerpiece of everything I do. I have three journals going at the moment, and Jamaica is the latest and greatest. The book is damp and feels different from the other two, which have spent most of their lives in the aridity of New Mexico. The Jamaica Journal shows its dance with humidity.
During the trip, someone asked me what my endgame was. “Disappear,” I answered. “I will still be in contact with friends and family, but the rest of me will be completely gone,” I added. “What will you be doing?” they asked. “Same as now,” I said. “Making photographs, writing, and making books.” But the books will be for me, not for public consumption, which is basically what I’m doing now. I make a ton of books but rarely make something intended for an audience, or for sale to people I don’t know. My goal, continue to observe.
Making a good journal spread makes me happy. That’s why I do it. A totally free creative expression built for an audience of one. I share these pages because I think many of you would enjoy this same process. It’s one reason I want to build more of this into my workshops and talks. I make without asking for anything or wanting anything from anyone else. This keeps it fun. And it allows me to experiment, fail, take chances, and learn from the mess.
Comments 8
Welcome back! Glad you got to decompress doing more of what you enjoy.
Did you also take a portable printer(s) with you? Or did you strictly focus on journal & capture and handle printing when you got back?
Hopefully there is not too much fine sand in your lenses.
Author
I had a Fuji Instax my friend had. The rest I did when I got home. For Patagonia I’ll take printers, or even better, might have them shipped down. For Japan/HK/Spain, I’ll probably take the Canon Selphy or the Chinese thermal.
I said the same thing about the blood moon, and before long I was searching for a tripod, my bazooka lens, and counting one, one thousand in a pair of boxer shorts on my porch.
Author
It’s a problem.
Danielsan. You’re a true “creative” when it comes to imagery. I almost hate the word now, since everyone on the internet identifies as one – when they are not. As for underwater cameras, I didn’t know Fuji made them. I always used Nikonos, (they were the best in my experience). I wish Nikon would have continued the cameras as digital. Were you snorkeling when you took that shot?
Author
The Nikonos was the king of underwater. Legendary. This is a little fuji point and shoot but it makes nice pics.
It’s been a cold five years at 6500 ft in the southern mountains of NM. It finally broke me this past Winter – is it really past? Out of desperation, I hit on the idea of writing my way outta the cold by mentally visiting the Caribbean coasts. First visit: Jamaica. Marley. Wah gwaan… Nuff respec… gentle skank waves. Three songs later, I was on my way to a full album. It seemed to work. Nothing like artistic focus and a bit of mania to warm one’s hopes. Thought my writing chops were long gone… how wrong I was. Never give up, folks. Even if it’s just single-line Haiku… plant/replant your flag!
Author
I love knowing people in the south. I love a reread of Mosquito Coast and At Play In The Fields of the Lord, during winter.