I do in fact, have many a plans and have been working hard at getting some ducks in a row as I plan for the 3rd attempt at the Grandest North American Road Trip ever taken, (might as well dream big right).
I’ve been working a mundane 9-5 job that is keeping me off the streets and helping me get rid of all my debt. The downside can be defined using one word, CUBICLE. I would never even think about keeping a bird in a cage after the past two and a half years speaking strictly from experience. My already pudgy carcass is turning to mush and I’m sure my mind isn’t far behind. Just doing the 20 minute commute there makes me tense and miserable.
I digress. I HAVE been doing other work towards getting back out on the road, a much happier place. I’ve revamped and just launched my photography portfolio where there are lots of photos available for prints in many different sizes. Keep checking back as I’ll be adding even more each week as time goes by. Before that I did a quick update to my design portfolio and revamped my namesake portal which links to everything I do.
Here’s the big difference between the past road trips and the next one. On my last trip through the southwest US I had a few bouts of loneliness. As I’ve been here working the only real time off I’ve allowed myself is to take my vacation time and go to Burning Man. 2012 was my first year and it had always been something I wanted to experience, timing and money had never really allowed it previously. So I went, but before I did I did my research about the festival and realized I wanted to contribute something. Something easy for me to do that I hoped people would appreciate transformed into a crazy little cart being towed behind my bike in Black Rock City. Two cheap light stands attached to the cart with a couple of off camera flashes dangling in the wind, I pointed them and the camera at my fellow residents and made portraits of them. Whoever wanted one. Then, once home I edited them all and gifted them back to people who contacted me via the business card I gave them to reach the website. I went back in 2013 and did again and during the winters here in Calgary, when thankful happy people were messaging me to download their photos I realized that I was getting just as much from the exchange (if not more) as they were. It felt warm and amazing. Back to my original point, the loneliness on the road.
As I started to think about the next trip and the possibility of being out for much longer (fingers crossed) I felt myself sometimes feeling a bit blue. Then after awhile I started to think I should do a project of some sort to help meet people as I traveled. I thought of doing reviews of diners and many other things that people who travel blog tend to do. Then after awhile a light went off in my semi mushy grey matter and I thought “I need to bring the photo cart ideology into the real world”. Logistically dragging the cart I use at Burning Man isn’t an option but the premise is the same. I also considered that I didn’t want to roll into any town and take away work from a local photographer trying to make a living. So in that, I decided that what I am going to do is concentrate my efforts on those that simply can’t afford a professional, live in rural areas where there may not be a professional and also those who have been dealing with some sort of fortitude testing event. In this thinking I started to realize that I wanted people to share inspiring stories with me and with the viewers of the photos. Anything from personal victories like a single mom who raised a graduating honour student to someone beating Cancer to a family rebuilding after a fire which took all their photographic memories. The possibilities are endless.
After months of fine tuning I decided to launch the project locally about 12 days ago to do what I can around the southern Alberta area (where just a year ago many were affected by severe flooding), while the weather here is kind. Hence FOTOSFORWARD was launched and I’m currently trying to spread the word with one new shoot booked for August.
As it stands right now I have a plan to take the cart back to Burning Man this August and do another year of photos for all my friends there. Then, short of any setbacks I’m on track to be debt free by the end of April 2015. After which I plan to save up every penny I can until August 2015.
At that time I will make my way to Burning Man one more time, do one more year with the photo cart and will be leaving right from the Nevada desert into my third road trip adventure and the Fotosforward project. I figure after three and half years in a cage I need to have one hell of a launch party, not much better of a place than Black Rock City!
With that in mind, if you want to help get me back on the road feel free to buy a print or hire me for a shoot. Every dollar goes into the kitty for the road trips AND the FotosForward project. You can also help by sharing the project via Facebook, Twitter etc and be sure to follow the new Wayne On The Road Facebook page as well. This next trip out is going to be taken at a much slower pace with many updates, more photos and yes, I may even do the odd review of a good diner here and there.
Thank you sincerely for following me in the past, or joining the adventure now as I prep for a new one. Either way, I appreciate you all and hope to see, meet, photograph so many of you along the way.
Much Love,
W.
