A Photographer Walks Into A Bar…
This past winter was brutal. It snowed. A lot. It was cold. Then it snowed more and got colder, and the clouds did an award winning job of keeping the sun away. I spent most of the winter on the couch hanging out with my dog, which was great, while my cameras collected dust. When spring finally started to push the winter away I knew I needed to end my hibernation, get creative, and connect with people.
I made arrangements to set up a backdrop and lights during happy hour at my favorite bar, Forest City Brewery. I posted about the event on social media, sent texts to some friends and promised myself that I'd let the night be whatever it would be - I had no expectations. Whether one person or ten people showed up, I wasn't worried about it...I just wanted to make photographs and interact with people.
Over a roughly three hour period 44 people showed up, 16 of whom I had never met before. It felt like the kitchen in an Italian home (minus the smell of sauce). At one point while I was making photographs I stopped to look around the room. I saw friends, old and new. I saw people I had just met that night. Some people knew each other. Some people only knew me. Some people didn't know anyone in the room, but I could hear all kinds of conversations...and laughter.
When I look at the portraits of my friends I realize how fortunate I am that they are in my life and I'm thankful for their love and support. When I look at the portraits of the people I met that night I’m honored, thankful and impressed that they showed up and shared a little bit of themselves with me.
Driving home after the event I felt a lightness that has been absent in my life for far too long. It was there the next morning when I woke up and I have been working to keep this feeling at the front of my thoughts.
