You were in the future

30th January 2017

Nyc swallowed me up and Thursday flew by without me catching it.  So now aboard and in the air Ill write the over due post with more than one pic for my neglect.

The moon was huge, hanging fat in the purple sky as night crept in. We stopped outside the only shop in the ghost town. A young man in a wheel chair disappeared from view so I walked to the rear of the wooden building to find a table full of deer guts and 2 men laughing as they chopped. The young boy was now seated in the truck peering out the window with a cheeky grin. After some friendly banter, a tour of the shop and an education as to how to gut a deer I explained the light was fading and wondered if I could take their portrait. Generously they agreed and we returned to the front to make the most of the light and include the big old moon.

This father and son were seamless as they digged fun at each other. Their closeness shone through in the uncanny similarity in their personalities. Their voices and demeanour were akin. As they waited for me to load my film I noticed how mirrored their pose was and asked them not to move. Looking at it now, it appears set up, which is odd. The moon looks so much more timid than I remember, like a small perfectly round burn in the negative.

I wish I had more time. As soon as we left Galveston my heart sank with the lack of ability to fulfil the potential of a great opportunity. Still the interaction can’t be replaced and I was lucky to meet Shannon at all.

I strolled straight up to the figure dressed in all white and dived into a chat. Shannon was with a church group working with previous offenders and it seemed the support was not only helpful but also incredibly empowering. We talked about life paths and how the programme was enabling a positive change and an exciting future ahead. The past was dark and troublesome but guidance came in the form of the programme leader with a neat moustache who Shannon clearly adored. Before any pictures were taken permission would need to be granted. I sensed a no and Hin and I worked hard to convince the straight-laced mentor we were wholesome. He eventually he agreed but I had a 5 minute limit.  After a fleeting few frames Shannon rushed back to the church with haste. The warm polite goodbye was accompanied by an insistent heads up that we were naively one street away from the projects and to immediately turn on our heels, especially before the sun disappeared.

OAO x