I had an incredible time in Texas this weekend! Abilene Texas has a population of just over 100k, I don't think many in Texas even know what goes on there. Well I'll tell you one thing about this town, they sure know how to support the arts. My first day there I walked around the downtown (maybe all of it), and I saw more museums and performance spaces than anything else. It was quite impressive.
For the past year I've been only thinking of the experience of photoblogs and had forgotten what it was like to stand in a room with your photos on a wall and talk to live people. I could not have imagined a better place than Abilene to break out of the Internet world and come back down to earth. Most of the people I met had no knowledge of photoblogs, so I had a fair bit of explaining to do. I've been reminded that we should all strive for more than one avenue to reaching our audience. I learned a great deal from standing and talking to people who were looking at the images for the first time.
I was in Abilene for two events. Thursday night was their monthly "Art Walk" between galleries. And Friday night was the opening reception for my show. Thursday it was estimated that 500 people came to the Center for Contemporary Arts where my show was hanging. Friday night around 80 or so showed up. As you might have guessed most of the visitors were pretty curious about what they saw in the images. It could not have been a more foreign vision. I spent a great deal of time explaining why everyone looked so serious. In general though there was a great deal of respect shown for the fortitude of my subjects and the richness of the experience found on a packed subway car.
And as is most often the case everyone also talked about how nice they found New Yorkers and we all wondered where we got our bad reps. I think we'll have to talk with Hollywood about that one.
And as usual I also spent a great of time preaching the wonders of the photoblog and community found through this medium. I think in some cases that was as eye opening as the images on the walls.
My biggest surprise of the trip? Staying at a hotel full of "celebrity" Quail hunters! (Luckily Dick Cheney was not in the group!) I had to ask someone why there were so many folks totting guns around the lobby!
I'd like to say a big thanks to everyone in Abilene for making me feel so welcome and opening my eyes to the wonders of their town. I'd especially like to thank Brady Nichols the curator of the photography gallery at The Center for Contemporary Arts, for taking a risk and asking some crazy blogger to hang his images on her gallery walls. It was a very wonderful and illuminating experience!
And finally if you've read this far, here's a story in the Times that I shot an image for. NY Times photo
Wow, congrats Travis. LOL @ Dick Cheney! Great that you had a wonderful trip in Texas. But now you're back in the blizzard. I can't wait to see tomorrow's pic. I bet it's gonna be exciting.
This photo says: "This train going to Six Flags. Come Along!"
The NY Times photo reiterates that iPod is now synoymous with NYC Subway...which is true. Come to think of it, Apple SHOULD release a new version of iPod, which acknowledges the popularity of iPod in the NYC subway system. Nice capture, Travis....
I really cant wait to see tomorrow's pic!
congratulations--well deserved.
this is a wonderful image
Congratulations on the publishing of your shot.
Really like the natural framing here.
Great one today. Sounds like a great trip too. I reckon you deserve all of the good reception you've had - you've focused hard on the subject, yet never appear to have tried too hard with the pictures. They're never tricksy, and they all work together.
I'm glad your trip was great, and glad also that cultures were able to get together for some face-to-face, or face-to-photo. I knew you'd love Texas. I spent four years there and it gets in your blood.
I'm not surprised at their reactions to the consistently dour expressions in the subway. Glad you had a chance to be the "ambassador of the photoblog/blog".
We, in Abilene, loved having you visit us! The exhibit was great and eveyone seemed to love your photographs. We really do appreciate the arts in this
West Texas town. And, I'm sure it was really interesting running into all the
hunters "manhandling" their guns.
Thanks for sharing your talents!!
Congrats Travis. You deserve every bit of it. :)
anon
Great image, this is really the kind of thing that makes this site so fascinating.
Sounds like you had a great time, congrats on the whole thing. The story you linked to is funny, especially the last line.
Good for you that things went well in Texas.I have you in my "favorites"
& I check every day.I really enjoy your pictures.Many times I see things down there & I'll think, gee I wish I could get that on film!!Good luck.