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2011, Walter, A Pictorial Study In RuralX

I’m a photographer and alternative health therapist with a mission: To illustrate and share in a pictorial essay; what it’s like to live RuralX in America.

The story begins with my curiosity to render beauty in decay, something the more I look at right around me, the more I see that has a story to reveal. I always approach an unknown location with a curiosity and respect. This is very important as it sets the rules of engagement as well as how my end results will look and feel in the post processing.

Meet Walter ( not his real name ). 80 years old, very poor, living in a large 14 room home that he was born in and owned by his family for 2 generations..

Starting as if I were circling around the property, moving in closer and closer, talking it all in and “dry shooting” images in my head and deciding what priorities I want to illustrate in my coverage.

See the first 3 images to illustrate what and how I’m referring to;

Yugo, I Go,

“Where’s The TV Remote”?

“Halt, Who Goes There”, Guardian Angle asked….

At this point I’m out of my mind with curiosity to go in. I enter the house and see a cat and know right then and there I could possibly be in a lot of trouble. If the owner saw me, how would he react? How would I react? As 100 emotions raced through my mind, I did an about face and headed straight for the door. Walt and I meet outside as I was finishing up a massive panorama and fearing the worst. He wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Friendly, witty, and sharp minded. He invites me into his one room that he, 2 cats and a dog live in. I could not believe my eyes. Incredible, this is what I had trained myself for many years to prepare for in capturing “beauty in the decay” of ruralX. My mind slowly calms down and I ask for permission to photograph him. ( Note, as a street journalist, I rarely ask, if ever, permission to photograph someone on the street.) Now came the challenge, how was I going to render his maze of information in a clear, powerful pictorial statement. Lighting was mixed florescent and day light. Literally no room to set a tripod, with detail that was begging to be rendered. When I get in this position, I have learned that to be truthful, honest, and let God direct me, I give up control and let Him do the “driving”. Switching into auto pilot, I set up the tripod as best I could and camera’s adjustments all in manual mode ( tech note, these images are all shot in HDR). My 8mm lens was a God-send as any other focal length would not have had the coverage, sharpness, and the feeling of “being there” that this has. Deciding not to use flash, but to use the mixed lighting with bracketed exposures, to get the “feeling just right”. I quietly, methodically set out to record all while trying to pay attention to  him as he told one story after another, that really blew my mind. He was very engaging, funny, serious at times, scattered in his thinking from years of medications, poor diet and living in deep decay of his own self imposed hell.This is where love in one’s heart has to come into play, if not, the result could reflect a mired of negative emotion effecting the outcome severely.

As the light fell and running low energy myself. I gave him my card and asked him if he needed to go shopping or any emergency, I would be available. Saying my good byes, and taking the first deep breath of fresh air, I made it to the car and prayed to God thanking Him for helping and showing me what I needed to do to accomplish this incredible task. I was fortunate to be blessed with what little I have and I gave thanks over and over as I drove home.

That night, I started post processing all that I had done, the editing that I’ve trained myself for 40 years how to do.  The 8 images here, plus a 360/180 virtual panorama of the front property was locked into my computer’s memory and shown here for the first time.

Would You Like To Come In ?

The Captains Chair

“Isn’t Life Grand”, Walt asks…

“The Only Bad Vise I Have left”…

In closing, if I may offer one parting thought. What this shot has given me back is an immeasurable aspect of gratitude, and thanks, especially at this time of year and this point in my 65 years on this planet. I want to take a moment to thank the owner of Photo Vote for granting me permission to post this heart felt pictorial essay and hope that it could be a inspiration to others to search deep into their souls for other stories of interest that exemplify  the true meaning of the Human Spirit…..people as they are caught in the act of being themselves. Thank You Lord for all your guidance, love and support in helping make this possible. I owe it all to you.

Walt and I would like to wish all, a Healthy, Happy and Blessed Holiday to you and your families.

Bruce Martin

From Catskill, New York, 12/8/2011