When I was 14 and making my original family album for my grandparents, I had very little film available and I tended to only shoot one picture in each situation. This was probably a result of thinking each exposure I made should be a picture AND saving film. The two concepts went hand in hand. I have recently gone over all these early negatives because over the last few weeks I have been in my darkroom reprinting this album and I can tell you I only made one frame of each situation. I guess this means the pictures are not “perfect” because I did not take the liberty, could not afford the liberty, of “working it”, playing with a variety of compositions and chosen moments. One click was the only click. Yet innocence and purity might just trump experience and craftsmanship.

Once I know how to do something, I don’t want to do it anymore. I would rather explore. Take chances. Set myself up for a big fall. Keying off the actually really old idea that unless you are reaching beyond what you know how to do, you are simply repeating a known skill set and this keeps most people happy most of the time, but no way will it lead to the creative edge where the real magic happens. The very same precipices where the total disasters happen as well.

So we are 24 hours away from our BurnBooks Lucie award, we had fun in Hollywood, and now we are back to work. Peer group validation for our book as been so high, that all of us connected to it know it is now time to move on. Time spent standing in the limelight should always be very short.

Our trip track got reversed as we end up now going from California to New York rather than our original other way around. Works out. I was California born and now will be heading home to where I live now, and so each day I will be getting closer to home and yet I am feeling the good vibe of starting where I was born.

Please join us on Road Trips as we cross the USA for the next four or five weeks and I contemplate exactly how I can do this. How can I make this the essay I am kinda seeing but is not totally conceptual yet. This cannot be planned. I must hope that a high level of inspiration hits me. Oh I could be professional about it really easy. No way. This must be totally organic.

We are doing this chapter of Off For A Family Drive as a free workshop for those who stick with us. You may jump in at any time and ask any question and I will do my best to answer. For those who remember how we did (based on a true story) in Rio, it will be a similar experience from an education or adventure standpoint, only instead of creating a paywall as we did before, this journey with us is gratis and yet we do offer a way for you to help us to help you. You can help to support this online workshop if you so choose and get something back in return. There is now a donations page set up on Burn for the Road Trip. You can access it on the right hand toolbar or click here.

I will be 100% engaged with this audience with daily multiple postings with everything from my iphone instagrams, to my shots from the Leica S2. Four different film makers will be documenting various segments of the trip and quick snippets will show up on Road Trips. The main thing here from a learning perspective, just as was the Rio journey, will be in thinking about how to create a concept and follow through and yet be open in your own mind to evolutions. Unexpected changes in attitude which can make you or break you.

Keep an eye on us. Try to find us. Join the circus.

-dah-

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16 thoughts on “Cleaning New Car”

  2. eva

    Hey.. before leaving the room.. check under the bed for socks, you might need them ;)

    ..can’t believe it’s not even a year since you wrote a similar post before leaving for Rio.. mamma mia!

  3. Feanare

    Wow, I’m so looking forward to this!
    Last time, in Rio, was a great (learning) experience. Fingers crossed this adventure will be just as fun and exciting for everyone involved:)

  4. Carlo

    I loved how RIO developed so it’s a no brainer for me to join and follow this trip.
    Saying that I have zero expectations for “Family drive”……in the spirit of taking things as they come.
    aaaaaaannnnnndddddddd having said that bit I can say…….GREAT!
    Wishing you all a SAFE SAFE SAFE trip! three times for good measure ;-)

  5. mw

    Four different film makers will be documenting various segments of the trip

    Wow, sounds like you’ll have the volume turned up to 11!

  7. Akaky

    So last autumn when the Rio thing happened, I developed arthritis. The Road Trip thing is about to start this autumn and I have a pulled hamstring (or at least that’s what I hope it is.) Is there any chance that next autumn no one will be going anywhere and I don’t have to worry about coming down with malaria or bilharzia or the dreaded scurvy? Cooperation in any form will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

  9. Roberta Tavares

    Eva..I was thinking exactly the same..that brings pure nostalgia..And considering how went the last “workshop”, the craziness of playing with umpredictability and the fact we were “limited” by a house and one city all the way though..i try to picture all of that in the road! And I do like what I see *** laughing ***** The forces are with you..surprise us! Dave,I know …
    Akaky..you’re hillarious
    and MV..we can count on that :)
    Carlo..I told you before , and ceding to the repetition: happy you made it to the Riobook..you were such a loyal follower and contributor…Im sure you’ll have even more fun and learning in this new trip(you too, Fenara!).
    Paul we were missing you here! I dont know what happen with you and civi , but that should be forbidden!

  10. hoffel

    Hi David!

    I followed the Rio blog with great interest, but I have one “wish”: Could you please tell us a bit more why you took a particular shot, what it represents in your eyes and how you approached the situation? That would make it perfect!

    Alex

  11. pAtrIcIO m.

    Have a nice trip to East coast. Autumn colors are the best! Shot some fun videos also. That’s not ViaPanam, is ViaBurn ;-)
    Roberta, I think the right word in portuguese is “saudade” for what you are experimenting right now…

    Have a nice week end in the road
    P.

  12. a civilian-mass audience

    I am here…ROBERTAAAAAAAAA…I am here…I am always here…and there…

    I AM THE CIVILIAN,THE MASS AUDIENCE…the SILENT READER…

    spread the news…BURN is on fire !

    I Love you ALL!!!

  13. Roberta Tavares

    Civi, our imperative voice.You said it all.There wouldnt be a journey without you time from time spreading the news. Now… we are all ready for the road, excited and high expectations, but that’s David’s territory, if someone can handleit that’s him, right? (Civi, did panos mention to you a new post at Photo Junkie Club?)

    And Akaky…got to read your comment today. Priceless!
    “What do I want to be when I grow up? I want a job where I don’t have to find dead people in the men’s room, don’t have to deal with the rude, the crude, and the professionally stupid, don’t have to worry about what’s living in the air that I breathe, don’t have to see furnaces glowing bright red in the darkness, don’t have to listen to crazy people tell me about their sex lives or have to interrupt them while they are indulging in their sex lives, and don’t have to worry about fresh piles of human waste in places where such piles are not supposed to be. Other than that I am pretty flexible”

  14. a civilian-mass audience

    ROBERTA,ROBERTA…

    PHOTO JUNKIE CLUB…I am speechless!!!
    thank you,thank you,thank you…a young photographer next to me says thank you too!
    together we can do miracles!!!

    and yes,AKAKY is a BURNIAN…A “flexible” one…or two…:)))))))))))))))))

    BURN is the place to be…oime, we are ON THE ROAD again…!!!

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