I first heard his name ten years ago or so when I went to The George Eastman House Museum in Rochester, NY where they had on display an exhibit of his.  It was striking to me to see how pictures of nature could be turned into art.  At the time I had no interest in taking nature photos myself, but within a couple years that interest grew and I rediscovered Frans and his work.  Since that time I have always wanted to participate in one of his workshops, but it wasn’t until this year that I finally had the opportunity.

The workshop’s function wasn’t merely to teach people how to make a better photograph, but also how to tell a story with those photographs, this was the overall goal and assignment of the workshop.  I wanted to do something abstract, but I was having trouble finding what my story could be.  Early on in the workshop I sat down with Frans to go through my pictures.  One jumped out at him, it was a picture of a lizard (seen below).  He pointed out the skin around it’s neck which it had not yet shed and the way it seemed to be emerging out of obscurity and into light and focus.  He suggested the idea of emergence as a possible story and suggested I go through the rest of my photos looking for that theme, whether it be light emerging from darkness or even the emergence of life.

One of our field trips took us to a beach in Big Sur where the wind and surf crashed into the shore relentlessly.  I saw emergence everywhere.  Waves emerging from wind, rock emerging from earth, and energy emerging from the interaction of all of those elements.  I stood on the beach and watched as wave after wave met the giant boulders protruding out of the sand causing powerful displays of force.  I took some pictures of this in the harsh afternoon sun and began forming an idea for a shot I could take at sunset.  When the light was right I kicked off my shoes, rolled up my pant legs, grabbed my camera and flash, and waded into the surf.  Try after try got me the shot seen below (along with a couple of very numb feet).  As I walked out of the water I glanced up at the cliff top and saw Frans giving me his signature thumbs up.

As those of you who own the book can attest; I’ve photographed decay, I even fought a weak battle with myself to rejuvenate it as a new project.  After Decay was released there was discussion of doing a follow up, Regeneration… or something along those lines, it never happened.  But now I have a new word and a new idea; Emergence.  I’m tired of seeing things as they deteriorate or sit stagnant.  I’m interested in growth, new life. Light emerging from darkness, energy emerging from interaction, one life emerging from another, etc.  And I can’t help but look at myself, each time I travel I return a better photographer, more confident in what I can do.  Is it too obvious to compare myself to the lizard, shedding old skin for new, coming into the light, obtaining focus?

Ten years before I met him Frans Lanting gave me inspiration.  Within a day of knowing him he gave me direction and a word; emergence.

The photos are for a Bill Peters novel, Maverick Jetpants in the City of Quality, to be put out by Black Balloon Publishing.  It takes place in my dear hometown of Rochester, NY and follows the transition of a group of friends as they enter into adulthood realizing along the way what else their lives may have to offer them besides cruising around and recycling old jokes.  Sound familiar… you must be from Rochester!  Now, my photos for this project were not limited to just these three.  I took pictures of the Erie Canal, Monroe Ave, a Gitsis garbage plate (with beans, one red-hot, and one white-hot), the Genesee Brewery, I-490, the Liberty Pole, Lake Ave, the skyline, etc. Admittedly, anyone who grew up there would know that this list of locations and Rochester related icons do not leave a whole lot to be desired.  Where, might you ask, are the pictures of lovely Rochester?  The Rochester that you want outsiders to see?  Pictures of families frolicking at the Lilac Festival, or riding the carousel at Ontario Beach Park?  Well guess what, I don’t love Rochester for it’s stupid carousel or it’s stupid lilacs that never bloom on the same weekend as their own festival, I don’t think there’s many people that do love Rochester for those reasons.  The characters in the book certainly don’t look forward to smelling lilacs every spring.  I love garbage plates at Gitsis, I love the industrial left-over look of High Falls, I love the crossing point on Monroe Ave that takes you from its relatively safe shopping and dining area to the watch-your-back-you-might-get-mugged open air pharmaceutical section… it has character, which is why Rochester is such a great backdrop for this book.  The characters are true to the city and are in search of the same random adventures those of us that grew up there went looking for each night.  Not being from Rochester, one could say that the story could take place in any rustbelt or small ex-industrial city, but to me this is not true.  Rochester is unique in the way that it tempts one’s persistence to stay and fight through the gray each year in trade for it’s local and familiar comforts, while at the same time hinting at flight with its stagnancy and the ease at which it allows one to leave.  I left… twice now.  The first time was hard but the last time the chair I had been sitting in was still spinning when I arrived in New York.  I couldn’t relate to the protagonist’s Buffalo Bills sweatpants and windbreaker (he’s a west-sider) but I understood everything he did and said and in that way I related to this book.  Granted, when I moved out of Rochester I didn’t have an airplane propeller strapped to the top of my car (like in the book), but this time as the plane took off to go back to New York it seemed appropriate to be taking flight.

Maverick Jetpants in the City of Quality of course is not out yet, but if you would like to learn more about Black Balloon Publishing check out their website here… it’s pretty cool.

I tallied all the votes from So Many Places, So Little Time; Ecuador, Greenland, and Borneo came out on top.  This narrowed the choice for me and got me closer to a decision.

As much as I want to see Ecuador and visit the Galapagos Islands I have always had reservations; tourism is one of the biggest threats to the ecology of the Galapagos Islands and the more people that visit the more likely the chance of an invasive species entering the ecosystem and damaging the fragile island environment.  I’ve said before that I’d give up the chance to see this remarkable place in return for it being closed to tourism all together. There aren’t many places left in this world that are shut off from human contact, perhaps there needs to be more, no matter how bad I want to see them.  That said, I have no reason good enough to subject the Galapagos Islands to my footsteps, I can’t justify going… not now.

Greenland peaked my interest and I was close to dead-set, but after further research I found that traveling there combined with domestic travel within would be very expensive… like, I may as well take a cruise to Antarctica expensive (hmm, that’s an idea).

Borneo… traveling there has been a desire of mine for years.  Moderately priced to get there and cheap once you arrive (if you are willing to rough it a bit). The hardest part proved to be deciding where in Borneo to go.  I started planning; I narrowed it down to the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak.  I made a list of what I wanted to see and photograph.  I contacted the tourism board, photographers, bloggers, even the WWF trying to put together a worthwhile and exciting trip.  I was on the verge of booking a flight… then, I got an incredible offer, an amazing opportunity… but more about that later, for now all you need to know is that in taking this offer Borneo was becoming less of a reality.  I would have to shorten the trip from over three weeks down to two and I couldn’t squeeze all I wanted to do in Borneo into that time.  I would have to go with a more modest option, so I returned to the list.

Not that any of the destinations were necessarily modest, but one stood out as far as accessibility: Glacier National Park.  My wife and I had been looking at the map of Glacier NP for years.  The trip will be different than the original idea which included a trip to Banff in Canada as well.  Instead we will spend all our time in Glacier.  When this became the idea I got excited.  I was wrapped up in going somewhere exotic and culturally different but I forgot how much I love the national parks of the U.S.  I mean, what an incredible thing to be able to go from the deep forests and swamps of the east to the alpine peaks and coastal forests of the west without currency exchanges or border crossings, and throughout the years I have found that it’s places like this, national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and reserves that give me feelings of patriotism and love of country.

Now, the reason for this decision, the opportunity that has been given to me… what would it take to make me want to cancel a trip to the jungles of Borneo?

How about… TANZANIA

Visit J.K.Putnam Photography’s flickr page to see a couple of picks of an Arctic Snowy Owl from this trip: http: flickr.com/jkputnam

Being contacted by Getty prompted thoughts that had been in the back of my mind for a while… I have all of these pictures from all of these places I have been and besides the ones I’m commissioned to take none of them have made me any money.  I have to admit, the thought of recouping some of what it cost to go to these places and get these pictures is nice, but deep down I just want people to see my pictures and appreciate them.  I think this is how a lot of new photographers feel and in turn is why most people don’t make much money off of photography anymore, at least stock photography.

I did a little research into what to expect from handing over the rights to my pictures through flickr for Getty to license.  People are making money from this… but not much.  As an example, someone might have between 50 and 100 pictures in the Getty flickr group and make $1000 over the span of a year.  That’s $1000 that they wouldn’t have had otherwise, but is that all their images are worth to them?  The picture of my wife and I sitting by the fire in Glacier Bay, Alaska for example…  this is a picture of one of my favorite moments in my entire life, do the math based on the example above, is that picture really only worth $10-$20 to me?  Sorry Getty, but I think you are going to have to do better than that.  I’m not greedy, but I have a sense of worth.  Pictures are cheap these days, and me and my digital camera are one of thousands of reasons why, but I think this is where I’ll put my foot down, that picture is worth more than $20.  Maybe the picture could be reproduced without airfare to Alaska, and without kayaking for a week to get to that spot, and without eating freeze-dried food two meals a day… maybe.  But the memory cannot, and I’m not willing to give that away for any price.  On the other hand, a picture of a humming bird (I have lots of those) may be worth slightly less to me.  Perhaps I could throw a couple of those to Getty, just out of appreciation for them actually noticing my work…

Over the past decade I have traveled to a lot of places and taken a lot of pictures, and since I began doing this I have always had the desire to share those pictures and travels with anyone who was willing to look and listen.  There isn’t much else that makes me happier.  Now, as much as I would like to, I can’t take you all with me on my next adventure, instead I want you all to help me decide where to go.  My wife Allison and I have put together a small list of places that are appealing to us, places that offer certain qualities we look for in a destination; trekking, wild animals, unspoiled landscapes, and the unexpected.  Read through the list below and choose what place you would most want to see pictures and hear stories from and then cast your vote in the “comments” area below.

1) Alaska

I know, I know… we were just there.  In fact, we’ve been there twice now.  But that is what Alaska does, it makes you go back, and besides this trip would be different than the previous two.  You thought what we did last summer was hardcore, this time around we would be heading for Gates of the Arctic National Park… look at that place on a map.  Way more isolated than Glacier Bay or Denali (hard to fathom) with drop off by bush plane only.  Imagine that, the plane lands in the middle of the tundra, throws you and your gear out, and then flies away… really?  You would vote for us to do this?

2) Glacier National Park, Montana, USA & Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Compared to Alaska this should be nothing, right?  Wrong, these parks are rugged in a whole other way, quad busters to start, not to mention that way more people get killed by grizzlies in these two parks than anywhere we have ever been in Alaska.  And from what I hear these places are gorgeous, Alp-like scenery and plenty of wildlife.  The bonus of course is hitting up two different parks in two different countries on the same trip.

3) Ecuador

Jungles, mountains, beaches, the lot of it.  Oh and don’t forget the Galapagos Islands.  Sounds perfect, right? The downside: possibility of getting kidnapped if we get too close to the Colombian border and tiny, sea-sick inducing cruise ships filled with tour groups are a must in the Galapagos, not our cup of tea… but probably worth it.

4) Greenland

We would start with a 100 mile hike across the permafrost tundra of the southwest, watching for caribou and muskoxen.  Then we would head to the northeast into polar bear country, that’s right, POLAR BEAR COUNTRY.  I’ve scared off black bears, and I’ve stood up to grizzlies, but polar bears… those eat you, no question.  If they get the chance they will eat you.  How cool is that?  Oh, and walruses too, Greenland has walruses.

5) Borneo

There is no off season in Borneo because everyday, all year round, you can expect Borneo to be hot and humid with a great chance of rain… lots of rain of course means lots of mosquitoes, but in Borneo it also means lots of leeches.  Ya, that’s right, leeches. Crocodile filled rivers, venomous snakes, sweltering leech infested jungles… what more could you want?  How about pristine beaches, butterflies with nine inch wingspans, and flowers three feet across, not to mention tarsiers (those little primates with the big eyes), orangutangs, elephants, orchids, monitor lizards, monkeys of all kinds, and the ever elusive Sumatran rhinoceros.  A nature photographer’s dream… assuming the humidity doesn’t break all of the gear.

We put a lot of thought into where we go on these trips, so handing over this decision to all of you is a big deal for us.  Put some thought into, really think about which of these places appeals to you and where you would most like to see pictures from… or, if you have ill will towards us, send us to where we are most likely to get eaten.

[Comment]

Once again I need everyone’s vote, follow the provided link to the voting page of the contest.  If you have a computer at work and at home you can vote twice (wink, wink), or you could go to a Starbucks and vote from your phone a third time… and then to another Starbucks to vote again!  You call it cheating, I call it a loophole.  As always, please be kind to the other photographers.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/voting-machine

Tokyo is a true metropolis.  It is vast, and from within it seems endless.  It felt like a series of casinos connected by sprawling urban shopping malls; noise, flashing lights, cigarette smoke, and seedy characters.  At other times it felt orderly and unbelievably safe.  Bicycles were left unlocked and alone on the streets and I felt as if I could have done the same with my camera.  The different neighborhoods drew different types of people.  I preferred the more questionable areas, like the side streets and back alleys that at night filled with young, dressed up boys and girls offering to escort you to any number of brothels or basement establishments that were willing to take your hard earned yen.  As I passed through crowds of people or an open door to a bar I would often hear a change in conversation, catch a few glances, and most likely hear the word “gaijin”, a derogatory term for “foreigner”, or more literally, “outside person”.  Amusing at first, I eventually got used to the idea of it being an insult and the feeling of being a true outsider.

Kyoto is still a very traditional place, not to say that modern taste in food, drink, and style doesn’t exist there, but as a city Kyoto is making an effort to hang on to the past.  It is full of temples, shrines, and women in kimonos.  It is a place where you can still be treated to the sight of a geisha shuffling down a lantern lit alleyway.  Old Kyoto and modern Kyoto seem to coexist.  Though it seemed difficult for a foreigner to tap into the true heart of the place, it was easier there than anywhere else to find an English menu or someone willing to point you in the right direction.  In the end, I think I liked Kyoto the best.  The people there were willing to ignore you if you wanted or help you if you needed.  They made little effort to speak any English but also had a distaste for the word gaijin.

Osaka welcomed us with open arms.  I didn’t do much exploring, but I got closer to the heart of the city than any of the other places I had been.  The look of the city gives away the fact that there was a boom in the fifties, the Glico Man and its neon-clad surroundings attest to it.  Osaka felt as if you had made a wrong turn down some weird street in Old Vegas where no one speaks your language… but instead of turning around and going back the way you came, you stay, because you realize that this place is much cooler, and even though it points and laughs at you… it’s curious, and it wants to hang out.

To view the complete gallery and read stories from the trip visit J.K. Putnam Photography on Flickr.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/voting-machine

Alaska is vast, beautiful, and enchanting.  I could go on, but neither my words or my pictures can do this place justice.  To have such a magnificent place within the borders of my own country gives me a great deal of pride.  Alaska feels both obtainable and frightening at the same time.  The line between colonization and wilderness is thin and often blurred, with one constantly encroaching on the other.  You don’t have to travel far to reach true wilderness here, a short walk from a road or an easy boat ride will get you in, but to truly experience it you must face fears and choose to leave most comforts behind.

To view the complete Alaska gallery and read stories from the trip visit J.K. Putnam Photography on Flickr.