The Ordinary

Artists are amazing people. They have an uncanny ability to take something ordinary and make it in to something quite extraordinary. Imagine the man sitting in his garage looking around and within no time he, in his mind, he has designed a sculpture out of sprockets, bolts, and old tools. As a photographer I find it a little more difficult to rise to that challenge. Every now and then I will pick a room, photograph what is in it using different angles and composition in an attempt to make ordinary objects appear interesting. I suspect my doctor would be appalled to know that I snooped through the drawers and cabinets of one of the exam rooms during one of my last visits. What can I say. I had a little time on my hands.

This concept of taking the ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary can be applied to our daily lives. I know that some times I feel like I have fallen into a rut taking many things and people for granted. I tell myself I will do this or that tomorrow or next week. I put off sending an email to a friend thinking there is always tomorrow. I also find myself thinking that if I had this or that,  my life wouldn't be or feel so ordinary. What I have failed to do during those moments is to live a life a gratitude and kindness. Take a moment to think about the times that you have bestowed an act of kindness onto a stranger, or you laughed so hard you cried with a friend or the feeling you get when you are with a family member or friend who you love conditionally. It is the excitement to see an old friend, the feeling of comfort when a familiar voice comes out of nowhere, the gentle touch that is needed to soothe a painful time or simple words of encouragement. Those encounters are what can make an ordinary life into a life lived in an extraordinary manner. The next time you feel like your life has become dull or a little ordinary, step outside of yourself, speak words of gratitude and begin to live a life of compassion and kindness and you will experience the extraordinary.

Goldfield Ghost Town Arizona

History was always one of my favorite subjects in school and continues to spark my interest today. I am a firm believer that we need to look at the past to remind us where we are going and specifically to learn from our mistakes. So it goes without saying that I find myself seeking out old stuff to photograph. The rustier the better with maybe a slight bit of color from the past. It doesn't matter if it is an old wagon, car, milk can, horseshoe, sign, tool or trunk. It is all about the textures and lines of the object. One might ask where do I find this old stuff or junk as my dad might say. Ghost towns. 

I am very fond of ghost towns. As I wander around, I find myself thinking about the people who walked the streets and alleyways of the town that was once populated and those who once owned the objects I photograph. I cannot help but think of all the stories that have been lost along with the people. These are the stories that I am interested in. 

It is so easy to be inspired by the success stories of celebrities and the wealthy. I believe the true inspiration comes from the failures and success of the everyday person. Those are the stories that make laugh, cry and want to be a better person. I am inspired by the many unsung heroes that shape our lives and communities everyday. It is the stories of the common man which gives me pause to look deep inside my own soul to find my own faith and inspiration to move beyond what I have already achieved. 

I believe part of my earthly purpose is to capture the images and stories of those around me as their lives unfold in front of me so they are not lost ghosts like those I find in the ghost towns I explore. 

Goldfield Ghost Town is another little gem that can be found 4.5 miles NE of Apache Junction. Goldfield became an official town with the opening of its post office in October 1893. The population grew with the successful mining of gold ore. The ore "dried up" and in November 1898 the post office closed and Goldfield became a ghost town. A second surge occurred when George Young brought new mining techniques to the area in an attempt to mine more ore. In June 1921 a second post office of opened and Youngsberg was born. Once again the mining of  gold ore did not pan out. The post office closed in October 1926. In 1984 Robert Schoose and his wife bought a five acre site which was once the Goldfield Mill. They began to rebuild the ghost town. In 1988 Goldfield Ghost town was again open. Today visitors can find a livery, a train tour, a brothel, several other shops and a lot of old junk to photograph.