Failure

     Recently, I tried to begin a few different bodies of work that would move me past just taking photos in the subway. So far I've failed with them, and don't see a way forward. This isn't the first time that this has happened but it's been over 20 years since I've had to struggle with it.

      As I was finishing my Ben Franklin Bridge project I began planning a couple other ideas, but ran into problems almost immediately. Being only a few years after 911, I was labeled a security risk and was denied access to a few locations that weren't an issue before. I was stuck, and didn't pick up my camera for six long months when I made the decision to give street photography a full-time try.

     Fast forward to today. I'm not being denied access, I'm being denied an interesting existence of culture, nightlife, and the unexpected. Todays cities and suburbs are nothing more than line drawings, an empty coloring book that no one wants to fill in. Incandescent lighting has been replaced with harsh LED. Texture has been smoothed over to nice shiny surfaces. Neon and plastic board signs have been removed for flatscreen TVs and unoffensive block lettering. Those line drawings are not the only thing empty, the people are as well. I've come to the conclusion that this isn't my time anymore.

    So, what happens after the subway dries up, or fails to exist anymore? At this point I have no idea. In my head I can envision the world that I want to photograph, but when I'm actually on the street it fails to materialize.

This weeks subway photos.