Greg Watson
MALD ‘04
Peoples and Places
Since middle school I have had a deep interest in photography, and when doing anything outside of my normal routine, I am likely to have a camera ready. One of the main reasons I love to travel is because I love to take pictures, usually coming back from even short trips with 8-10 rolls of film. Yet, being a photographer who likes to travel isn’t always easy. I usually use 800 speed film for clarity, and this speed of film is highly susceptible to damage from airport x-rays. Thus, I try to always have it hand inspected before going through security. This can be a daunting experience, especially when language skills are only in the nascent stage.
An example of this problem happened to me recently. When passing through Brasilia this summer, I refused to allow my 6 rolls of film from Amazonas to go through the x-ray, and for this, the security officer threatened to send me to the Federal Police. Now, I would rather spend an hour with the police than let my film be ruined, so I didn’t back down and eventually he agreed to hand inspect the film, but it took a tense 10 minutes of arguing to achieve that result.
Now, a little about the photos. Someone looking at these photos will not likely find a unifying theme behind them. Some show my recent travels in Brazil, some are from time I spent living in Dublin and in Spain, and some are just abstract shots of architecture. There seems to be no organizing principle behind them. Yet, I think this exhibit illustrates two principles that guide my pictures. I like to either take photos that show how people relate to their environment, or I like to take pictures of the local environment – built or natural – interacting with the light, weather, and mood of a place. I have been accused of focusing too much on buildings and statues in my photography at the expense of people. Yet, when I travel, sometimes I like to capture the feeling that you get when you are the only person in a new place – that wonderful sense of interest, wonder, curiosity, and unfamiliarity that we have all felt. I hope that when looking at the scenic shots you try to imagine yourself in the scene, experiencing the light, air, and location for yourself.
I hope that you like these photos, and there are many more where they came from. If you want to see them, or other work from Iceland, Mexico, and other parts of Brazil, feel free to contact me.
Greg
