I keep a box of slides in a special place. I only take them out when I'm feeling uninspired. There are lots of them. They keep me going.

I'm going through a major transition right now. I'm starting to print again in the darkroom. By doing so, I realize how distracting it is to own so many cameras. I can't quite put my finger on it - but I spent the better part of 20 years with just one camera - one lens - and did pretty damn well. Then, I came into a little bit of money and went nutty. So did my work - it took me 10 years to realize this. Maybe everyone goes through something similar -- but I wish I would have listened to my instructor when he told me to work with just one lens - one film - one developer - one photo paper. I get it now.

So - I'm selling off most of my cameras. Not all of them, but a lot of them. It's a hard thing to do. Each one has a story - or a future story. I can't make pretty prints based on future stories - only past stories - I have piles of negatives that need to be printed - need to see the light of day - not on a computer screen - but on photo paper - tangible - tactile. I want my girls to FEEL their lives by TOUCHING prints - looking closely - sensing depth to their lives in the paper - in the print.

I need to at least try to pass on the joy of sifting through prints in a shoe box -- or hat box. You may remember yourself - seeing photos - time and time again - touching them - seeing the colors -- and perhaps slipping one in your pocket so that you - and you alone - possess that very moment... There's nothing like it - nothing...

So -- I've been working - little by little - selling cameras and lenses I don't use - and building out a small darkroom - in order to leave some sort of legacy behind for all of my family... If I'm gone for awhile - I'll be in the dark - bringing out the light...

Listening to: Since I Held You - The Cars

Bryan Archbold