Silent cross country walking trip with a 4x5

[Brian C. Miller]

The thing that gets me is that it isn't about photography, it's "performance art." His "hair shirt" is walking, pushing a buggy, and using a heavy view camera. The value of the photographs is not what is photographed, but the "performance" around the photographs. I'd much rather support someone who is doing it for the photography.

My view of photography is that it isn't about the photographer. The photograph (usually) doesn't show the photographer, it shows the subject. It's a still window opened onto a frozen moment of time. And so we view that image, and contemplate it. Perhaps a long time, or a very short time. But the photographer is, in fact, forgotten, and all that remains is the image.

Here, it's all about the "artist." I don't know if his teacher was Crewdson, but it's irrelevant. What is relevant is what someone else obtains from the endeavor. Walking a long ways isn't that big of a deal. Over a hundred people a year complete the Pacific Crest Trail. So what remains of his journey? The photographs.

I wish him the best of luck, and hopefully he won't get hit like that guy who was bouncing a soccer on a walking journey to Brazil. (Richard Swanson, Seattle man dribbling soccer ball to Brazil, killed by pickup truck in Oregon)

[Dan Henderson]

The idealistic side of me has often thought of walking across America, but in my case just making 35mm snapshots as I go.

The practical side of me wonders how this guy is going to make his idea work. Whenever I set my 4x5 camera up and begin working on a photograph someone stops to ask what I am taking a picture of, is amazed that I can still get film for "that old camera," and/or wants to tell me about his/her great picture. If he refuses to speak to these people sooner or later someone will take offense and begin harrassing him.

The cynical side of me wonders if anyone has started a Kickstarter campaign solely for the stated purpose of raising money.

[Rain Dance]

So many cynical grumpy old men here. +1 to this guy for going on his own personal journey.

[Otto Seaman]

Why is it "obviousl" that he had no student loans? I don't see any indication in the article of how his education was financed, how rich he or his family might be, whether he had student loans or didn't, and whether his family gave him any money. But don't let the complete absence of facts stop you from making your stereotypical assumptions and shedding tears for some unknown peers who you think are struggling to "make payments."

Well... we do know that Yale was expensive and he doesn't need to work for a year. The assumptions I made are just that - assumptions, much the same as others have made here about cynical, old men.

But seriously, has anything good ever come out of Yale other than bad presidential candidates, greedy lawyers and MBAs, or pompous intellectuals? Not to be cynical;-)

[Drew Wiley]

Well, Hamish Fulton got some serious museum representation a few decades back for his otherwise utterly boring road shots of long walks. I have no idea of what
this current fellow's motives or aspirations are, but anyone lugging around a view camera can't be all that bad! But I don't know how he's supposed to keep silence
if he runs into some redneck cop somewhere asking suspicious questions, which seems inevitable. Hope to stays safe and does indeed shoot some interesting material.

[Corran]

So many cynical grumpy old men here. +1 to this guy for going on his own personal journey.

A-freakin'-men.
Though I do think the silence vow is unnecessary and irrelevant.

[Brian C. Miller]

I think there's a difference between a "vow of silence" and total non-communication. If he's vowed just to keep his mouth shut, he can still write notes, etc. Think of how many deaf-mutes are in society. I'm guessing that he'll have an introduction card, and a pad of paper. "Hi, I can't speak, but I can hear," should go a long ways.

[Corran]

From the article:

He won’t speak, read, write or make any noise.

[Juergen Sattler]

Just another guy trying to draw attention to himself be doing something totally outrageous. I have no issues with the idea of walking across the US or doing LF photography while doing it but give me a break with the no "speaking writing or making any noise" part. That's just stupid.

[Brian C. Miller]

Hmm, I wonder how he'll stop himself from reading...

Anybody remember Thor Heyerdahl and the Kon-Tiki? I wonder how he raised money for that.