Tobago

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Trinidad & Tobago | Sunday, October 17, 2010 | 5 photos

Many years ago, I had the opportunity to hear John Gorka, a singer/songwriter from Pennsylvania, sing a song called "Good Noise" that included the lines "Tell me the truth what are you living for/Tell me why, why are you near/’Cause if you cannot make yourself a good noise/Tell me what you’re doing here." Over the last few years, I have come to the conclusion that there is a lot of truth in thoese words. If our world is to dig itself out of the very real problems we currently find ourselves in, we must ALL speak out in some form. We must take responsibility for our communities by challenging, questioning and sharing as it has become obvious that we can’t rely on others to do it for us.

Mr. Gorka writes later in the song "Oh it seems that so much trouble/Is simply caused by the angry word/Although silence can be a virtue/I say it’s a good noise that’s preferred". For a long time, although my wife may disagree, I have stayed relatively quiet, believing it was not my place to speak out. But since those who speak out the most appear more interested in creating ignorance, fear, anger, and sadness in this beautiful world my children will inherit, I feel I have a responsibility to share "some good noise" for others to experience and learn from. If nothing else, it might inspire some thought, which is never a bad thing.

This guiding principle of honesty in photography is why I believe this scholarship is a perfect fit for me. These photos from a recent trip to Tobago demonstrate how photography can reveal the simple moments that too often pass us by. As Dorothea Lange said "the camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera".  Through my photography, I hope to encourage a greater appreciation for our world.

Thank you for your consideration.