THESE FADING PLACES, BY 2018-2019 ESSAY WINNER MATT WHITE

These Fading Places, By Matt White

In the third week of the new year, I have crossed the Mississippi River from my home state of Arkansas and am passing slowly through little Mississippi towns like Rolling Fork and Cary under winter sunlight so pretty I wish it would never end. The Sunday streets are deserted, and the closer I get to the Louisiana border, it dawns on me that everyone is inside, glued to the Saint’s playoff game. Though not apt to follow sports closely, I appreciate high stakes and will always root for all things New Orleans, the great American city that she is. I am listening to the nail-biter on the radio and thinking of everyone I love in the Crescent City. On my approach into darkening Vicksburg: the crushing last-minute defeat just down river, a soon-to-be full moon emerging from a field in my rearview mirror. Evening is falling, and every direction I turn looks the way a Lucinda Williams song sounds.

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THE PATH TO THE SUMMIT, AN EVEREST ADVENTURE

By Chris Urban

For years, going to Mount Everest was at the top of my bucket list.  I grew up reading my brother’s National Geographic magazines and watching the Discovery Channel, dreaming about exploring the Himalayas, going face to face against mother nature.  Since I didn’t have a spare $100,000 and a death wish, I knew I was going to have to settle for Everest Base Camp rather than the summit. While it’s not the top of The Mountain, going to Everest Base Camp is still no small feat, and required months of preparation.    Continue reading “THE PATH TO THE SUMMIT, AN EVEREST ADVENTURE”

THE 1959 CJ-5 RESTORE: PART 1

I’ve always wanted an old classic Jeep. Ever since I was a little boy and got my first Matchbox Jeep.  The model has changed throughout the years, it’s been a Scrambler, a CJ and even a Wagoneer, but the idea of bombing around town and trails in a proper classic Jeep has always been a dream.

In Sevierville Tenn, just a couple hours from Nashville was sitting a 1959 CJ-5, the price was right, the engine had just been rebuilt and it was surprisingly free of visible rust and damage, showing no signs of ever having lived a life off-road, it even came already equipped with manually locking hubs. This would be the perfect starting point for me to build the classic Jeep I’d always wanted….

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GOBI RACK AXE/TOOL MOUNT

Not too long ago I made the choice to go with GOBI (review coming later) for Yeti 1’s roof rack, not just because of the racks overall quality but because of the range of add-ons offered from GOBI. GOBI is a premium product that comes at a premium price. But how about the accessories?

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JEEP JAMBOREE AT BADLANDS OFFROAD PARK (First Published 2018/05/31)

Field Photographer is at the Jeep Jamboree in Indy! This is the 9th Badlands Jeep Jamboree, and I’ll be here all weekend with Yeti 1.  Continue reading “JEEP JAMBOREE AT BADLANDS OFFROAD PARK (First Published 2018/05/31)”

2018-2019 ESSAY ENTRY: LILY, BY SHARON JIANG

Lily, By Sharon Jiang

As I close my eyes, I could still smell the aromatic chemical fumes from a typical photo development store. If you have ever walked pass one, think of it as a mixture of ammonia, noxious gases, and vinegar- like acid mixed together in a chemical lab. It is undeniable an unpleasant odor. But if you need to spend 8 hours in the store; the smell sort of becomes aromatic.

This is – The One Hour Photo, also known as my second home from the age of 11-14. As a child, growing up in Shanghai and Los Angeles, I would accompany my mom, a self-taught photographer, to her store on the weekends and spent my whole day there while completing my homework. I always looked forward to it because there was an El Pollo Loco next door, which means, my reward will be waiting for me once I have completed my homework.

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2018-2019 ESSAY CONTEST ENTRY: TO FORGIVE, BY EDUARDO ACIERNO

To Forgive, essay by Eduardo Acierno

We were running towards each other, we’ve been running for years, slowly becoming apart, further and further away from each other every minute. Children are screaming for their mothers, neighbors are calling “enough now, come inside” but I lay awake in the deepest of night dreading for an escape.

“Come on, wake up, you’ve been sleeping for so long”
I keep repeating to myself, It’s been a few years since you’ve been stuck in that thought.
“maybe you haven’t heard the message, you see, this thing you’re feeling happens to be wise and won’t leave until it’s message has been heard.”
But I was stubborn and my ears had been shut for some time now, all I could hear was a voice inside my head telling me to give up, because finding myself was impossible, I was long gone.

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WRITE A PHOTO ESSAY, WIN A LEICA M4-P & LEICA M 50mm ƒ2 SUMMICRON LENS

DEADLINE REACHED 

WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING ENTRIES

So you want to be an M photographer right? But it’s really expensive! And it just seems so far out of reach! Almost every M photographer has been there. We understand, and it’s not easy for anyone starting out to get into the Leica M system. And many times when you do manage to get ahold of that M body, you have to buy one that looks like it’s seen a war and sometimes… It has. Then you have to figure out how to get your hands on a lens, more often than not you won’t be buying a Leica lens as your first lens. But we have you covered. We’ve partnered with our friends at World of photography in Columbus Ohio to award one lucky young photographer a mint Leica M4-P and 50/ƒ2 Summicron lens!

We want to hear your stories. Not only hear them, but publish them as well. 

How can you win? Simple. Do the work.

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WRITE AN ESSAY, WIN A LEICA: FINALIST ENTRIES

We had a tremendous response to our essay contest and want to thank everyone who took the time to send us their essay!

All finalists will see their entries published here on the pages of Field Photographer now through the 28th, with the final selection and winner announced February 28th! Both Andrew Tonn and myself are going over all entries and selecting our favorites then comparing notes. As a bonus a special selection will be made by Gary Crickmore proprietor of World of photography in Columbus Ohio.

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VARANASI: IT IS THE BLACK HOURS BEFORE DAWN

(Photo, Andrew Tonn)

It is the black hours before dawn. The boat pushes out into the slow current. The ghats and towers of the ancient city are outlined with dim electric bulbs and small fires. Their glow creates a half circle of light over the river that fades into the black of the sky and the uninhabited sand-dunes of the other bank. It is quiet and I whisper to myself, “You are floating down the Ganges by the banks of Varanasi. You are here.” Continue reading “VARANASI: IT IS THE BLACK HOURS BEFORE DAWN”