One
One aspect of photography I have (and continue to) struggle with is this idea that there is a direct relationship between travel and the creation of “good” images. I will be the first to admit that for many years I aligned with this thinking and the more I drove or flew, it would yield “better” images than if I did not.
While I do agree that visiting far off and exotic locations often grant one with unique visual opportunities (sometimes once in a lifetime) and that those adventures are very fulfilling in a multitude of ways, the opposite should also be embraced. Often forgotten is the wonderful beauty tucked away in our neighborhoods, local parks and backcountry trails that will never appear on any “Top 10 Places to See in (insert city name here)”. Only we know of the hidden little nuances about our local area; the hidden grove of uniquely shaped trees or the unnamed hillside that are wonderfully shaped by light and shadow. For me there has been great satisfaction building relationships with these areas and an irreplaceable feeling of sacredness. It’s these relationships that add a special bond with these images.
It has taken me ten plus years to slowly start to see that it comes down to perspective. Slowly, and through necessity being a new father, more of my work has been coming from areas closer to home. Some of which have been some of my meaningful work, partly because it was made close to home. The images in this project are portraits of one wonderful little cactus from our home garden.
All photographs copyright Marco Sipriaso ©2023