Dream Photography Project

<p>I already live my photographic dreams with annual trips to the Himalaya: Ladakh, Zanskar, Tibet, Pakistan and Nepal. Many of these regions have roads that are almost indescribable, such is the palpable danger they sometimes present to travellers. These areas are prone to rockfall, landslides, heavy snow, unbelievable temperatures - it's just the most hostile environment imaginable short of actually climbing.</p>

<p>Road maintenance often proceeds around the clock to keep the high passes open - many all through winter. As vehicles inch along centimetres away from a tumble down the precipice, all eyes are on the rock walls towering overhead, especially after recent snowfall. Passengers lean away from the cliffside, chatter dies away to nothing, drivers summon all their concentration and skill...</p>

<p>Many of these roads are kept open by gangs of workers, militia, dedicated organisations like the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in India. The military is inevitably involved in such sensitive projects as road construction in the heavily militarised Himal, but the heros of the piece are the road gangs who labour in these majestic high places.</p>

<p>I would like to document these people in their travails, camps and in the little relaxation they manage to gain. Last October, late in the summer in Ladakh, a medium size army of road workers, mostly from the impoverished state of Bihar, toiled in the Indus gorge as the main road from Leh to Srinigar climbs away from the mighty river, up over 1,000 metres of crumbling rock. My heart goes out to these cheerful friendly people with perhaps the toughest job in the world. This image (http://www.philippartridge.com/images/l/p1/seven.html) is of this area from near the Fotu La at 4400m, I hope it conveys the nature of the landscape, for those interested.</p>

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<p>Wow, what a great answers all.<br />I'd offer the money to Art Wolfe for taking me as his assistant on the next "Travels to the edge" series.<br />If you'd given me 100K, I'd make the series myself :-) Maybe hire Art to help out? ;-)</p>

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I would go to the Middle East and document the lives of the people caught in the middle of this struggle</p>

 

<p>I can think of all kinds of places around the world where I'd love to go- Torres de Paine, Gates of the Arctic, etc. However, right now I'd be happy just going to the Inyo-Mono area in California (east side of the Sierra Nevada, Mono Lake, Owens Valley, White Mountains, Death Valley, etc.) and spending a few months or a year there so I could catch good light when it happens. I'd camp out most nights in my truck to stretch the $10K, though film and processing would eat up some money. I'd need an occasional short break back home, then it would be back to the hills for some more photography.</p>

<p>There's a reason Galen Rowell lived there. He knew what he was doing.</p>

<p>But it would be even better for me to take a whole series of courses in nature photography from great teachers over a period of months. Just set aside everything else and dedicate my time and energy to improving my photography. *Then* I could spend some time out there waiting for the light...</p>

<p>In my humble opinion, this thread is an extremely important one. All have taken the time to publicly express the dreams they have for themselves. Publicly stating a goal or dream is the most important step... But, now what? Merely let those dreams fade and die out? I hope not. I am hopeful that everyone will keep their dreams alive and work hard to achieve them! There is an old adage that "you will get what you think you will get" which, in my mind applies here. If you keep thinking you will achieve your dream you probably will!</p>

<p>Now, for my dream. After 40+ years on the job, I am about to retire and am really excited that I may be able to achieve a dream I've had for many years. I hope to take off on my motorcycle with like minded friends, travel the US and Europe exploring and photographing the serendipity we encounter. We won't have an agenda and won't hurry. We'll explore small towns and interesting places like Pie Town, New Mexico or Hallstatt, Austria. While the images that result from this journey will not win awards, they will be extremely meaningful to me and maybe to others....... </p>

<p>Gael</p>

<p>Dear Hannah, a question like this would arouse great passions. I am very sad right now and ...<br /><br />If I had to start a project that last, say in three years, it would sound like this: the smile looked.<br /><br />Then we take a sample of people and we aim to specify the smile in this period determined. :)</p>