Dreams and goals
Everyone has dreams and goals in life, without them we have nothing to strive and better ourselves with. Some dreams are simple and some are complex. Mine is the latter of the two.
Over the last few years I have desired to set myself in the direction of heading overseas and photographing North America. I achieved a trip in 2012 and travelled from LA through Vegas, Utah and up to Minneapolis to see a friend who I met on a photography forum, Amy. Having a blast was an understatement and left me with a taste for wanting more. I was planning another tour this year but something else has come up and anticipate that I will travel next year instead now.
People have questioned my sanity over wanting to move to the US and others have said, go for it, you’ll never know if you dont try.
My initial trip started a bit off kilter in LA but after a few days and a earth quake to boot I set off seeing the country side. Now, I dont consider myself a needy person, I dont need shopping malls at my doorstep, cinemas and profess that if I put my mind to it and a green thumb or 2 I could be self sustaining. The only things I do desire beside me is my wife and kids obviously, power (or even a gen set) and internet. So to me isolation, log cabins and no one around me but wildlife seems perfect. Its a stretch nowadays to achieve that isolation and Im cool with that also, just dont have to be around people 24/7.
USA and Aus are very different, including attitude, behaviour and genuine interest. This isnt a bad thing mind you but a challenge on a international level. I met some fantastic people in my travels and continue this day to find that most of my friends I associate with on facebook and the like are not from Australia.
Im in love with the seasonal changes that occurs in the US. Ive never seen snow, bit like some who live in the middle of the US have never seen a beach so to see the reds and oranges in fall colours is just sensory overload. Its no wonder that after being there for nearly a month I took about 120 gig of shots.
Will I get to reside there one day? I honestly hope so, from my families point of view it would be a great experience, the kids…. that one Ill have to get back to you on. I know with my daughters SPD the support is far greater in he US too. Jobs who knows. Could I rely solely on my photography? that I honestly dont know, but I very much doubt it.
So the next step is to try and organise a gallery opening? Im still working on this + plus what I need to do back in Aus. It feels like it is taking forever and missing being in the US isnt really helping my cause. Ive got the framer set up and ready to do some work, just need to know where to send it 🙂
Id dearly love to live either in Utah ( absolutely adore Springdale/ Zion) or Minnesota, I love both places and out of all the people I spoke too both states were so accommodating. Fantastic people! Thats one thing Australia lacks is consistent customer service across everything. I could buy a $10 t shirt and Id still get the same quality service as if it was $1000 in the US. I walk into a hardware store here for a $2.00 item and its like someone turns the light on and the cockroaches run for cover lol
So if you know someone that has a art gallery that would like to present something a little different to Americans Im all ears.
Thanks and have a great weekend.
Geoff
Geoff Pritchard Photography 