I am not from the South. I was born and raised in Ohio, but I have lived in North Carolina for 17 years. This, perhaps, gives me a different perspective on the southern states. I am not a native, but I am not exactly a newcomer either. Being in this position leaves me with less preconceived notions about what the South is, or should be. Hopefully this allows me to be more objective when making photographs.
Over the years the South has received a lot of bad press. Some of it is deserved, some not. This is to be expected from a region that constantly walks a fine line between trying to shed some of its past while still
clinging to old traditions.
Of course, with such diversity and disparity there are always a great many things to photograph here. We have some of the most modern, technologically advanced cities just a few miles down the road from beautifully preserved small towns. There is so much history and so many interesting people. Everything and place and person seems to have a story to tell.
And yes, southern hospitality is real. It is not uncommon in the least to be in a store, or taking a walk and have a complete stranger start up a genuine conversation. You don’t always get that in other places.
I had a friend who once described herself as “subtle, like a sledgehammer”. This is a fitting characterization of the South. Things here often seem calm on the surface but anything but beneath. If you have ever had
real southern sweet tea you know what I mean. However, despite some of the negative connotations about the South, I still think the good outweighs the bad.
One of the best things about the south is springtime . The South is a very special place this time of year. The magnolias, dogwoods, and redbuds explode into bloom, seemingly overnight. I never knew there were so
many shades of pink and variations of white. As I am writing this the birds are singing, the trees and flowers are blooming, and yet another storm is about to blow in. There is probably a metaphor in there somewhere – in the South there is always beauty, there is always turbulence, there is always a change just beyond the horizon.
Please check out my gallery “New Images of the Old South”. These images are my interpretation of what the south means to me.