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I killed a raccoon with my camera.

It was a week ago, at night, on a dark back country road.  Looking back, It felt like Henri Carter-Bresson was on mescaline.  I was using a kodak camera that I bought at the thrift store for 2.75 and it had a flash.  It was a 35mm, fully auto with a zoom and I loaded it with an off brand roll of c-41 400 speed black and white film that said, “Made in E.U”.  I wasn’t driving the car, I was photographing.

Black Snake: Maryland Eastern Shore 2010

Inspired by a brief encounter  with Todd Hido and the one-of-a-kind book dummy he shared

Just before it happened, I felt alert.  I had that rare and relaxed connection to the physical world as it unfolded around me.  I looked with a familiar anticipation and intensity.

Book Burning 68 Alexander st on May 27 2010

example of poor red-eye correction

There it was.  We had just taken a long and sharp right hand turn on Spaniard’s Neck Rd. The Raccoon was on the opposite side of the road.  It started to run towards the car and I was ready with my camera. I heard the sound of the telephoto lens as it slowly zoomed from 24-50mm, while the flash powered up in my right ear.  I saw the raccoon.  I photographed the raccoon.  The flash stopped the raccoon in his tracks.  My Friend did not stop his car.  I heard car hit raccoon.

It was then I realized I had killed a raccoon with my camera…

My friend and I returned the next day to see if his body was still in the road. I made this photograph.

Barn on Spaniard’s Neck Road, June 2 2010

The Raccoon was no where to be seen..?

I don’t know what I’ve learned from this, if any thing at all.  I have the roll of c-41 b+w film sitting on my desk next to me as I type.  I don’t know when ill develop it.  I don’t know if ill develop it, maybe ill burn it, that would be vogue.

At the very most this raccoon made me reconsider the responsibilities and impact of making photographs, at the very lest it did nothing to disrupt the relaxation I have always found on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  I leave you with an open mind and a few photographs I made outside.

P.S.  I have been extremely pleased with results from our collective OUR MOTION IS STOP last week, we completed our “warm up” Animation and have made leaps and bounds on the fabrication of the first short. Keep an eye out for a new logo and the newest animation complete with Foley Art.  I have lots more about life and process to share, such as three exhibitions, two installations, two job interviews, one commissioned contract, website (finally), with untold amounts of collective magic, whose full potential has yet to be tapped! Stay Tuned!