extreme horizontals.

the endless clack of bulldozer tracks and hum of diesel engines muffle the calls of hundreds of tree frogs in the night of west virginia's coal river valley. this is somewhat like what i had in mind chad.

old time's future.

i hate to admit it, but in whitesburg i'm the other brett. brett ratliff plays a sweet fiddle and mean banjo and makes his home in whitesburg. brett's friend woody pines came to town to play a gig over the fourth of july. the pair of them played music into the morning in the living room. it's awesome to be friends with such talented musicians.

back to batting.

after a long weekend of good music and great friends it was back to the woods and big browns. i think i can improve upon this picture. i might post an update if it works.

around the fire at kayford.

here are some photos from the kayford mountain keepers music festival. it was my first opportunity to meet the folks chad has been documenting for the past two years. the festival was an interesting mix of activists fighting mtr and others who were for it. things got a little tense around the fire, but overall the two sides got along and sang music together.

a reunion and the journey begins.

whether it be chance or fate, chad stevens and i returned together once again in the mountains near charleston, wv. we met six years ago, he as my incredibly inspirational teacher/slave driver. our instant friendship has grown over the years and now he has offered me the humbling opportunity to work with him on a documentary on mountain top removal. i feel like i have finally found something to sink my teeth into over a long period of time and better yet it's something i believe in and i get to hang out and work with someone i respect and admire a great deal. this is the first batch of hopefully a great deal more to come. and if you don't know what mountain top removal or strip mining or surface mining, etc. is take a look at the panoramic view of chad taking pictures from hell's gate atop kayford.

a sign.

per ryan's request i returned to the town that is literally calling my name. well my nickname anyway. i stumbled upon boomer, WV on my way to a new netting site in summersville and in a blink of an eye it was gone. i made a special trip back to check it out and shoot this lame picture. i'd like to return and do a little essay sometime. if i were a church going man i think this is probably the church i would have to attend by default.