An Island Epiphany

Dear Diary,

After seeing Alexandra de Steiguer's book of amazing black and white images of Star Island and hearing her speak about her relationship with the monochrome image, I had a bit of an artistic epiphany. I wanted to return to the black and white image, to what originally drew me to photography in the first place.

I have been working in color for nearly two years and although I will continue to do so I really wanted to make a folio of black and white images of Star. This is my first photograph for that album. On ever trip I try to identify one image that I call my "icon of the experience", one that, if all other photographs were lost, would represent my experience.

I wanted this image in my journal so that I could remember the moment when I came back to the monochrome image. When people leave the island, staff gather at the dock and chant, "You will come back, you will come back, you will come back." I thought that was very fitting...I will most certainly return to Star Island and I came back to my first love, the black and white image.

Putting this album together will be like visiting an old friend that you haven't talk to in some time...there is so much to catch up on.