Long Home
For the better part of three years, I've sought out Vietnam War veterans from across the US, seeking to understand their personal experience - their remembrance of a long ago war, and of life upon returning home. I was welcomed into a Louisiana veteran groups' annual crawfish feed, sat curbside at Veteran Day parades in small towns across Washington state, and watched aging veterans recall lost buddies at a traveling memorial wall in Butte, Montana. Along the way, I sat in living rooms, kitchens, porches and bars, taking in complex and conflicted personal stories, frequently told with more reluctance than bravado. After turning off my voice recorder, I would pull out my camera and take a few pictures before saying goodbye. Each picture was taken handheld, without lighting sources or props, often moments after hearing a poignant story, or the dusting off of memories buried deep. Each picture was taken handheld, without lighting sources or props. The pictures in this series reflect the rawness and vulnerability of the moment, and quite often, a tinge of pride. The book includes 50 of these portraits, along with selected words from each veteran. I did not come at this with an agenda, The book certainly does not glorify war, far from it, but it does reflect a deep respect for the soldiers, nurses and donut dollies I met with, some of whom are actively against war and others who remain conflicted, but proud of their service.