Touch Me

My intention for this series of photographs is that they cause the mind of the viewer to leap immediately to a perception of how it would feel to touch the object photographed: straight from the visual to the tactile. My inspiration for the series was the first photograph below, the old Airstream trailer. The trailer was parked in an open shed on the grounds of the headquarters of Big Bend Ranch State Park and was being used as the residence of a photographer living on the ranch. As soon as I brought the print out of the darkroom, I was struck by that weathered aluminum skin, uncleaned and uncared for, bearing the effects of years of exposure to weather, dirt, dust, and, perhaps, road grime from trips taken long ago. I have seen old Airstreams whose skins were polished, smooth, bright and shiny. I would not hesitate to scratch my fingernails on such a pristine surface, but I would not wish to do so on this one. So as you scroll through these photographs of very different subjects, think “Touch”. But be careful!