Craig Pindell, Fine Art Photographer
All work copyright Craig Pindell, 2025
Never Forget
The project to remember 9/11
The morning of September 11, 2001 started like most other mornings....
How many times have I read that since the cowardly attacks on America that day? I know that for me it rings true. It was just another day, but not a single day since then has been the same as it was before the first plane crashed into the tower at 8:46 am, eastern time.
I was working at a brewery, high on a rickety scaffold, beginning to make a weld that had taken 3 days of prep work to get to this point. I hadn't gotten far, when someone started climbing the scaffold, shaking it so badly that I couldn't continue to weld. I lifted my welding hood, ready to cuss out who ever had broken my concentration, but before I could say a word, my foreman poured forth everything he knew about the attack and what he had seen on a television in the engineering office trailer. He was sharing so much information so quickly that it was gibberish. I hoped my work partner would be able to translate, but he didn't understand either. The one thing the foreman said repeatedly was " life as we know it is over. America is under attack."
My partner calmed the foreman down and the two of them climbed down the scaffold and went to sort out what was happening. I went back to welding, with my mind only partially on my work. It was inconceivable to me that America was being attacked. I had just finished the first welding pass of the three it would take to complete the weld, when my partner returned. His voice was an octave higher than usual and strained. "Shut everything down. We have to get off of here and get to the crew trailer. They are shutting the job down." It didn't make any sense to me. He continued. "Someone flew airplanes into the Twin Towers in New York, and into the Pentagon. We gotta get out of here." My mind couldn't grasp why we would have to leave a brewery in Colorado when the attacks were back east. The first of a whole lot of things not making sense.
The country united like I had never seen in the days following the attack. I struggled to understand how it had changed everyone so much. After that, things like the Patriot Act flew through congress, stripping citizens of rights, and changing what I thought were basic freedoms. Anti-Muslim groups grew and flourished, and hate filled talk radio stoked the smoldering fire into an inferno. It didn't take long for that national patriotism that exploded after the attack to evolve into something completely counter to what I thought America was. Again, it didn't make sense.
No matter which party controls the government, no matter who tries to overthrow the government, no matter how corrupt the politicians are, the constant is the growth of the hate culture in America. Politics based on hate and imagined fear. Entire groups of people, third or fourth generation Americans, being attacked because of where their ancestors immigrated from- attacked by descendants of immigrants! It doesn't make sense.
And through all of this,
When I started this project, I was sure that 9/11 would become a national
holiday. I could imagine Ame
Photography is usually a solitary event. Photography with a large
format view camera (which I use for the majority of these photographs) has been
described as hours of patience followed by 1/2 second of activity. While
that is a bit of an exaggeration, there is a lot of time to reflect while
waiting for the light to be right, or in the case of the images
presented here, for the clock to reach the appointed time of 6:46 AM Mountain
Time. During that waiting time I am able to recall the day of the
attacks, to recall the events of the past year, and to consider the ongoing
impact, or lack thereof, that 9/11 brings to all Americans. Time I treasure every
year.
I hope you enjoy these photographs, I hope you appreciate the effort,
and I hope that you please, Never Forget.
Most Recent
Wednesday, September 11, 2002 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Waterfalls near Sugarloaf Road
Snowy Range, Wyoming
8x10 Ilford Delta 100 Film
Burke and James Camera
360 mm lens
3
Second Exposure at f/45
This morning is warmer than I thought it would be. As I left
Cheyenne at 4:30 AM, I saw a few flags flying, but it was really quiet. There
will be memorial services later on, but I will miss them. I chose
to venture down Sand Lake Road because I have photographed in this area before
with my friend Graig Marrs, and I knew I would find a suitable subject. When
I conceived this project, I had not considered the logistics involved.
I like to wander and photograph what interests me, but when working to a
constraint such as a particular time, like I am in this project, there is a lot
of pressure to have the photograph already in your mind, and not be caught
hunting for a location when the clock strikes 6:46 AM.
This particular lens does not have a shutter, so there were a lot of
opportunities to mess this up while taking the lens cap off to expose the film
or when replacing the lens cap. The photography gods smiled on me,
and the exposure was just as I had envisioned.
Thursday, September 11, 2003 6:46 AM Mountain Time
View from Lewis Lake
looking towards Sugarloaf Mountain
Snowy Range, Wyoming
Burke and James Camera
360 mm lens
1
Minute Exposure at f/45
The morning was cold and still. There were occasional snow
flurries, and I had hopes that the snow would not obscure the scene at 6:46 AM. The
drive up the mountain was nice, with no traffic. I was all alone on this huge
mountain. Once the camera was in place, I waited for about 15
minutes and thought of how the world had changed since 9/11. As it
got closer to time to make the photograph, I could see another snow squall
coming my way. I removed the lens cap at the appointed time, not
knowing if the mountain in the background would be at all visible. I could see
it, sort of, so I hoped it would show up on the negative. Once I
developed the film, I was really pleased with the result. I began
to feel there must be something magical about the project and how things work
out to make sure the images are successful.
Saturday, September 11, 2004 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Aspen Trunks Along Blair Wallace Road
Laramie County, Wyoming
4x5 T-Max 100 Film
Linhof Tech V
150 mm lens
4
Second Exposure at f/16
Usually, Saturday morning is reserved for breakfast out. A way to
end the work week, sometimes preceded by Friday night happy hour. This
morning I chose to stay close to Cheyenne, only about a 45 minute drive to this
road, and I knew there were a few beaver ponds that would offer some
photographic opportunities.
As I turned the first few corners, I saw the aspens along the road and knew I
could make an interesting photograph. The sky was very overcast,
but there was no wind. I came across this clump of trees and set up the camera. I
looked at my watch and I had a 35 minute wait until time to release the
shutter. Enough time to second guess myself many times over. I
kept thinking there may be better trees on down the road. Eventually
I convinced myself to stay with these trees and was really happy I did.
This area was very quiet, not even many birds at that hour of the morning. Usually
there is a lot of wind in Southeast Wyoming, but not today. The
fall air was crisp, but there was no frost. There were patches of
aspen trees that had started to turn colors, but not in the area of these
trees. A truly beautiful Wyoming morning.
Sunday, September 11, 2005 6:46 AM Mountain Time
French Creek
Downstream from Lake Marie
Snowy Range, Wyoming
4x5 T-Max 100 Film
Linhof Tech V Camera
300 mm lens
30 Second Exposure at f/16
French Creek is high up in the Snowy Range, nearly 12,000 feet above sea level, and the weather is very unpredictable. I expected snow and cold, instead it was warm (35 F) and clear. I knew that direct sun would make any scene involving moving water nearly impossible to photograph well, so I looked for a location that I was sure would be in shadows. I had almost finished setting up the camera for this scene when the sun rose over the mountain and half of the scene was in sun and the other half in shadow. A disaster.
As I considered the options of finding another location, or changing composition, knowing that time was short, clouds began to sneak over the mountains to the west. First just a few, but then more and more. They were moving very fast, as mountain clouds usually do. I began to hope that this photograph would work out after all. Just minutes before I made this exposure, the clouds parted and the entire scene was in sun! I fully expected this to be a complete bust.
Just as I metered for my final exposure calculations, a large cloud moved in and
the situation was exactly as I had hoped for at the beginning of the day. I
made the exposure knowing that the photography gods had once again smiled on me
and the project.
Monday, September 11, 2006 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Wind Blown Tree
Laramie County, Wyoming
4x5 T-Max 100 Film
Linhof Tech V Camera
150 mm lens
2 Second Exposure at f/16
This was a Southeast Wyoming Day! Very cold and 40 mph winds with gusts to 70 mph. The conditions were a huge technical challenge, to say the least. Large format view cameras are not known for their aerodynamics, and to photograph in wind like this takes some creative problem solving. I moved my vehicle to the upwind side of where I expected the camera to be, trying to keep the vehicle as close as possible to the camera. I also tied the camera bag to the center column of the tripod for additional stability.
When the meter indicated a 2 second exposure, I was sure there would be no
chance of the tree being stable and in sharp focus in the image. I
also had doubt that the camera would be steady for that long. As I
waited for 6:46 AM, I noticed that when the wind was steady, the tree would lean
to the right, but then would hold that position until the wind eased or a bigger
gust moved it further. I hoped for steady wind at 6:46 AM, and as
luck would have it, the tree was steady. I did make a second
negative of this scene, which I had not ever done for this project, but the
first negative was the better and my track record with the photography gods is
intact!
By the way, I was only 20 minutes late for work on this morning, thanks to a
really strong tail wind while I was driving back to Cheyenne. Credit
the photography gods with another assist!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Sky Scrapers
T-Max 100 Film
Hasselblad Camera
80 mm lens
1/2 Second Exposure at f/11
I was very fortunate to be asked to be part of a conference about Shutdowns,
Turnarounds and Outages in Denver Colorado and I accepted before I realized I
would be at the conference for 9/11. I considered withdrawing from
the conference, but in the end I felt I could make my photograph at the
appointed time, and still be able to get to the conference session on time. It
had been a big year since the last 9/11 photograph. Sadam Hussein
had been found, tried and hung. The war based on lies was being
called out for what it was. The government was being exposed, finally. They
took the events of 9/11 and used them as a catalyst for profiteering and
bloodshed. Patriotism is turning to anger.
As I left the hotel and walked in downtown Denver, it occurred to me that there
were people walking in New York City the morning of 9/11. I cannot
imagine the feeling they must have had when they looked up and saw the planes
hit the buildings. Cities are so enclosed and I feel trapped in
the city. It had to be pure terror!
When I had finished making this image, the security person from the building on
the right came out and told me in no uncertain terms to leave the area. He
had called the police and my activities were suspicious. I thought
about waiting for the police to explain myself, but I did not want to be late
for the conference session, so I left. As far as I know, the
Denver police are still looking for a terrorist with a camera.............
Thursday, September 11, 2008 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Lake Marie
4x5 T-Max 100 Film
Linhof Tech V Camera
65 mm lens
30 Second Exposure at f/22
I really enjoy photographing in Snowy Range, and I like coming here for my 9/11 project. The quiet and the calm are soothing and at this time of year, I am usually alone. On this day, I could hear someone else, maybe a photographer, but never saw them. I was sure to make enough noise that they knew I was around, as well. This morning was better than I could have hoped for; the air was crystal clear and there was very little wind. The temperature was just below freezing, but there was no frost.
I had long wanted to make this photograph, but when I had been here in the
summer, there were people along the shore line. I preferred the
scene the way I found it on this day-empty. The wide angle optics
exaggerates the distances in this photograph, making it seem even larger than it
really is. The peaks are very impressive, especially when you are
at the base looking up, as I am here. It reminds me of how small I
really am in the world. We humans certainly are a small part of
the organism that is our world.
Friday, September 11, 2009 5:46 AM Pacific Time
Horsetail Falls
Multnomah County, Oregon
T-Max 100 Film
Hasselblad
50 mm lens
2 Minute Exposure at f/11
I was very concerned my project was going to end this year. I was working at a chemical plant west of Portland, Oregon, and my supervisor made it clear that there would be no time off during this job. After a lot of careful consideration, I decided that continuing the project was more important to me that the continued employment at that company. When I was driving up to the job from Wyoming, I had stopped and photographed this waterfall, but I was there in the early afternoon, and the light was not good. I decided it would be a good possibility for my 9/11 photograph this year. As I was mapping out the trip and calculating the departure time from my hotel, I remembered that 6:46 AM was Mountain Time, and I was in the Pacific Time zone. I had to move the schedule up an hour and make the photograph at 5:46 AM Pacific Time.
I knew there would not be much light at that time of day, so a long exposure was
obvious. When I travel for work, I do not always take my large
format cameras, I take a smaller format instead. I usually take a lighter tripod
as well. For long exposure work, heavy cameras and heavy tripod
usually work best, so I would have to find a way to make my lightweight
equipment do the job. By finding a camera position that would
allow the use of a wide angle lens and by weighing the tripod down with extra
weights, I was able to overcome the potential problem, and made an image that
pleased me.
The early hour allowed me to get back to work less than one hour late, and I had
stopped and purchased a few dozen donuts, so all was forgiven. I
made my photograph and kept my job........
Saturday, September 11, 2010 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Blair Wallace Campground
Laramie County, Wyoming
8x10 T-Max 100 Film
Kodak Master View Camera
240 mm lens
2
Second Exposure at f/16
When I headed out for this year’s picture, I had an idea I would chose this
location. I remembered this campground from when I used to come up
to this area with my parents and grandparents. We fished the
beaver ponds around here quite a bit. It took some looking around
to find the campground, it is back off of the road a bit, and somewhat hidden by
the bushes along the creek between the campground and the road.
It does not show in the photograph, but the pine beetle has killed most of the
trees in this area, and I would bet that in another year or two none of the
trees in this picture will still be standing. Another reminder
that the world around us is always changing, and if we do not adapt, we will go
the way of the majestic pine trees, destroyed by a tiny beetle barely big enough
to see......
Sunday, September 11, 2011 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Twin Towers of Stone
Laramie County, Wyoming
4x5 T-Max 100 Film
Linhof Tech V Camera
150 mm lens
This was a cool, breezy morning, and I found this photo very quickly. I
had lot of time to contemplate the year since that had passed. Osama
Bin Ladin had been killed. The name most associated with the 9/11
cowards had been executed. My good friend and motorcycle companion
of many years seems to be very sick. My mother had been in the
hospital a couple of times for internal bleeding. My mother-in-law
had fallen and had surgery this year. I had quit my job because
the travel and schedule was impossible. The new company I went to
work for certainly had not lived up to expectations, and I still have three more
months of my contract with them. A lot of change in short order. I have no
comfort zone anymore.
And saddest of all, even the death of Bin Ladin does not bring back the flags and the patriotism. Americans have forgotten the feeling we had after 9/11.
Please Never
Forget!
Monday, September 11, 2012 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Mirror Lake and Medicine Bow Peak
Snowy Range, Wyoming
8x10 T-Max 400 Film
Kodak Master View Camera
240 mm lens
1/4 Second Exposure at
f/32
I am back in the beautiful Snowy Range. It is crisp, clear and
calm. It is a gorgeous Wyoming day. I am so blessed
to be here. I have lots of time for thinking and reflection.
Around Thanksgiving, my grandfather and a favorite aunt passed away. The holidays were a lot less bright this year. My friend and a long time motorcycle riding buddy died on Mother’s Day this year. I was lucky enough to be able to spend time with him before he passed. In June my mother had open heart surgery and the results were not what we had hoped for. She passed in July with my sister, my brother and me at her side. After that, my time has been spent trying to sort through her house full of belongings and treasures and memories. This has been the saddest time I can ever remember. I have worked less than six months all year. Even though my brother and sister and I have put a lot of effort into my mom's house, it seems like months of work left to do. Today here in the mountains, all of that went away, and I was able to just think about photography and nature and the peace of being here.
Even through all of this horrible sadness and
Wednesday, September 11, 2013 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Prairie Road
Goshen County, Wyoming
4x5 T-Max 400 Film
Linhof Tech V Camera
150 mm lens
Today is cold and raining off and on. Sometimes a downpour, other times, just a drizzle. It is cold and wet and contributed to the meloncholy feeling. As I had planned for this event, I had read about Flight 93, the flight that crashed in the field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I had heard the Neil Young song "Let's Roll" twice the past week on the radio. Instead of my usual trip to the mountains, this year I chose to go to the plains north and east of Cheyenne. The rolling hills are peaceful and there are not many people around to interrupt the day.
I set out this morning looking for an open area, and when I saw this road that went on and on into the horizon, it made me think of how things keep going on. Through tragedies, through victories, through wars, through celebrations. Every event is but a bump in the road of life. The road extends to the horizon - for some that horizon is closer than it is for others. None of us knows how long that road may be.
No wonder then, that Americans seem to forget the events of 9/11 a little more each year. That horrible day was a bump on the road. It was a big bump. It was a memorable bump. I read yesterday that anyone who is 15 years of age or younger this year has no memory of that horrible day. What a tragedy, but what a blessing as well. I think everyone who can remember that day knows exactly where they were when they heard our world had changed forever. The youngsters do not remember how it was when we still had personal freedoms and the NSA spying on Americans was unthinkable. No matter, I remember how it was, and I remember that horrible day.
Thursday, September 11, 2014 5:46 AM Pacific Time
At The Ready
Bend Oregon
4x5 T-Max 100 Film
Linhof Tech V Camera
210 mm lens
This scene saved this project for me. Katie and I were on the way home from one of the worst photography workshop experiences I have ever had. The workshop at Shore Acres and Bandon Oregon had not been productive. It was the first photo workshop that Katie had joined me, and it was the most disappointing I had ever attended. I was frustrated and angry and ready to get home.
We left Coos Bay, Oregon at noon on September 10th and had driven as far as Bend, Oregon before stopping for the night. For the entire day of traveling, we had been looking for photographic possibilities for the 9/11 image, but had not seen anything fitting. When I was in the hotel room, I thought that I had come to the end of the project. I feared that I had finally succumbed to the feeling that 9/11 was in the past - no big deal any more. These days we have Ebola, and ISIS to worry about. That awful day becomes a more and more distant memory every year. The fact that I was even considering not making the photo, was making me more upset and more angry the longer I sat in the hotel room. Finally, I concluded I was not ready to quit. So what if it is hard. So what if I had to work for the image. Time to stop moping and to get busy. We got in the car and headed back to the west, along the highway we had traveled into town. As we had come into town, I had noticed a large flag at a business near the highway, and I thought if it were lighted, there may be a photography opportunity.
The flag idea was a complete bust. The flag was not lighted, and from all angles the background was horrible. It was very dark by now, and as we drove further west, there was less to see. Finally we turned around and headed to toward the hotel. At the moment the large flag came into view on the left side of the car, something caught my attention on the right side - the lights of the fire station. The huge glass doors, the gleaming fire engines, it all fell into place. Immediately, my mind connected the dots and I was transported back to the day of 9/11 and the First Responders answering the call, even knowing the outlook was grim. Firefighters running into the smoke and ash and dirt that everyone else was running away from. The Project is saved!
I saw a couple of firefighters in the bay of the station, so we pulled in and parked. I introduced myself and explained my project, and asked if I could return the next morning to make a photo at 5:46 AM. They both immediately seemed to know the significance of the time. Without hesitation they granted permission, but then qualified it with conditions- nothing difficult- just that I needed to understand that the smaller truck was most likely to be called out, with the truck in the far bay being the next most likely. They felt it would be best to photograph aligned with the center bay, but to be ready to get out of the way quickly if there was a call. I agreed and went out to the driveway to preview the scene. When I walked in front of the middle bay, the photograph all came together. The light range was extreme, but thanks to the John Sexton workshop I attended the past spring, I was able to manage that issue. There were minimal camera movements required. I felt incredibly fortunate. I went back to the hotel that night feeling like the trip was worth it after all.
When I arrived at the fire station the next morning, everything was quiet and still. The morning was crisp and clear. A great morning for photography. I set up the camera and had about 20 minutes to wait for 5:46 AM. It gave me time to think about the previous eleven September 11 mornings, and the variety of locations I had photographed. And about how the project has a mind of its own, and if I try to force it, it does not work. The fire station was very different from the other scenes I had found, but the feeling I had was the same. My soul knew how important this was. How meaningful this was. How easy it is to screw up an exposure using a large format camera. The tension builds as I check and double check and triple check the camera, the meter readings, the film.
Just before the magic moment arrives, I noticed that the light level on the building has increased and I hurried to meter the scene one more time. I quickly make the final adjustments, and release the shutter - photograph number 12 of this project is created. Katie and I had been traveling nearly two weeks at this point, and up until this photograph, it seemed to me that the trip was a photographic bust. Instead, it ended up being one of the best trips we have ever taken. As I packed up to leave, I could not help but know that from the first year, things have fallen into place to make these photographs special, at least to me. I hope they are special to you as well. But most importantly, I hope you never forget why I create them. It is truly a labor of love.
No matter what, I will continue to photograph on September 11, as long as I am able.
Friday, September 11, 2014 6:46am Mountain Time
Grain Elevator
Chappell, Nebraska
8x10 Ilford HP5+ Film
Kodak Master View Camera
250 mm lens
When I began thinking and planning for this year’s photo, I knew I would be
close to home for September 11, rather than be traveling. I thought about
returning to Snowy Range, because I always enjoy having time there. I also
considered trying to find a scene in Northern Colorado, possibly a grasslands
image. Eventually I remembered I had seen this particular grain
elevator some time ago, and the huge flag really caught my attention.
I decided to scout the scene, to be sure the flag was still there, and to find a
possible camera position. I hopped on the motorcycle and made the
nearly 300 mile (round trip) on September 9. I was happy to find
the Flag still there and looking great.
When I was in my teens, working on my Grandfather’s farm, I used to haul wheat
to this elevator, so in a way, this was a homecoming for me. It
was a beautiful morning. Calm winds and only a few clouds. The
clouds helped even the light on the elevator.
I set up the camera and waited for 6:46, and I thought about all the families
that have another anniversary to remember those who perished. Not
only in the attacks, but also in the wars that followed. While all
of us share the loss, some feel it much more than others. The post
9/11 patriotism has not returned, maybe it never will. It is so
sad.
I will continue to photograph on September 11, as long as I am able.
Sunday, September 11, 2016 6:46 am Mountain Time
Fallen Tree Rubble Pile
Happy Jack Road
Albany County Wyoming
8x10 Ilford FP4+ Film
Kodak Master View Camera
250mm lens
3 Second Exposure at f/32
The moment I saw the pile I thought of the rubble pile after the towers collaps
Very
The rubble pile is evidence this mighty tree did not give up easily. The
pile
Monday, September 11, 2017 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Two Rocks and Tree
Vedauwoo, Albany County Wyoming
Linhof Master 2000 Camera
210 mm lens
6 Second Exposure at f/22
I have been around Vedauwoo my entire life. I can remember picnics
here with my family when I was very young. Earlier this year when
I was testing a camera I had built, I came across this rock formation next to
the road. All of these years, I had never seen the formation as
two rock towers, but once I saw it, and recognized the similarity to the Twin
Towers, I knew this would be the 2017 photograph.
As I set up the camera, I thought about the year since the last 9/11. The
deep divisions in our country, and the sadness most of my friends share about
the direction of the new government. It is amazing that the
country was better immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks than it is now.
As I worked out the fine points of the image in the darkroom, I could not help
but be hopeful for the future. Our country will survive the
current situation just as we survived the terrorist attacks. We
will see a great country again. We have seen the best of Americans
helping each other following hurricanes Harvey and Irma. We have seen the
firefighters throughout the west doing incredible things to preserve what they
can. It is America, and we survive.
And most of all, let's Never Forget. Lets get back to proudly
flying our flags on 9/11. Remember the tragedy of that awful day.
Lets return to being strong and being the best we can be.
I will
Never Forget why I do this........
Tuesday, September 11, 2018 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Divided Trees
Vedauwoo, Albany County Wyoming
4x5 Ilford HP5 Film
Linhof Master 2000 Camera
150 mm lens
1/2 Second Exposure at f/16
When I headed out it was a cool morning, with very little wind. No
frost, but it felt like the winter was coming soon. I hoped my new
8x10 camera would arrive in time for the Never Forget photo this year, but
unfortunately, it was still clearing customs on 9/11.
During the year since last 9/11, the country has become more divided and more
negative. Unfortunately, America has lost her way. Who
knows when it may get better, but almost everyone I know believes that not all
is lost. Not yet. I am truly thankful that our
government is built on checks and balances. I hope our democracy
can withstand this test.
When I saw this scene with the divided trees, I felt that it was the visual depiction of where the country was at this time. Still upright. still standing, but standing apart.
I can not help but think about Where the country was when this project began. We
had been attacked and the country came together as one, and stood strong against
our enemies. Flags were proudly flown. We were
patriotic. We cared about our fellow Americans.
I
miss that feeling. The 9/11 attacks were horrific, but afterward
the country was amazing. I will Never Forget that feeling, and I
will Never Forget that my country may be hurting, but we are not done yet.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Trees and Rocks
Box Canyon, Vedauwoo, Albany County Wyoming
Bomm V810 Camera
250 mm lens
1/2 Second Exposure at f/22
It was a cool calm morning, somewhat unusual for Wyoming in September. It is a beautiful day to have the Bomm camera out and working. I was hoping to have this camera for last year’s Never Forget photo, but as luck would have it, the camera cleared customs and arrived at my house the day after 9/11 last year.
I had scouted this area a couple of days before today, and found a scene I thought would be perfect for today’s photo, but this morning when I arrived, I saw these two trees and plans immediately changed. The starkness of the trees and rocks truly fit how I was feeling this year.
After 9/11, I was sure that this day would become a national holiday of remembering, but that never happened. Even right after, when the attack was fresh in everyone’s minds, there was never an effort to create a holiday. No wonder so many have seemed to forget.
In 2001, many nations came together to fight terrorism. 18 years later many countries are tearing themselves apart and turning their backs on long-time allies. As healing as the unity was in 2001, the divisions in 2019 are as strong and deeply disturbing. It is as if civilization has forgotten how to compromise. There seems to be no middle ground on any issue. People cannot find respect for others.
In spite of the negativity, I still feel strongly about all of the victims and the families effected by the attack and continue to vow to Never Forget.
Friday, September 11, 2020 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Two Leaning Trees
Oliver Reservoir, Kimball, Nebraska
Bomm V810 Camera
250 mm lens
1 Minute Exposure at f/22
It was a chilly morning, not what I was expecting in western Nebraska. No wind, no one else around. Once the camera was set up and ready, I had a few minutes to reflect on the project and on the peacefulness of the morning. In fact most of the mornings I experienced during this project were this way. Only a couple were windy, or snowy. Usually it is calm, and peaceful, and rejuvenating. Each year as i think about all that has gone on during the year, it is easy to be depressed. Our country has lost it's way. The leaders of the country have turned their back on the principals the country was founded on. Civil discussion is long gone.
On the other hand, it is still an incredible country with so many fantastic citizens. As the government strip needy citizens of services, individual step up and fill the gap. The Covid pandemic has widened the abyss between the haves and have nots, and the government is encouraging that as much as possible. It looks like things will get very difficult in our country, with the unavailability of toilet paper being the least of our problems, no matter how important it seems at certain times of the day.
There is hope that one day soon, there will be a vaccine, and we will be able to fight the pandemic. Once we are vaccinated things will return to normal.
Even though there are many challenges ahead, I still forge ahead with this project and I solemnly vow to Never Forget.
Saturday, September 11, 2021 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Jumbled Trees
Mirror Lake, Snowy Range, Wyoming
Bomm V810 Camera
250 mm lens
1 Minute Exposure at f/32
It was an exceptionally warm day in the Wyoming mountains. The end of a long hot summer. There were many specials on TV about this being the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Most of them ended with reporters lamenting the loss of the closeness we felt as a nation following 9/11. There were long stories written about the unity we had, and how we need to find that common interest again.
It is a sharp contrast to the citizens of the US that attempted to overthrow the government on January 6, 2021. Or the citizens trying to strip voting rights from as many other citizens as possible. A third of the population is refusing to be vaccinated to fight the Covid 19 pandemic that it is killing thousands of citizens every day. In many ways the country seems to be headed back to the 1800's. It doesn't seem likely that we will find the civic pride we had right after 9/11.
In addition to the civil unrest, there is climate change. Most of the western US spent the summer fighting wild fires, or suffering through the smoke from the fires. The eastern and southern portions of the country dealt with violent storms and severe flooding. Many years I have shivered as I made the Never Forget image, but this year I didn't even need a jacket.
I have had a few folks ask why I continue this project. To me, it is the most important photography project I have ever undertaken. On September 12, 2001, we all said we would Never Forget. I think we all meant it, some more than others. Some of us even thought that September 11 would become a national holiday. I can't forget all of those that lost their lives that day. Nor can I forget all of the families impacted that horrible day. I also won't forget the day our country was attacked, on our soil.
I hope that in some small way, this collection of photographs reminds you of why we all should Never Forget. It is important for the victims, for their families, and most of all, for our country!
Sunday, September
11, 2022 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Grain Elevator In Fog
Albin Wyoming
8x10 TMax 100 Film
Bomm V810 Camera
250 mm lens
3 Second Exposure at f/32
This morning is cold. Most of the summer has been far hotter than usual,
so it is nice to have a break from the near 100F temperatures, but the
40F felt surprisingly cold. As I drove east from Cheyenne,
there were patches of fog, and I was hoping there wouldn’t be fog around
this grain elevator. I had been to the elevator a couple of days before
to make sure it would be okay to photograph and the weather had been
clear.
Because of the rules I made for myself when I started this project, I
knew I had to make the best of what I had in front of me. The fog wasn’t
lifting, and the sun was coming up, lighting the top of the tallest
structure. At 6:46 when I released the shutter, I felt I had a negative
I could make an acceptable print from, but I wasn’t sure if there would
be clear definition between the structure and the sky.
There is still a lot of division in the country. Ukraine is at war with
Russia, and there is every possibility that conflict could involve a lot
more countries before it is resolved, including the US. The Queen of
England died a couple of days ago, and the news is mostly about her and
the new King. The tragedy of 9/11 was barely mentioned on the news this
year. It seems the attack is doomed to only be remembered on milestone
anniversaries. There are very few flags flying. Patriots are distracted
with other issues.
I still feel strongly about this project and about all of the victims and the families affected by the attack and I still vow to Never Forget.
Monday, September 11, 2023, 6:46 AM Mountain Time
Guernsey Dam Head Gate
Guernsey State Park, Wyoming
Linhof Master Technika 2000 Camera
Kodak TMax 100 Film
150 mm lens
6 Second Exposure at f/32
This morning is cool and clear. It was cloudy when I left Cheyenne at
5am, and the road was wet for most of the drive here. The closer I was
to Guernsey, the happier I was that it clear. The forecast earlier in
the week called for rain, and last night there were flash flood and
severe weather warnings for this area.
I stopped at the entrance gate and purchased the day pass, and made my
way to the parking area below the dam. I was the only person around. I
slipped on the backpack and picked up the tripod and headed for the
steep trail up to the spot I had scouted along the spillway just below
the dam. I liked the way the lines of the fence and the spillway led to
the two uprights of the dam head gate. To me, those uprights felt
similar to the Twin Towers – strong, bulky, and most of all,
indestructible. Of course, we all know that anything man-made (other
than plastic pollution) is not indestructible.
Once at the chosen photo position, I set up the camera and waited for
6:46 am. As usual, I felt the disappointment that most
Americans don’t care much about 9/11, or the lives lost and forever
changed that day. Very few take time to reflect on the significance of
the attacks and the aftermath. The anniversary is barely mentioned on TV
or on the radio anymore. Maybe it will be remembered on the 25th anniversary,
or the 50th.
I can’t forget the days after the attack, and how the country came
together as one. We were all ready, willing and able to defend our
nation. The American flag was flying at homes and businesses across the
nation. Differences were put aside and we were one nation, indivisible.
I don’t know that the patriotism we saw then will ever come back. The
country is in big trouble, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone with the
will or the ability to get us back on track.
At 6:46 I released the shutter, and another
image was added to the project. I still feel that this
project matters and my heart still aches for all of the victims and the
families affected by the attack.
I vow to Never Forget.
 |