Part art project. Part journey. Part community.
One-hundred percent passion, intuition & trust
What We Treasure is my photographic, visual exploration into what people treasure most in their lives. By traveling the world and taking photos of what people cherish most, I hope to create a collection of images and stories that are not only uplifting, but that also provide insight to what's most important in life.
I'm allowing intuition to guide my journey and relying on trust that I can create a community of people willing to help out and participate. I hope you can join me in this journey from beginning to end. Please tell me what you treasure...
What is What We Treasure About?
What We Treasure is an around-the-world photography adventure. I will travel the world, ask people to share what they treasure most in life and photograph it.
Why are you doing this project?
Recently losing my job has inspired me to look at what was truly important to life. I realized a lot of other people were asking this question too. I wondered if the answer to that question changes depending on our socio-economic, political or geographic environment.
As a San Francisco photographer, I try to capture the beauty of our everyday lives by presenting photos of ordinary, everyday objects in new and imaginative ways. I've called this series of photographs my "Tiny Treasures."
What We Treasure is an expansion of this project and an attempt to answer the question of what we treasure and why. I hope that my photographs will bring into focus the spirit of those things, small or large, that sustain and fufill us. Simultaneously, I hope there is insight to learn from seeing what is impotant to others, as well as questioning what is important to ourselves.
What types of people are you looking to have participate?
While I want to gain a variety of perspectives, I'm particularly interested in photographing people and events that are specific and unique to the region. The attempt is to capture the spirit of a place through what its people treasure. Such examples could include: a popular chef, a local artist, a group of performers, a non-profit, someone involved with a local fair, a popular gathering place, and so forth.
As they say, someone's trash may be someone else's treasure. To avoid projecting any of my own preferences, I choose not to define what other people view as "treasures". For reference, a treasure can be anything from a person, a group of people, a physical object, a physical location, a memento, a job, a local event or an essence, among other things. As long as it's legal, I'll photograph it!
Where are you traveling to?
Starting July 1, 2012 I will be visiting 17 countries, possibly more, to find people to participate in this project. I hope to include subjects from a wide variety of backgrounds, ages, incomes and lifestyles.
My initial travel list is (subject to change): Portland, OR; Brooklyn, NY; Iceland; London; Copenhagen; Amsterdam; Berlin; Budapest; Portugal; France; Romania; Tanzania; Zanzibar; Vietnam; Malaysia; Tokyo; Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands; and Cuba.
I plan to travel for 4-6 months. Please follow my blog for updated locations and dates or to make your suggestions/travel recommendations.
How will you get people to participate? How can I participate?
1. Join the journey.
Follow the blog. If you like it, please share it with your friends. Comment on my posts - provide your ideas, suggestions, feedback, tips. As I start preparing for my trip and researching the regions I'll be traveling to, I will provide more details regarding what type of people I hope to have participate. Please follow the blog to look out for opportunities.
2. Recommend possible participants.
I hope to meet most of my interview subjects through referrals from my friends, community and networks and am looking for people whose perspectives are specific and unique to the region. Simultaneously I am researching organizations, non-profits, community events and celebrations in the places I'm visiting to help provide context and interesting subjects. If all else fails, you can find me sitting in a cafe trying to chat up potential participants.
Participants will get the images from my photo shoot, be included in my blog, and if I can swing it, a home made meal courtesy of yours truly.
3. Enjoy and share with me what you treasure.
What is the final product of your project?
I want to allow the project to develop and grow organically. Bringing together people and telling their stories through images is a product within itself. With that said, I'd love if it could develop into a larger community, book or an art show. I'm open to all possibilities.
How is this any different from other "traveling around the world" blogs?
My focus is on people and their stories first; the destination is secondary to the storytelling. I'm not going to try to sell you frequent flyer miles, give you insider travel tips or tell you how wonderful my margarita on the white sandy beach is. (Okay, at some point I may tell you how wonderful a margarita on the white sandy beach is...) With that being said, I've tried to select a variety of locations in order to gain a variety of perspectives.
Where I can learn more about you and your photography?
Please visit my photography at www.carriebreinholtphotography.com.
What if I have other questions or suggestions?
Please complete a contact form. I'd love to hear from you!