28.12.11

Hunter Creek

At the suggestion of one of my roommates, I caught a bus driven by a sombre Mexican to a valley in Aspen town. Not really knowing where I was going, I followed a river upstream for around two or three hours, and after nearly losing heart and turning back, I found a path leading to a piercing mountainscape. As it turned out, there was a trail back that only took twenty minutes, but the long way is always the good way, have no doubt.

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek

Hunter Creek


19.12.11

Walk

I walk everywhere these days.

Huh?

Bird

Statue

River

Roots

Wood

Bridge

Leaves

Art Leaves

Mesh

House

Gold

Cut

Bolt

View

Sun

Shakes

Moss

Cold Bridge

Knot

Cold River

Stick

Laid Back

Twin Peaks

10.12.11

Aspen, CO

Fourfiftyone is going to look a little different for a while. I've moved from my Durban suburb to the highlands of Aspen, Colorado for a few months, and I'm looking forward to shooting images that transcend the skim/skate/music themes I've been focusing on.  I've also been asked, repeatedly, for updates on how everything is here, so this first post will be a double threat, covering some details of my travels thus far.

The cheapest possible ticket I could find to the states bought me a forty-odd hour trip, on three planes, with stop-overs in Dubai and New York. International travel is strange; everyone seems to have a mutual yet unspoken agreement to shut the windows at ten thousand feet, so no matter how many hours you're in the air, the sensation is more like hovering inside a beach ball than traversing any lateral distance. Landing in Denver, I caught a five hour shuttle to the Ritz Carlton where I'm working for these months, and finally made it into bed at 3:30AM, two days after I originally left.

JFK INTL

JFK INTL

JFK INTL

JFK INTL

JFK INTL

JFK INTL

I'm living in what could be a swingers' house from the '70s, complete with burlap wallpaper with a pattern resembling something between a topographical map and a water stain. There are four Americans here, and two other South Africans. Aspen is a beautiful place. It's cold as cuss what with all the snow, but before long  I rectified bringing only fingerless gloves, and it doesn't take long to get used to the chill.

Like most popular fiction I'm prone to bouts of sentimentality, which made it surprising that I only felt certain marked differences between home and here, rather than an overwhelming sense of new or other. That said, there are some icons to take note of. The main ones in bullet point are Americans are loud; buy or die; every plane leaves a visible jet-stream; it's easy to talk to strangers; free public transport is a requisite for end-of-history status; the grass might not be greener but the sky is definitely bluer; snowboarding is socially acceptable, and thus can never be as cool as skateboarding; and maybe the most affecting surprise, everyone's the same.

Aspen Highlands

Aspen Highlands

Aspen Highlands

Aspen Highlands

Aspen Highlands

I may need to learn Spanish.

Aspen Highlands

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

The trees here are fine. I'm told there are Douglas Firs around.

Aspen

Aspen

Aesthetics is a definite focus in the construction here.

Aspen

Aspen

144edit

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Terrifying.

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Seconds after taking this shot I saw a bird like this dead on the floor. I felt like I stole its soul.

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

A cool looking design studio.

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

Aspen

I don't plan on indulgently travel-blogging about the wide world. Pictures say it better anyway.