John Bernadot plays the piano.

I purchased a plane ticket to Russia. Before you ask, no, this doesn’t meant that I don’t need donations anymore. The most expensive single piece is out of the way, but things like food and lodging and local transportation are still needing to be covered.

This trip to Russia, aside from just pleasantly experiencing the world, is really more about stories. I’ve never considered myself to be a particularly journalistic photographer. Not in the traditional sense, at least, in creating a series of images to illustrate a particular concept or message or story. I have, on some level, attempted to do the same with single images. Whether it was several years ago during which my shooting was much more impromptu and candid, to now, when it is more frequently studio lit (or naturally lit, and posed anyway), it still looks to present itself as a single, highly captivating image. And in many ways, I think I’ve succeeded with that. However, my mind lately has become drawn back into stories. But as something of a middle ground. The photos here are of a man named John Bernadot. And the thing that you have to understand about John is that, on the whole, he is probably the most interesting person on the entire planet. He photographed a president. He fell out of an airplane. (Or was thrown, or it was crashing. I’m not exactly sure on the specifics of that story. He just says, “It was ugly.”) He played music professionally since he was 14, and BB King gave him a guitar as a gift as thanks for playing with him. He bruised his brain, and the doctors took out 1/3rd of it to save him, taking away all his ability to read and write and remember names with it.

John Bernadot performing solo at the Acoustic Café, September 2009.

And here he is, right there in front of me. It’s almost unbelievable. And so it came into my head to start telling stores. Not just one picture, but many. The images you see here are just the first of many that I hope will follow about this man, but this realization hit me broadly. I want to go to Russia, a place I’m fascinated by, and have been for years, and bring that fascination back with me. The people, the architecture, and the culture, the art, and the history. (This may take several trips). And others. Many others. So, in going forward, be prepared to see more stories. Thanks for reading, thanks for your support.

Keep on keepin’ on.