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The Story Teller

My projects goal is to help people connect with those around them, and to enrich our lives with stories from our elderly. .

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The Story Teller

The Story Teller

The Story Teller

The Story Teller

The Story Teller

My projects goal is to help people connect with those around them, and to enrich our lives with stories from our elderly. .

My projects goal is to help people connect with those around them, and to enrich our lives with stories from our elderly. .

My projects goal is to help people connect with those around them, and to enrich our lives with stories from our elderly. .

My projects goal is to help people connect with those around them, and to enrich our lives with stories from our elderly. .

Joshua Arlington
Joshua Arlington
Joshua Arlington
Joshua Arlington
1 Campaign |
Erie, United States
$135 USD 3 backers
2% of $6,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

Starting February of 2012, I began a photo project in Erie, Pennsylvania. I would walk around the city and take portraits of the people I happened to come across. At first this was simply a means to further practice portraiture, but after these past few months, it has grown to something much more than portfolio filler.  I was meeting new people almost every day. Sometimes they stood for the few seconds I needed to take the photo, but more often than not we ended up having a conversation about, well anything! From small talk to hour long stories of their childhood, these quickly became the best part of my project.  I met a woman who overcame a life of alcoholism to become a very successful artist; a man who ran for mayor, only to lose by less than 200 votes. When I went back to edit these photos, each face recalled these incredible stories and the photograph become so much more to me emotionally. I needed to share this with others. I began taking these conversations and quotes and posting them with the individuals portrait on my blog. The response was amazing. My followers loved it.

But it also shocked me. I have lived around all of these people for over a decade and I never bothered to listen.  A question arose out of all of this.  How many people have never had the opportunity to share their story? How many people will never have the opportunity?  Age becomes the biggest factor. I want to take this project to our aging population, before we lose these incredible tales that no one else is taking the time to listen to.

My goals are to continue my process. Take a portrait, add their story, and share in the form of a book, and later a website with recorded audio or possibly video. Spark interest in others to do the same.  These plans are ambitious, and I admit they are too large for me to take on at the moment. In order to make this a reality, I am going to devote myself to this full time. 

 

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Choose your Perk

Thanks

$5 USD
Your name in the thank you section of the book/website.
0 claimed

thank you and update

$10 USD
Thank you section and a monthy email update on project.
1 claimed

Individual photo and story

$25 USD
thank you, update, and an emailed portrait with an excerpt of their story.
0 claimed

Book

$50 USD
Copy of finished book (if goal is reached) and previous perks.
1 claimed

Book+

$75 USD
Previous perks and guaranteed copy of the book.
1 claimed

You are amazing.

$100 USD
Previous, and a personal message from me.
0 claimed

Holy Cannoli

$250 USD
2 copies of the book. If local, I will shake your hand vigorously. I will share a story of yours (if you so choose) on the website, and I will probably confess my love for you.
0 claimed

...

$500 USD
2 copies of the book, I will call you, possibly crying. If in budget I will come to meet you personally, take your portrait, a story, and you will be added to the website, and next book if this is successful. Also I will send you several of my personal prints. And attempt to sing a song for you. Dance a little. Something like that.
0 claimed
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