Angling an Obsession: Part IV

For this week I decided to go in a slightly different direction. Instead of focusing on making photographs that capture what my obsession with fishing this weekend, I decided to spend my weekend hunting down every single fishing photograph that I could find. In these pictures, not only can you see the size of the fish that the person caught, but also the look on their faces usually aptly describes what it feels like to "land a lunker". I haven't been able to get in to start scanning the photographs/negatives yet, but I will bring them to class to show and ask you about the direction I want to go with these photographs.

The way that I perceive this portion of the project going, I would scan them all into the computer to make a collage of "overwhelming proportions". Since I found what I would say is over a thousand images (excluding any doubles of course), I believe that I will be able to achieve a print that is of overwhelming proportions. Looking forward to hearing everyone's take on this idea in class on Wednesday.

Angling an Obsession: Image Posting Part III

Sorry that there are only 2 images this week, I was sick all weekend and wasn't able to photograph (or fish!!!) much. Hope you like them anyways.

Pitching Contest, 2008
I challenged my partner to a pitching contest... of course I won.

Literature, 2008

How much of my memory has been used to store fishing information I wonder?

Angling an Obsession: Image Posting Part II

Weis, Lake Winnepesaukee, 2008

The Fishing God's Shine, 2008
Sometimes it really feels like "The Fishing God's" are shining on us out there...

Electronics, 2008
GPS on one side, sonar on the other... this is a serious tool for a serious fisherman!

Morning Mist, 2008
The only thing that could possibly make waking up at 4:30AM somewhat bearable are sites like this...

5 Rods, 2008
Five Rods is the maximum that I can easily carry in my small boat, but if I had my choice I would bring 10, nothing beats having options.

Game Face, 2008
It is important to have a fishing partner that you trust, everything seems much easier with an extra mind working on it.

Angling an Obsession

Angling has become an obsession. What started out as a thoroughly enjoyable hobby for me as a child has sprung into a full blown fetish as an adult. Every chance I get I want to be out on the pond. Rain or shine, you will catch me praying the "The Fishing Gods". I am still a bit shaky on how I want to fully go about shooting for this project, but I thought a good place to start was to document the habits of a fisherman who is even more obsessed than I am. This angler is Peter, my older brother. Mostly everything I have learned over the years about bass fishing I either learned directly from him, or learned with him. He seems to always know the right bait to throw, or the right cove to fish, because he is actively angling his obsession every waking minute.

Peter, Lake Winnipesaukee, 2008

You have to be highly fixated with a "hobby" to sit for hours trolling the same 1/2 acre spot, staring only at a sonar representation of the bottom structure.


Enough Rods?, 2008

Keep in mind that these are only the rods that were left at home while he was at a fishing tournament (he had about 15 more rods with reels on the boat with him)

Tackle Room, 2008

Who else other than an obsessive angler would have a veritable fishing store in his basement? Keep in mind that this is the end of the fishing season, you should see this wall in February.

Silver Buddies, 2008

The company that makes "Silver Buddies" was going out of business, so what does the obsessive fisherman do? Well, duh, buy a lifetime's supply.

Fisherman's Bedroom, 2008
What kind of person hangs a portrait of a smallmouth bass above their bed?

Psycho, 2008
The fanatic behind the wheel of his steed. (Yes the boat sleeps in the garage, while the car and truck spend the night in the rain)

Preparations, 2008

Spending hours organizing and preparing your boat days before a tournament begins might be construed as a little eccentric to say the least.

The Happy Fisherman, 2008

This towel aptly describes the sense of humor between tournament fishermen... dirty.
Notice the "Mustache Rides 5¢" button on the top left holding the towel up.

Let me know what you think about this first installment, I could use the criticism.