| In 1992, while working as a reporter in Southern California, I read Twain's Following the Equator. With a red, felt-tipped marker I followed his route on my globe and dreamed about the lands he had visited.
For me this was a fascinating opportunity to combine my skills as a writer and photographer. In all I followed Clemens through 11 countries in 10 months and paid for it with 9 credit cards. I also obtained a film grant from ShopKo, without which I could not have done this project. Following the Equator begins with Twain sailing to Hawaii from Victoria, B.C. aboard the S.S. Warrimoo. Like Twain I too started from Victoria, unlike Twain I flew to Hawaii. |
In the summer of 1995, after experiencing a major newspaper close down, as an intern at New York Newsday, I decided to look beyond newspaper photography. That summer I decided to retrace his trip.