When I first thought about the idea of documenting all of America in our times, it seemed like an enormous feat. The first state, Alabama in the deep south, was the hardest because I started fundraising to be able to afford the expedition during a massive recession. I had a friend help me look for people who might be interested in supporting the venture. It took a year to find a sponsor, a man in Connecticut who happened to love Alabama, but once that happened, it got easier. Still, I had to multi-task like crazy, working in each state for many months while searching for funds to advance to the next field of study. I learned to offer potential funders beautiful coffee table books about their state to use as gifts for friends and clients to sweeten the deal.
I did other things that made the undertaking more than just an income source. I donated my images – yes, donated – to the largest library in the world. My dad had been an entrepreneur, selling everything from airport lockers to buses to make a living. He left me that never-say-die, no-stone-unturned spirit.