Passport

And I've realized that not having total control of the situation is a good thing for me. I feed off that little bit of uncertainty, and I like trusting my instincts and my choices. Location work is the proving ground where anticipation of the unknown, even after 30 years, is part of my motivation. The question always is: what's going to happen? I can't wait to find out.

If there's part of you that relishes that kind of challenge, you've got the advantage over me: you get the challenge of the unknown without the pressure of the business. My advice: embrace the unknown. Thirty years ago I was afraid of it, but all my successes--and even the failures--have taught me that being a little insecure, a little fearful, is a good thing.

Finally, what also works for me is the thought that even though I've been here before, there's a good chance I'm going to see something I never saw--and I'm going to figure out how to capture it. Or I'm going to see something familiar and think of a way to photograph it that'll make it different and better.

The photos here indicate one way in which I'm doing things a little differently. My most recent images from China are, I think, marked with a directness, a simplicity, even an elegance that goes beyond what I've done before. These are still, calm, and thoughtful images. I don't think I change my esthetic from country to country--first of all, it's not an easy thing to do!--but there are subtle changes that take place that reflect my surroundings.

I hope these pictures from China show you more than what I see; I hope they convey what I feel. There's a great advantage to returning to a place you have deep feelings for--it's where you'll find your best pictures.