This project explores photography as storytelling. Telling this story of my small town:
I Believe in Three Stop Lights.
That's the number of stoplights in my hometown: three. A town located in the heart of North Carolina. A town where nothing really happens, but the gossip runs wild. A town where you can walk into the local diner and the waitress already knows your order. A town where parades are put on every Christmas. A town where a huge party is thrown in the middle of the street for the Fourth of July.
It's a small place, but it's a place where you don't have to lock your door or chain your bike up. You can go over to your neighbor's house and ask for milk or sugar, they'll give you what you need and more. It's a place where kids play outside all day long. A place where you are able sit next to your dentist, hairdresser, and mechanic on Sunday mornings. A town where school rivalries are taken very seriously, but everyone goes to the same
Cook-Out after the game.
Cook-Out after the game.
I was born in this town, learned how to walk and talk in this town. I learned how to drive going down the streets in this town. I got in trouble for staying out too late in this town. I made my best friends in this town and had my first heartbreak in this town. I graduated in this town. This town where nothing ever happens is where everything happened for me.
The people of this town kept me alive. When I was a sophomore in high school, I was diagnosed with DRESS syndrome, as a result from an allergic reaction to antibiotics given for an infection from ACL surgery. I was in the hospital for a week and the people of this three-stoplight-town kept me alive. They took care of my sisters, came to see me and my family, and made food for us. Because of these people I am alive today. They supported me, encouraged me, prayed for me, and took care of me.
These people raised me, watched me grow, and watched me leave this town. However, no matter how far I go, I will always make sure I know how to get back to this town. The town with only three stop lights.
There are towns like this all over America. Towns with a small number of stoplights. I believe these towns are the best places on earth. Towns where your neighbors are your best friends and you don't have to worry about if you locked your doors or not. Towns with the hardest working, most loving, kind, genuine people. People who love and support you no matter what. Where they'll bring you a casserole if you're sick, lost a loved one, had a baby, just got married or any number of reasons. ·where friends show up at your door just to see how you've been. Towns where they stick to traditions and celebrate new ideas. Where the young respect the old and the old support the young. The towns that stay out of the news, but everyone knows the latest gossip. Where you learn everything you need to know and make memories you'll never forget.
A town where nothing really happens but everything happens.
