a portrait for dirtbag portraits

Let’s set the scene. I’m currently sitting in a little coffee shop in the small city that’s the biggest city in Alabama, Birmingham, listening to Come on Eileen, and trying to write an opening blog post for Dirtbag Portraits. If I’m honest, this is my sixth start to a draft for this blog post.

Almost a year after beginning this project intending to tell small snippets of climbing stories, I still am finding myself asking friends and new acquaintances for portraits after a day out climbing. When I started the series featuring climbers, I never expected someone else to be as excited about this as me, and now I find myself running into people who have been encouraged by seeing faces they recognize, celebrate stranger’s successes, and want to tell others’ stories too!

Stories are told in so many different fashions today. We have Instagram for the photo and word combination, Facebook to tell your own story for as long as you can with innumerable facets of doing so, Twitter for your 140 character snapshots, blogs for the writers, podcasts for the speakers, and the rest of the internet spreading information on a global scale. There are so many people, average every-dayers, trying to tell their own story and to be heard. In the process of trying to tell my own story in parts of social medias and life, I had an idea.

In trying to tell my story, I was looking for a way to be heard. What if instead of spraying my life to the world, I spent time trying to brag about others. Sharing their kindness. Spinning lore of a legendary send. Writing about someone’s graciousness and hospitality. 

Sometimes I don’t get to meet someone long enough to tell a story worthy of their character, but often I’ll read comments from others applauding people on their enthusiasm, passion, and their general personality, things I may not have captured or hit on, from connections I had no idea that they had.

So, the goal of dirtbag portraits is to tell the story of the climbers I meet. It began with me sitting with a notebook and a list of questions like a journalist, and has evolved to remembering moments of days with people that left impressions. Whether the story is about a weekend warrior, a pro climber establishing routes and problems, or a first-time gumby at the crag, my hope is to share moments in a way that ensures you know your story is just as worth telling as the next.

Since this is the first time to post, forgive me for telling a little about myself, in case this is your first time following my posts or writing.

I’ve been climbing for several years and taking photographs since my parents stuck the clunky blue Fischer-Price camera in my hands as a child. I’m married to a wonderful and gracious woman, Katelyn. I have a little cat, Fitz, and she is whiney and obnoxious and adorable.

My current home is Birmingham, though as a family, Katelyn and I will be making a move to Scotland this fall so that she can pursue a graduate degree at the University of Edinburgh. Before the big move, we’ll be spending some time in Colorado this summer to enjoy the beauty of the Rockies and get in a lot of climbing time. 

I’m nearly always up for making new friends. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thanks for following along.

Tim