The Latin term “gloria” roughly means boasting, although its English cognate, glory, has come to have an exclusively positive meaning; historically, vain roughly meant futile, but by the 14th century had come to have the strong narcissistic undertones of irrelevant accuracy that it retains today. As a result of these semantic changes, vainglory has become a rarely used word in itself, and is now commonly interpreted as referring to vanity (in its modern narcissistic sense).  --WIKIPEDIA

Indian rivers and lakes are occupied and desecrated through the construction of drywall houses hovering on their banks. Modern grave sites have phony flowers affixed to face plaques in perpetual mediocracy, honoring these residents who were promised permanent reverence and upkeep so that their families would never have to worry. The abandoned buildings in the old cities and towns no longer have dimes stores in their storefronts with a lunch counter set upon a soda fountain.

But reverence has its day in the images and lines we record. Vainglory seeks to capture the corporeal bodies who deny there’s been something lost. This second glance captures an innocence I hope will bring everyone back to a place with everything new.

Birds watch people more often than people watch birds. This collection portrays them in their wildness, occasionally aware and bewildered by the strangeness that is a camera pointing their way. All pictures were taken in the “wilderness” that with competing occupants and perspectives.

THESE PICTURES ARE FREE TO USE ANYWAY YOU SEE FIT.

(Just give vainglory.com a line in the credits)

Regards,

Vainglory