Senegal Work up on AED website

Check it out!

http://www.aed.org/annualreport/2009/Projects/paemsenegal.html

My favorite love story. Buddy Grass and Peggy

I was on a mission to find and photograph the best gumbo in all of Southern Alabama.

With the help of local guides, a handful of friendly natives that sketched directions on a restaurant napkin, I found myself driving down a hot and hazy Route 163 towards Dauphin Island.

My destination was a little fishery called, ‘Buddy Grass Seafood’, a tiny green building tucked behind a house and accessible by a little dirt road. On a previous exploration of the area, I had tried to stop at this eccentric shop but it was closed, so I decided to give it another go-around. This time I was lucky.

Well, kind of lucky…no gumbo. I could only purchase fresh crawfish and seafood and I had no stove or cooler, so I just asked to take photos and questioned the pleasant workers about the owner Buddy Grass.

The story I heard was an unexpected love story of two old friends reunited after 60 years and are deeply in love with each other. Buddy Grass and Peggy were old family friends that would go boating together. Peggy admits, ‘that she always had a crush on Buddy’, at the time he was a handsome 20 year old preparing to leave for World War II.

And so he did leave for the war and their lives separated for almost 60 years. Both married other partners, had kids and lived their lives with honesty and love. A few years back, both Buddy and Peggy lost their partners and were again left alone, but did not contact each other.

As it happened, Peggy was selling an old black truck that she no longer needed. Buddy Grass and one of his employees who was in need of a new car caught wind of the sell and decided to trek out to southern Mississippi to take a look. And there, Peggy and Buddy Grass reunited and fell instantly in love and have stayed together ever since. Now they split there time between her house in southern Mississippi and Buddy Grass’s sweet home on route 163.

Watching them together is incredible. Two happy people nearing 80 and totally in love. It makes you realize that you never know what possibilities are around the bend… even at 80!

i HEART summer campaign

Air Canada: Enroute Magazine

Here's a photo I took for Air Canada's Enroute Magazine. My nephew was my model and we had a fun time exploring the Bigfoot Research Institute. If you're looking for a fun project with the kids while in Boston than check out this place...it's a kids wonderland!

www.826boston.org

Immediate Release: Jessica Scranton's Sudan

It's official!!! Jessica Scranton's 'Sudan' is part of Northeastern University's permanent collection. It can be viewed at its new location the International Village near Ruggles Street. In addition to my work, there are other art projects inside the building, including a motorcycle sculpture suspended from the ceiling and a media wall.

It sounds pretty cool and is totally worth a look through!!!

So, Yah!!!!

If you would like to see the whole series online and learn more about My Sister's Keeper, please view my website, www.jessicascranton.com

Senegal!!!!

I traveled to Senegal on assignment for AED (Academy of Educational Development) to photograph the new secular schools they have constructed in the region of Fatick. It was a quick trip with five schools to photograph in only four days, some only assessable via bumpy makeshift roads.

Fatick is a desert region with limited resources and insufficient infrastructure, such as schools, wells, electricity, etc… AED is trying to fill those needed gaps.

The images below are of an AED student, Fatima, who attends one of their new schools 3kms from her house. She is one of their best and brightest! The only other school in this area is 8km from Fatima’s family and she would have to pay money to board in the town. Her mother recently passed away and her father is a poor farmer, so boarding was not an option, Fatima would have to stop her studies. Luckily, AED’s new school is a perfect distance from her house and she is still able to continue her education. I wish her luck!

The images depict Fatima in school and back at her village home with her aunts and cousins doing daily chores and homework. Enjoy!!!

UAB Medical 'Stronger Medicine' Campaign

Well, I had an amazing time photographing real doctors, nurses and patients for UAB's Strong Medicine Campaign. Take a look at the results...it looks awesome!!!

The images appear on billboards, in magazines and the sides of buses all over Birmingham.

And thanks to all who participated in this shoot...you made this a very special assignment!!!

PDN's World in Focus Winner 2009

Not one...but two images are winners in the PDN's World in Focus contest!!!!! Yah!!!!
The winning images from the magazine are below.
Categories: Portraits and Outdoor Scenes.