Soldiers in the trenches

I just got back from a month long shoot in Peoria Illinois. During that time, I shot over 150,000 images of roller skaters during the USA Roller Sports National Championships. It was a long haul, with sleep in short supply but great people abound. Peoria is a fantastic town, and I would recommend it to anyone.

After shooting so many photos of roller skaters, I had to take something to keep my mind clear, a visual clearing if you would. So, I decided to start taking portraits of all the people who worked the vendor booths and other places around town. I came up with the title of "Soldiers in the trenches" because it seemed to fit. Long hours, entrenched in a booth usually no more than ten feet wide. All of the people I met had great stories to tell, and all shared an amazing passion for a sport that few people know even exists.