s2z Photography Blog

Walking is a side interest of mine. There are parts of my suburb, Sunshine, that I walk often. As for the remainder of Melbourne, I usually drive or catch a train to any other destinations. Driving allows me some flexibility in terms of equipment. I can carry everything. Walking requires a choice. Usually Digital or Analogue. Mostly Digital if I was honest.

Through Andy Adams I discovered Craig Mod. Craig is an expatriate of the USA living in Japan. He walks A LOT. He is a writer, photographer, and walker. I first heard of him and his unusual publishing experiment in May last year. The premise is simple and something I have long wondered about. He  texted an image once a day over six weeks as he walks 1000 kilometres in Japan. He also recorded a sound bite at the same time each morning. The pictures were sent via SMS each morning Japan time. You could if chose respond. However, Craig would not see or know of your response until the end of the journey. Here are his 3 parameters for the whole affair.

1. I’m curious about using the network to publish without being used by it.
2. I’m curious about fleeting, non-permanent online gatherings.
3. I’m curious about drawing “edges” around walks.

A few days ago, Craig published an essay on a walk he conducted the full length of the Ise-ji path starting at Ise Grand Shrine up north, ending some eight days later at Hayatama Shrine in Shingu down south. It’s a long read but Craig is an excellent writer.

Given Australia’s colonisation there are very few tracks of this nature here by Westerners.. The first people’s of this county have many I’m sure. There are some that I am aware of, Tasmania for example has several. Most National and State parks have some short walks too. An interesting side note would be that all of the new infrastructure projects here in Melbourne at least, often include a bike path.