Unphotographable is a catalog of exceptional mistakes. Photos never taken that weren’t meant to be forgotten. Opportunities missed. Simple failures. Occasions when I wished I’d taken the picture, or not forgotten the camera, or had been brave enough to click the shutter.

And more…

In October 2004, I traveled to Ethiopia for a two-week trip. I’d been advised against bringing my camera, but as an amateur street photographer, leaving it behind didn’t seem like an option. In predominantly Muslim communities (such as Harar, Ethiopia) photography is shunned, particularly photographing women. Consequently, at many times during my trip, there was so much to see, and no way to capture it, except through words. Hence this site – a place for all the moments I was unable to photograph.

Exceptional idea. I’ve often taken photos only with my mind for lack of camera, for lack of bravery or just regular bad timing or conditions. For example, this is a picture I did not take of water that divided two canyon walls. The deep blue ripples extended beyond the horizon, and the canyon walls layered red, yellow and orange paralleled the water until they met in “V” on the horizon.

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