Katie and Andria, Indian Springs by aspiring Hot Shot Andrea Wallace

Here is my underinsightful observation of the day: a website is a very useful thing to have, especially if one happens to be a photographer. In addition, a blog to keep us up-to-date and generate discussion is often twice as nice. As Hot Shot Matthew Nighswander said in his interview, "Organizing a website is a great way to get to know your own photography and if I could live off that, I would be fine with never being published or exhibited again." I won't go as far as him, but as someone who's had a nearly complete website for an embarrassing period of time, let me reiterate how important a website can be.

Aspiring Hot Shot Andrea Wallace has put together a body of work worthy of a peek. Her submission comes from a series of bathers taken at Indian Springs––a historic site turned tourist attraction in central Colorado. While I enjoyed seeing her submissions, seeing the full series on her website was quite delightful.

The springs, once considered sacred by Native Americans, has been "rebuilt" to include swimming pools, cave rooms and motel accommodations. The contemporary "hot springs experience" demystifies romantic notions of soaking nude in natural steaming pools along side a flowing river. People now wear bright colored bathing suites and plastic armbands, which denote admission to enter specific pools. The natural desert environment is now home to a botanical garden of tropical plants, a 130,000 gallon dome covered swimming pool and Native American music playing over loud speakers.

The subjects she photographs are consistently peculiar. Any one of them would fit rather well into my extended family, leaving me with a good dose of familial embarrassment to stack on top of that lingering over my lack of a site. So for all of us struggling to get it live, let Andrea be an encouragement.

I have a long leisurely week ahead to spend in front of my computer, so keep it coming and submit today!