Crowdfund North East LEP has provided £4,000 of match funding
Support 'Take It Easy' Photo Book
Durham, England, United Kingdom
Aim
Please support my photo book ‘Take It Easy.’
‘Take It Easy' is a concept I've been developing since 2015, when I had the opportunity to travel cross-country with my cousin, from Los Angeles to New York, by car. It was a trip which quite literally changed my life.
From a very young age, I’ve always been fascinated with America. It's vastness, it's beauty, it's extremes and most of all it's people. Each time I visit, each mile I travel, is defined by all of these things. However, above all, it is through the people of America that I’ve gained the most.
I've seen them, eaten with them, photographed them, and listened to their stories. It's through this project that I'm attempting to compile their stories, and use their collective wisdom to help others, in the same way it has helped me.
Our mental health is just as important as our physical health and, although it is something society has become increasingly aware of in recent years, there is still a stigma attached to an open discussion about our feelings and this hurt we often carry around with us.
I have always found strength in the words of others, and I believe that a compilation of some of these words, along with portraits of the people and the places they come from, will help others find strength in the dark times and gain some perspective in the light.
I decided on ‘Take It Easy’ as a title partly because it's one of my favorite songs by The Eagles but also because I feel like "take it easy" is a good mantra for life. To not let things in life get to you and bring you down, to ride the wave, and to realize that the sun will rise tomorrow, no matter how bad things are right now. You will get through it and come out a stronger person.
A lot of the people I met across America had gone through hard times, or were going through them, and they never gave up. I have experienced heartbreak myself, and I feel that to travel and open our eyes and soul to new experiences can really help to heal those wounds. I think that's something we can all relate to.
I hope this book will inspire people to keep going and move forward, and to try to find a silver lining in the darkness. I see 'Take It Easy' as a coffee table book, so hopefully it will fall into the right persons hands some day.
Like a good song or film, i'd like this to be the photo book equivalent.
The target of £8000 will firstly help me as a business survive the last few months. As a wedding videographer and photographer, I’ve been unable to work. The money raised will help me to get my ‘Take It Easy’ book designed and printed and put towards self publishing.
The North East Local Enterprise Partnership has kindly agreed to match 50% of the pledges on this page. So if we’re successful at reaching 25% of the target, they will bump it up to 50%. Then if we hit 75%, the North East LEP will bump it up to 100%.
It’s a great opportunity not just for my business but for me as a person as well. If this Crowdfunder is successful, it could open many doors as I’d love to publish more books about my travels around the world.
Thanks for taking the time to read my page and I hope I have your support.
Stay safe and take it easy
James
This project successfully funded on 20th August 2020