Hankins Equine Farm - Platte City, MO

I met Bill Hankins two years ago while I was attending the Missouri Photo Workshop in Platte City, Missouri, so I paid him a visit during my recent trip to the Kansas City area.   A retired high school photojournalism teacher and Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame member, Bill was instrumental in bringing the Missouri Photo Workshop to Platte City in the fall of 2015.

Each evening of the workshop, Bill would stop by to listen in on the critiques, spend time chatting with us attendees and offer insight into his town and it's residents.   On the last night of the workshop, he and his wife Marcia hosted all of us for dinner at their beautiful farm north of the city, where they raise horses and mules.

Since Marcia was out of town this visit, it meant I had the opportunity to do some photography while Bill did the afternoon and evening feedings.  It was nice to have the time to visit, hang out with the animals, talk shop and show each other the photo projects we are working on.

Silhouette  & Roscoe wait impatiently while Bill prepares the evening grain.

Due to the overly persistent flies, Bill applies a home-made repellent to give Monique's wrapped ankles for some relief.

Bill gives Lillie a brush while eating her afternoon hay snack.   Their coats get a bit dirty from rolling around in the dirt in an attempt to ward off the pesky flies.

Ropes hang from horseshoe hooks on the storeroom exterior wall while Bill retrieves grain from bins for the evening feeding.   Some of the aging animals are given a special diet for better health.

Desert eats her afternoon hay while Monique swats flies with her tail.

Bill waits for Lillie, Roscoe, Silhouette and Monique to finish eating their evening grain in the barn.

Being a mischievous one, Desert saunters out of the door after taking a nose around the storeroom looking for something more to eat.

Lillie decides that Roscoe needs some help finishing his evening grain.

Bill shows Monique some affection after finishing her evening grain.   Bill says that mules are quite intelligent and curious animals.   They are a cross between a horse and donkey and cannot reproduce.

John Carlson: Over The Road Truck Driver

Last summer, I spent 12 days traveling with John in his truck. We went from Madison, WI to New Jersey to Central California and back. John was gracious enough to participate in my ongoing personal project documenting over the road truck drivers. He travels with his cat Kota for 5-6 weeks stretches and returns home to Minneapolis for 5-6 days before heading out again. This slideshow is my first attempt at combining an audio interview with images. It lets you here his voice and his story in his own words. I think I will do more of these.

Lonely Night at the Triangle Market

Walking around State Street with my photog friend Max doing some nighttime street photography. This was my favorite images of the evening.   A lone worker on a lonely street.

Shop attendant at the Triangle Market on a slow night on State Street, Madison, WI.