Joakim Eskildsen

I didn't mean to be the last to praise Joakim Eskildsen's new book "Roma Journeys." I contacted him about six months ago wondering when the book would be released. It was just a Fan's Note of sorts, but he responded immediately and warmly. A very nice fellow.



I had been overwhelmed when I saw the images on his webpage. With envy and desire. I wanted to go where he had been and to take the photographs he had taken. I didn't think I could do it better. I wanted to do it as well. I wanted to be as committed as he. More than that, I wanted to have the self-faith that what I was doing was good and worthwhile. It has all paid off for him, I think.



When I look at his photographs, I think that he has mastered the dark like Rembrandt, filled in the details where details are thin. There are few sunny skies. It is early, it is late. People prepare, people wait. These are photographs of a slower life, images that seem to come to a western audience from a distant past, another time.



When I saw that the book had finally come to print, I wrote another email and asked if I could post a few of his images and link his site to mine. He was every bit as gracious as before. Buy his book. I can't wait for mine to arrive.