teens in america 1

Teenage boy and teen girl; southern Florida.

Teen girl and teen boy; southern Florida.

Teen girl; southern Florida.

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how wrong you can be

Life in Darwin — pulling anchors in the crazy heat.

"I lived in Darwin off and on while I was working on the water. I stayed at a youth hostel. It was a big room right next to a really rowdy bar. That's why it wasn't rented out to tourists.

"My job was with an outfit that mostly pulled anchors on those big offshore oil rigs. We'd go out for weeks. There was no schedule because of storms and things that could mess up plans.

"Darwin is hot all year, there is no winter. It rains like hell in the summer. People go crazy there when it rains all the time and is so hot. If you think you like warm tropical places, then spend a few months in Darwin and see how wrong you can be."

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summer camp: where the girls are

Classic girls horseback riding camp: New England.

Morning ride; central Vermont.

Young girls with guns: at a firing range at a summer camp in Roxbury, Vermont.

encountering earnestness

Teacher at Mennonite mission school on Andros Island, The Bahamas.

Andros Island, Bahamas; April 2012: Whenever I meet an ernest person I'm shocked at how shocking the experience is. This happened repeatedly during a photography session at the Mennonite mission on Andros Island, The Bahamas last week.

When you photograph and interview lots of people you begin to expect certain things about them. You expect them to wear a little armor, for example. After a while they open up and you glimpse approximately what they are. You expect mostly honest answers, but not total honesty.

We all have self-serving tendencies. We factor that into our relationships and attitudes about those we meet. I know I do. It's subconscious, a reflex. When I meet someone new to photograph or interview I know I'm getting a version of something. It may be real, but not necessarily authentic.

But my experience with the Mennonites was the opposite of my usual expectations. They were immediately and genuinely friendly, completely open, considerate to nearly a fault, and so very earnest. I am humbled. Once again.

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for my protection

Beating the mafia — idle threats of burning cars and truant kids.

"On the 3rd of every month this guy would come around our shop. He was classic hood; dark hair slicked back, leather jacket, Jersey accent. He'd stand at the counter glaring at the clerk.

"I would always ask if I could help him, just like he was a customer. He explained that for my protection I should give him $500 and be glad it wasn't $1000 like the bar next door had to pay. He called it 'neighborhood insurance.' I never paid him because he was an idiot, an amateur.

"About the sixth time I told him if he ever came back I would have my uncle burn his car and my boys would get his son kicked out of school. I didn't even know if he had kids, or a car. He never came back so now I joke that I beat the mafia."

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paper targets

Good clean fun — the mystery of gun culture.

"Way away from Gillette, over past Sundance a ways, or into the Black Hills is where I used to target shoot. Me and my friends would go at the drop of a hat because we always had our guns and ammo in our trucks. We weren't married, mostly, either, so we didn't answer to anyone.

"We would set up our paper targets on two by four frames. Once in awhile we would plink off bottles. We'd put a big tent up for some shade, slide a cooler full of beer in there, and sit around and shoot and talk and drink.

"It's good clean fun, at least it was to us. I've been around the world a bit since those days, and I can tell you most people don't approve. Gun culture is mysterious, except to an American."

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acting pretty rude

Montreal — cruising around, whistling and looking for a mate.

"I met my wife in Montreal, in the Old Town section. She was leaning against a wall having her picture taken. She was gorgeous. I walked by and sort of wolf-whistled.

"An hour later I was eating lunch at a little restaurant and she came in. She walked right over to my table and asked was I feeling okay because I was acting pretty rude out in the street. I didn't know what to say, so I offered her a seat and a drink.

"She nearly fell over from laughing so hard. She said I looked like a little trouble-maker school kid who was being scolded by his teacher. When you meet someone with a sense of humor like that, you don't let them get away."

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they still call us

A perfectly satisfying life — selling insurance and raising the kids.

"I've had an average life. With my wife I raised a family, two boys and a girl. They're okay, working, have good lives, I think. They still call us once a week or so.

"I worked many years as an insurance salesman. I think it was good work. People always thanked me for providing them with insurance. Selling the insurance was nothing special, but the people were interesting.

"When my daughter was younger she used to flare-up and call me a boring old man. She thought my life was dull. She called me stupid more than once. I would just smile and butter her toast or something."

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