there are fish in this lake.

Another of my photography obsessions, the first being reflective surfaces, is writing. You've already noticed how much I like goofy signs, but I'm talking more about handwritten messages on things which were not made for that purpose. As a result, I have lots of pictures of initials carved in trees, mantras traced in dusty windows, and obscene poetry written on flagpoles. There is something fascinating to me about a message that someone casually writes on a public surface as some sort of contribution to the collective knowledge of the world, or at least the part of the world that might go around reading flagpoles.

This one is my favorite of all such pictures.



I took this on a blustery January afternoon at Salem Lake, where there is a long pier. Apparently, people fish there. And in 2005, at least one was caught and carefully documented.

I like this picture so much because this message is one of hope. Fishing is an act of patience that may or may not ever pay off. But this message proudly proclaims "Hang in there!" to anyone who may be frustrated from the lack of underwater nibblers. I keep a copy of this picture in my office. I've tried to explain to several people what it means to me: blank stares all around.

But whatever, I don't care if no one understands why I get such hope from this picture, because I get it, as if the message were written just for me even though I never fish. Hang in there. Don't give up. There are fish in this lake.