So after a considerable break from my nomads project, I decided to venture back south last weekend to the Salton Sea. Mostly to reconnect with old friends, bring a mess load of prints that I have been sitting on and see what sort of new directions I could take the Nomads project in.

I had been away for sometime, due partially to a lot of personal things – getting married and having a child – and also because of the personal nature the story had taken on – three of my subjects died within  few months of one another shortly after I last left. That really hit me hard.

I have to say, as hard as it was to leave my son for four days, it was really great to be back. Much had changed, but much has stayed the same. What surprised me most was how well everyone seemed to be doing. The rest of the world is having a really difficult time, but all of my old friends seemed to be doing great. They seemed completed unaffected by the current economic mess. The last time I saw Willie (below), a guy who would give you the shirt off of his back,  he had lost all but one of his trailers and was sleeping under a tree so that his five dogs would have a roof over their heads. This time he had two huge trailers, one for him and another for his pups. He was very happy.

My friend Justin had not only acquired a beautiful new trailer with an all wood interior, but he also moved onto his own slab and had taken over the old pool. He had the area cleaned up and the pool drained and was using it for a skate park. He even had developed a good relationship with a skate store in El Centro that helped him with the skate park.

All in all things were good. I made some new friends… notably some young wanderers who I may follow as I build this story.

And some older ones as well. One group that was particularly interesting was a group that belonged to national organization called LOWS, or Loners On Wheels. They are a singles traveling club for seniors. A lot of my shoot with them was rained out, but they were very hospitable and great fun.

I also met some new locals, such as Frank (above) who at 84, is testament that you should spend your life doing what makes you happy. He lives a simple life, but entirely on his own terms.

The one down note, was Charlotte (below), who was a regular on the slabs, but who I had only met briefly in the past. I had shot her son, Judd, a lot before he was taken to jail for setting her house on fire and for vandalizing the fire department.  I had heard that she developed AIDS and had given up the slabs for a small house in town. She was completely withering away. Judd was in jail again and she was mostly alone. I felt really sad for her. I shot a portrait of her for her friend, Martha, so that she could help Charlotte get assistance.

I shot a lot of scenics. Having some time away, I began seeing the transitions in the area, some for better, some for worse. But it sparked a nerve in me with one of the fundamental parts of this project for me: the concept of home.

The trip was cut short by rain, but it was nice to take a walk in the desert again, to see some old friends and make some new ones. I am looking forward to seeing where this path takes me.

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Daryl Peveto is a photographer who lives and works in Southern California.  His column, “My Backyard” appears every other Monday.  He is an Associate Member of LUCEO Images.

So after a considerable break from my nomads project, I decided to venture back south last weekend to the Salton Sea. Mostly to reconnect with old friends, bring a mess load of prints that I have been sitting on and see what sort of new directions I could take the Nomads project in. I had ...