Davy Crockett is the reason I’m at The Alamo. With his coonskin hat, leather hunting suit and long rifle, he embodies the fighting spirit. We Americans love that, and Scott especially loves it because, like Crockett, he is a native Tennessean. So while he abandoned me and the dogs to go read every historical marker and bronzed plaque commemorating Texas’ most romanticized battle, I took a few shots of The Alamo with my Holga. The old, stone mission seemed to call for it. It’s something to stand here, across the street from Fuddruckers and Ripley’s Believe or Not!, and imagine a 13-day siege between the Mexican army and a small band of soldiers led by William Travis, Jim Bowie and Crockett. As tourist attractions go, The Alamo is not a bad one. It spruces up history with a little myth, and gives proud Texans (and Tennesseans) plenty to get nostalgic about. You have to see it to remember it.
—Jill
Do you have a digital back for your Holga?
I’m not exactly sure there is such a thing. I’ll have to check that out. I’m just using your basic plastic Holga camera. The seems are taped up with gaffers to prevent excessive light leakage. I finally got a batch of film developed and scanned. It’s an expensive toy to play with, but it’s lots of fun. Not to mention a much needed break from my heavy camera and multiple lenses.