From the East to the West 2

In the second part of his photographic journey across America, photographer Robert Leslie discusses his work and his latest project, the photographic documentation of North America and how he experienced the state of nation during the first few weeks following President Obama's inauguration.

Armed with his camera, Leslie's goal was to show images that reflected the social, environmental, and economical change in America during a time that some observers liken to that of the great depression. Sticking to small rural roads and highways, Leslie did not visit any of the big major cities. Instead he searched for the nuances that made the small towns unique.

There have probably been millions of people who have had that dream at least once in their life about of driving across and in this interview Leslie focuses on his experiences across the Great West, California in particular. One interesting highlight was the California Historic Route 66. The stretch of Route 66 passes through California extending from the Colorado River, to the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica, with some of the most scenic routes traveling through California's deserts, mountains, metropolitan areas and beach communities.

Surely it is impossible to get any real impression of a city by just driving through and staying overnight, but Leslie easily manages to document some of America's most non-commercial locations across the Midwest in a very intimate and meaningful way. Leslie's images reveal the problems facing Americans, the contrast between a land of superficial beauty and weak government social systems and the unfortunate results of a nation living on credit.