From September 26 to October 22, 2003 I visited the Karakoram, in the northern region of Pakistan. I was accompanied by my good friend, still photographer Bobby Model. We were on a film and photo recon of this area, more specifically the Baltoro Glacier. Our subjects, besides the rugged mountains and beautiful scenery, are the Balti people and Porters of the Karakorum. For decades, these men have acted as "human pack horses" to the thousands of mountaineers and trekkers who flocked to this area. Without their help these expeditions would not stand a chance at reaching their destinations, wherever they may be.The Porters also assisted many people in reaching a long-time dream of summiting one of the many giant mountains this area holds. As Porters, they make a meager sum by our standards, but to them the money they earn is greatly cherished. It goes toward buying food and basic living necessities for their families. The rest of the Balti poplation are mainly farmers, harvesting wheat and raising livestock such as cattle and goats. They live a simple life, as they have in this region for over a thousand years.

And then it happened......

September 11, 2001. A day we in America and the rest of the world will always remember. After the tragedy and still to this day, the amount of American, as well as foreign visitors to the Karakorum and the rest of Pakistan has drastically reduced in numbers. Most of the men who relied on being Porters now have very few ways of supporting their families.

We hope that our film and photos will bring not only attention but also help to these people. This will be the first of many trips in the future, so please keep checking back for updates.

I returned to Pakistan in June 2004 for 6 weeks, March 2005 for a month and Sept./Oct 2005 for a final trip before principal shooting was complete.