For the past three decades, I have been photographing the intentional communities, nontraditional families, collectives that form around traveling circuses. This focused series started as a way to understand and enlighten my own contrasting opinions about what a family was or is.

Then it became a joyful way for me to explore and photograph the generations of family traditions, like minded individuals that follow and choose an untraditional work community that makes up a troupe of circus artists.

As many circuses have disappeared or evolved, I am quite aware of the clock ticking and the need to capture a culture that is in transition.

The imaginative evolution of the circus continues to hold my interest. I select traditionally old school or smaller family circuses; almost all have eliminated protected animals and have gone back to original circus acts that Europeans brought to America. I will continue to shoot the ever-changing circus that combine generational traditions, with new artistic style and athletic mastery that continues to entertain us.

The main draw of a circus is the traveling troupe, that present and create a breathtaking show, together with other employees, and the company's, traveling wagons, tents, and equipment. It’s the behind the scenes, that illustrate a broader picture of circus life – performers raising a family, getting ready for a show, and creating their own community in this age-old profession.

My goal with my circus images is to show all aspects of life on a Circus, I relish in showing what the audience doesn’t see, the backyard and lives of the circus community.