The Second Amendment was partially written to ensure that civilian America was sufficiently armed that they could deal with the British invasion should it ever happen, and yet here I was, door-knocking with a British accent asking to enter people's homes to see their guns, have a chat - and take their photo.  

“Sure! Come right on in - would you like some fresh coffee?”

I’m not sure what they all figured a full-scale British invasion was going to look like, but the irony of the situation was not entirely lost on me.

Over two weeks in January 2024, I headed to Prescott, Arizona with one goal - to talk my way into the living rooms of seemingly ordinary citizens & learn about the normalization of gun ownership in the USA.

Blindly following a lead given to me by a local gun store owner, I pulled into the driveway of a home tucked away in the snow-laden pine forests on the outskirts of Prescott, Arizona - in search of a man named Lew Johnson, whom I knew literally nothing about. 

This North American woods cabin wouldn't have felt out of place in the cult TV classic, Twin Peaks - and yet here I was alone, with the sole intention of meeting a stranger that’s rumored to own an arsenal so comprehensive it would make Chuck Norris nervous.

Suddenly, this felt like a very bad idea.

Thankfully, out of the house walked Lew - a man in his mid-60s, sporting an infectious smile and a mustache that would make Tom Selleck blush.

Lew, an ex-green beret (or ex-special forces as the rest of the world knows it) who spent a lot of the 80s doing crazy shit in Eastern Europe for his country. All you really need to know is that Lew is a badass who could snap my neck with the lift of an eyebrow, were he not such a magnificent & welcoming human.

This is Lew Johnson with his short-barrelled AR15 Semi-Automatic Rifle.

Taking a break between Zoom calls in her suburban home in Prescott, Jesse, the senior HR consultant helped keep her son Luca occupied with some cartoons on the iPad to try and get through her days work during the school holidays. I think parents across the globe can relate to that.

This is Jesse Ciancio - and her Geissele Freedom (GFR) 6mm Maritime Semi-Automatic Rifle.

Sat on the back steps of his trailer in the dusty rolling hills of Prescott Valley, Marty, a voiceover artist & morning drive radio host at KDDL Radio chatted with me about fatherhood & working in the creative industries.

“I’m very close to my kids, and I’d like to think I did a pretty good job being a father, but life can be challenging - for me, this was especially true after my second divorce,” Marty said, openheartedly.

This is Marty Meyers, with his Remington 870 Marine Shotgun.

After more than a decade working as a corporate banker, Dustin, like many of us got fed up with the rat race and hung up his corporate hat - and sidestepped into gun smithing.

This is Dustin Ciancio outside his home, with a his custom AR15 Semi-Automatic Rifle & his Ford F150 Pickup Truck.

Walking through the beautiful farmhouse styled home of the Normandy’s it could not be clearer that personal security is of the highest priority to this family. Casually leant up in the corner of each room is at least one semi-automatic weapon in place of a pot plant, and scattered around the perimeter of the property are security signs that read “Fuck Around & Find Out”, which Ellie’s father Alan found very amusing. 

“This is why people think Americans are crazy Dad,” said Ellie, rolling her eyes as Alan laughed about the signs - whilst she held her Smith & Wesson M&P15-22P .22 LR Short Barrel Rifle.

Ellie Normandy, the 13-year-old High School Freshman meekly smiled through her braces as she stood looking down at the camera, with a look of increasing teenage impatience for the whole situation. 

When asked what five items she always left the house with Allan proudly & assertivly replied “Her bag, phone, pepper spray, a flashlight & a tourniquet”.

Dale Minnick, the co-owner of High Country Guns and Knifes - stood proudly outside her store signage that reads “Guns Save Lives” and “Guns Are Why America Is Still Free”.

Inside the store & taped over the walls behind the counter are press clippings & poorly printed memes that read “Lets Go Brandon” - a political slogan and internet meme used as a euphemism for the phrase “Fuck Joe Biden”.

“An armed society is a polite society,” Drew told me, smiling, over a home-cooked dinner with his lovely wife Jamie later that evening - after I’d managed to talk my way into their beautiful home to photograph them both. 

As we sat for dinner Drew and Jamie took my hands & closed their eyes saying grace - asking the lord to give me luck in my project & my creative endeavours in Arizona. 

Somewhat unexpectedly, I found this well-meaning gesture more intimidating than the Semi-Automatic Rifle which was still sitting on the side table after photographing Drew with it.

Drew, the ex-superbike racer turned local radio host politely passed on his condolences after learning that we (Australians) lost our freedom and are no longer allowed to own semi-automatic firearms after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

“Next time you come to Arizona you should bring your wife & kids” he said chirpily, “You guys can stay, and we’ll take the family out shooting”.

This is Drew Immitti with his Ruger LC Carbine Semi-Automatic Rifle - and his dog, Nelson.

Sat at the sprawling kitchen table I quietly sipped on the dark, hot water that was masquerading as tea, after being given the house tour by Alan & Eunju Normandy.

I’d been on quite the journey to make it to this table, with many wild conversations having been yelled over the deafening sound of gun fire in the desert with various gun-toting locals who’d then helped me meet people within the Prescott gun community.

Scurrying around and nipping at my ankles was Dubu, the six-week-old puppy, whose innocence was oddly refreshing given that an AR15 long-barrelled assault rifle was sitting on the kitchen bench opposite me.

Born in Seoul, Korea, Eunju relocated to the USA and married Alan in the 90s, and she’d been the family homemaker since their daughters were born.

“Do you have a favourite gun” I turned and asked Eunju, casually shifting the direction of the conversation. Her eyes lit up, “Yes, I’ll show you” she replied enthusiastically,  as she strolled out of the room momentarily and into the laundry.

Re-entering the kitchen she looked at me with a giddy smile, “This is my favourite,” she said with a sense of pride, “The Remington 870 Police Magnum 12 GA Short Barrel Shotgun”.

I think it’s fair to say that the softly-spoken & polite 15-year-old Erica Normandy, the High School Junior is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Not only the Arizona State Jiu Jitsu champion, but I heard from ex-swat team sniper, Rick Slater, that this young lady is an incredible sharpshooter that most adults would stand little chance against.

Wandering around her home working out where to photograph her I asked casually “Do you ever carry a firearm?”, to which she giggled and looked at me like I was a bit of an idiot - as she pulled up the front of her hoodie, and pulled a Smith & Wesson M&P 380 EZ Pistol out of a concealed holster that sat invisibly under her belt line.

Weirdly, I just didn’t see that coming.

The snow had fallen heavily the night before and I was really beginning to regret not hiring a 4wd - after all, I thought I was headed to the Arizona-Mexican border to sweat and be surrounded by cacti, but plans can change pretty quickly.

This is Glen Avery - a lifelong Republican, with his Remington Bolt Action Rifle.

“Biden is just Obama's puppet” Jamie laughed, “You know by watching Netflix you’re funding the Obamas don’t you? I won’t watch that”.

Stood on the deck of her home overlooking the snow-covered woodland my hands stung from the cold as we spoke - I really hadn’t nailed the wardrobe brief, and three days into the trip I was still feeling somewhat confused that somehow I wasn’t sweating & surrounded by cacti. 

“The only thing that can save America now is Trump. Yeah, he’s an asshole, but he’s an honest one who loves God and loves America”, Jamie said, grasping her steaming mug of weak black filter coffee. “We’re on the blink of civil war here”, she said solemnly, “this is the year - people are sick of being told what to do by Obama's puppets”, she said, sighing.

Honestly, where do I even start?

This Alan, who had a side hustle of being the firearms specialist on the popular TV show, Mythbusters, for 13 years.

Recently retired as a Police Lieutenant, Alan was last assigned as a Patrol Watch Commander and commanded the Neighborhood Response Team. He is one of six founding members of the South San Francisco Police Department SWAT Team, and he’s still an instructor for the National Rifle Association. If that’s not enough he’s also the Executive Vice President of the Firearms Policy Coalition.

The FPC is the nation’s first and largest public interest legal team focused on the right to keep and bear arms, and the leader in the Second Amendment litigation and research space. The primary objective of their legal action programs is to bring cases that protect everyday Americans’ rights and property, restore individual liberty, and help us achieve their purpose to create a world of maximal individual liberty.

Layman’s terms? They sue the government if they try and take people’s guns away.

To say that Alan has an appreciation of firearms would be wildly understating the reality, and the house is strategically littered with sniper rifles, shotguns & pistols at every corner you turn.

Rest assured there’s nothing casual about the placement of these firearms, this house is an absolute fortress - and for anyone considering approaching with bad intentions, I would highly suggest that you do not cross the horizon and head towards this home. Bad idea.

This is Alan Normandy, with his Battle Comp Enterprises AR15 Short Barrel Rifle in .300 Blackout.

Perched on top of a barren & dusty hill on the outskirts of Prescott sat Keith’s beautiful new family home, one of the first new builds in what’s soon to become a densely packed estate. New to Prescott he and his family relocated a mere 12 months before from California to escape the chaos that they felt California had entered in recent times.

“California has the reputation of being this wonderful and progressive society,” he remarked, as his wife shook her head, “but it’s just got out of control there, and it’s just not safe anymore. When we were kids it was a great place to grow up, but things have changed and crime is through the roof”.

Sat talking about life whilst enjoying the winter sun in the backyard of his home it all felt very familiar - I’m no stranger to the chaos of toddlers & the scattering of toy trucks - with the classic Cozy Coupe being used to try and break everyone’s ankles at any given moment. 

This is Keith, his Traeger Wood-Fired Smoker & his AR15 Semi-Automatic rifle.

“To be honest I don’t often carry“, Jennie said, “I’m just not that confident with a pistol yet, but the boys at Uncle Arns Field Supply are going to give me some lessons to get my confidence & skills up”.

Jennie, with her Gloc 43.

The beautiful home of Lisa & Rick Slater overlooks Granite Mountain, a dramatic peak scattered with boulders the size of a house. Photographs of loved ones line the walls and shelves of this home, and from the laughs, giggles, and looks exchanged between them both it’s immediately clear that this is a house full of love.

Deciding that I’d photograph Lisa on her sofa I realized it was a little too close to camera, and I politely asked if I could shuffle it back a metre or so. “Of course, you do whatever you need” said Lisa, smiling.

Carefully sliding the sofa backwards across the carpet I quickly revealed a sniper rifle with a suppressor (silencer) which had been hidden under there.

Rick Laughed.

“Rick, there’s a bloody Sniper Rifle under your sofa mate!” I loudly exclaimed, with all of us laughing. “You just never know who’s coming” said Rick, with a wry smile.

This is Lisa Slater, a Pharmacist turned Stuntwoman - with her Aero Prescision M4E1 Semi-Automatic Rifle - and her dog, Bronson.

On the long flight over to the US I had read about the first rifle most children own called a ‘Cricket’ - a 0.22 rifle used for competition, often in bright pink and blue making them feel somewhat child-friendly.

Talking with local gunsmith, Russ and I spoke to him about this range of guns designed for junior shooters - and he kindly invited me to his home to meet his 9 year old daughter, Katie, who used a more traditional looking 0.22 junior rifle for sport.

As I looked around the home & the snow-filled backyard of the Heggarty’s residence Russ’ wife suggested “Maybe you should get the Flamethrower hun, that would be a great photo”.

I laughed out loud, but no sooner as I’d burst out laughing Russ replied with a slight air of remorse, “Sorry babe, it still needs servicing”.

WITH THANKS.

Honestly, the plan was simple. Head to Arizona, talk my way into people’s homes - and ‘shoot’ their portraits with their favorite firearm.

Frankly, I still can’t believe that I pulled it off with no fixer & no local contacts. Just ten days of (probably hundreds) of conversations.

I knew it was’nt going to be that simple, but before you know it you’ve befriended a guy in a local bar & are shooting semi-automatic rifles in the desert at 6:30am.

True Story.

I don’t think I’ll ever adequately be able to explain how this all came together simply using words on a page, because, in all honesty, the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.

To all of those residents in Prescott who not only allowed me to film & photograph them, but also to the huge number of people who took the time to talk with me & point me in the right direction - thank you, this project would not have been possible without your incredible Arizonan hospitality.

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