Scott Indermaur’s ‘Revealed’ Project To Become Book - With Help From Donors

East Greenwich photographer Scott Indermaur’s “weekend self-assignment” six years ago has taken on a life of its own. First it was photos of subjects who “reveal” themselves through the few objects they choose to be photographed with. Then it was a documentary collaboration with . Now, with help from a legion of online donors, Indermaur’s “Revealed” is about to become a book.

In fact, 157 people have donated $14,672, as of Friday morning. But there’s a catch: the project will only be funded (and donors charged) if “Revealed” is able to raise at least $16,000 in donations by midnight Saturday.

“So there’s a lot of pressure to make that goal,” said Indemaur.

Indermaur and fellow EG resident, graphic designer Philip Hawthorne, are working together to make Revealed the book a reality by using Kickstarter, an online funding tool for creative endeavors. Users set a fundraising goal and a finite period of time in which to meet that goal. Indermaur said he decided to go this route so that he could maintain creative control over what’s clearly become his baby.

Teaming up with Hawthorne was serendipity. They didn’t meet in town despite living just blocks apart. Rather, they met through a professional social organization. After Hawthorne saw the documentary when it was screened earlier this year at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport, he accompanied Indermaur on one of his Revealed shoots.

“I was just taken as much by the end result as the process itself,” recalled Hawthorne. “Seeing how much it impacts the subjects.”

He continued, “It’s all done in the dark. You’re seeing little scenes as the flash goes off.” In some cases, he said, there are “happy accidents” that have taken place in the dark.

“It’s been very profound,” said Hawthorne. “He’s all about wanting to encourage people to find that time to think about what they would reveal. ‘What would I put in my box? What are the things that are important to me?’"

Indermaur said the project has gain so much momentum that when he announces on facebook that he’s planning another Revealed shoot, available slots are taken within hours. To date, he said, he’s photographed more than 200 people, including school children.

A few of the people are East Greenwich-ers, including EG Patch's own Ranter-Raver Lisa Sussman.

"When he approached me to participate in Revealed, it was a very emotionally turbulent time for me as my mother has just died," she said. "Being a part of Revealed gave me the opportunity to really tackle the subject in a visceral way. ... When I look at photo today, I see a woman who is very sad, yet the contents of the box are happy memories.

"The experience itself was extremely positive as Scott is an amazing guy who gets it and also knows how to have fun - besides being amazingly talented," said Lisa.

The next step, he said, is go international. Indermaur hopes to gain corporate or foundation support to be able to travel to different countries and shoot Revealed portraits there. In addition to the countless hours spent on Revealed, Indermaur said he’s spend about $40,000 of his own money and he also received a $4,500 grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.