Hi,

My name is Kari Bjorn and I've had with cluster headaches for the past 11 years or almost half my life, I'm 27 now. I'm currently studying photography at Parsons in NYC, previously I was/is a chef and worked in kitchens back home in Reykjavik, Iceland, NYC and London, UK.

I want to start a project around Cluster headaches and its sufferers, this is something I've been thinking of for the past few years but never really started except for a few self portraits. I'm not really familiar how much CH is "known" in the US but back home none really knows CH and I've always had to explain in detail, to new friends, bosses, coworkers etc.

My goal is to tell the story of the cluster head, as broad as it is at this moment I see this as a project I will work on for a few years and will hopefully develop along the way.

I'm looking for people in New York to get in contact with that either have CH and/or know someone close to them that has CH.

Please contact me at thork317@newschool.edu

Kari Bjorn Thorleifsson

Kari
I think that is a fantastic idea! Your project would open so many eyes to the world so few know anything about. If your project takes you to the Southern states - Georgia in particular - I would be honored to be a subject of your project. Best of luck and keep us posted as you move forward with your endeavor
Kevin

G'day Kari, and welcome. If you go to youtube and search Cluster Headache there's a few videos that might help for starters.

Never been able to watch them meself, but perhaps they might be fodder for ideas.

Better be ready to travel...

Hi and thanks for the replies,

I've seen a lot of the videos on youtube and many of them aren't for the faint of heart. The one that I keep thinking about is I believe a news story from Holland where a CH sufferers sister posted a video of a horrific attack where she was hospitalized. They did it to raise awareness in the community and for her insurance company (I think) that wouldn't help her get the medicine she needed. Anyway, it made me feel awful for her. I did a video about CH about 3 months ago using found footage.

I'm prepared to travel to work on this project and I think it will take many years to complete if it will ever be "completed". Many of the documentary photographers I admire have been working on the same project for decades, they just evolve and that's what I'm hoping for. That the people I meet and create bonds with will take it into different directions.

I want to start out with just the NYC area since that's where I'm currently based but will definitely post here if I'm traveling. My wife and I both have family in Columbus and Cleveland, OH and we go there a lot so I'll let know when we're there next time.

Thanks for the replies :)

Kari Bjorn

Good luck but catching a clusterhead in cycle is like catching lightning in a bottle.

                Potter

Hi Kari,
Here's an idea that hopefully will assist you....

Look to the left side of your computer screen and you will see a tab titled "where we live."  Click on that tab, then click on United States, then click on New York.

Create and send a personalized email to those residing in New York requesting their participation for your photography project.

The more you send, the better the odds of a favorable response  ;)

Good luck with your project!

-Gregg in Las Vegas

Come to Chicago next Sept to the Clusterbusters convention.  You'll find over 100 of us there, and there will be more than a few in cycle, although many will be pain free from busting or Vit D or DALT.  Check out clusterbusters.org for more info.

Jerry

Tried this once.  Asked board members to send me pics of their boobies.  All I got was 4 pics of man boobs.  What a bust!!!!!