Hays ? Something seemed to be missing as Robert Clark jumped out of his van and headed up the chalk road north of Hays to take pictures on a recent morning.

He was moving rather quickly, partly because he had his eye on something just up ahead he wanted to photograph and partly because he was carrying a lot less weight than usual.

Clark, a free-lance photographer from New York, normally is carrying a bag of camera accessories and at least a couple of cameras on his shoulder while sniffing out a photo opportunity.

This time, however, he had all he needed in the chest pocket of his jacket.

A native of Hays, Clark made a stop in his hometown on his 45-day trip across the United States taking pictures with a cell phone camera.

Clark, who currently works for National Geographic, had a break until his next assignment and was hired by Sony to get an up-close-and-personal look at America, using the Sony Ericsson, a 1.3 megapixel camera phone.

Clark takes photos, of whatever he wants, and puts them on a Web site hosted by American Photo Magazine, www.americanphotomag.com/robertclark.

“They asked me to do a road trip and show the diversity of the U.S. and the versatility of the camera,” said Clark, who added that he is learning a lot himself. “The key to not getting bored with this career is to stay interested in all sorts of photography, and this definitely is different.”

Clark said he has been impressed with the quality of photos from the cell phone camera, as well as the convenience.

Photographer Robert Clark stops Rhonda Sander along Seven Hills Road outside of Hays to shoot a photo during his nationwide trek using a camera phone. Clark had a break until his next assignment and was hired by Sony to get an up-close look at America, using a camera phone. He was in Hays March 13.

“This is immediate gratification,” he said. “People would always have it with them. There would be so many shots that wouldn’t be missed anymore.”

“It’s just a matter of time before something really important is shot with this,” added Clark, who is speaking from experience on spontaneity.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Clark was in the right place at the right time and got photographs of the second jet that struck the World Trade Center in New York City. His succession of shots were published by Time magazine’s special edition of the terrorist attack and were distributed worldwide by The Associated Press.

But this trip has been one of his favorites, said Clark, a 1979 graduate of Hays High School. He got a chance to visit his parents, Russ and Dora Lou Clark, who still live in Hays, and he is getting a first-hand view of everyday life across the country.

“It’s kind of weird, but on this project, I feel closer to my roots than ever before,” said Clark, who was headed to Yellowstone National Park from Hays. “Maybe it’s because without all that camera equipment, you’re kind of anonymous. Popping in and out of people’s lives, you can walk in and shoot something and really get an honest reaction.”