Karen Robbins loves the American flag. On the tops of buildings, taped to mailboxes, a sticker on the back of a passing car. In all shapes and sizes, Robbins can't get enough of the stars and stripes. The flag is her passion.

And like anybody with a passion, Robbins has been taking pictures. Hundreds of pictures.

"I've always taken pictures of the flag," said Robbins. "I thought to myself, ‘Karen, you have to do something with all these pictures.'"

Do something she did. A year ago, Robbins decided that she would compile her photographs into a picture book.  The idea for the book came when she realized there was a palpable amount of anger in the air. During the peak of the recession, she said, it seemed like many in the country were spending too much time fighting and bickering, losing sense of what it meant to stay strong.  She thought her pictures of flags could help change America's mood from divided to unified.

"It just seemed like everyone was angry at America and our leaders," said Robbins.  "I thought the pictures I've taken could bring inspiration and hope."

Robbins has always felt a strong sense of patriotism. Her father was in the Marine Corps at Pearl Harbor. Her brother served in Vietnam. As a children's author, Robbins created a musical board book that played the Star Spangled Banner when opened. She was also instrumental in a Tacoma-area project where elementary school children created a large American flag using red, white and blue hand paints.

Patriotism and the flag are driving forces in Robbins' life.

"The flag isn't political or big business or corporate," said Robbins. "It represents each of us as individuals."

The flag photo book project really picked up steam last September when Robbins met professional photographer Dale Baskin at a Mountaineers Photo Club meeting.  The moment Baskin started showing the club pictures he had taken of American flags, she knew she had to have his help.

"Dale put up those photos at the meeting and I nearly lunged at him," said Robbins, laughing. "I went up after the meeting and begged him to help me with the photo book ... I could never be doing this project without Dale."

Baskin first started taking pictures of flags when he lived in New York City in 2001. While everyone else was snapping photos of the devastation caused by the Sept. 11 attacks, he chose instead to focus his lens on all the flags that were popping up around the city.

"The flag was the positive shining light around all that destruction," said Baskin. "I took that opportunity to capture the patriotism and the spirit of the American Flag."    

Since partnering, Robbins and Baskin have collected shots of flags from ten other photographers. While most of the pictures are from around Washington state, they have managed to gather photographs from all over the country.  

Robbins and Baskin have recently compiled thirty of their favorite flag photos to be shown in an exhibit called Flags Across America. They hope to open the exhibit in Seattle at Harborview Medical Center on Sept.1. They are also in the process of searching for a publisher for their photo book.  

Though Robbins and Baskin have taken countless shots of the stars and stripes, each still feels great emotion when flipping through the pictures. Baskin feels a particular connection with a photo he took in New York City at a rally on Sept. 12, 2001. Robbins feels prideful and hopeful when viewing the pictures, and thinks others will feel the same.  

"America needs the hope of the flag," said Robbins. "Hope and unity."