To put it in Libby's terms, I am a "Hunter" when it comes to photography. I have set up shots before and enjoyed it, but I like nothing better than to be out and about with my camera and stumble upon something that I can turn into a new project. My projects usually revolve around finding something that I consider odd or misplaced, and trying to find other objects like it. Examples of this would be my abandoned shopping cart series, and my garage sale series.
What inspires me to photograph these things is my desire to document them. To me these things feel like they won't always be around. Right now, garage sales are a really common part of our culture, but will they always be? Some time in the future people might find it really odd that we used to take all the stuff we didn't want anymore out of our houses and sell it in our front yards to our neighbors. I also like to think of the people out there that think just like I do; and wonder what the story is behind the warped shopping cart in the ditch behind and elementary school and how it got there. I take my photographs for us.
A photographer I really love right now is Bill Keaggy. I have two of his books. "Milk, Eggs, Vodka" is a collection of abandoned grocery lists. "50 Sad Chairs" is a collection of chairs that have been abandoned. One of these "#13 Judy on a Binge" is at the top of this post. His website is AWESOME and you should all go look at it. His career is my dream, making books based on photography projects.
Find his stuff here.
Love the site you suggested! I have an idea I want to work on in the future regarding shopping carts, too. I think you can totally read peoples lives by what they have in their carts. I want to take pix of people with their carts just before they check out. You know, like a single guy with a 12 pack and a box of sushi. The tired new mom with diapers, baby food and a bottle of wine. Love it!!
ReplyDeleteJust had a good idea for your "hoarders" series. And yes I am watching Hoarders right now. What if you posted on craigslist (or whatever) that you wanted to photograph "collectors". Seems to me that all these hoarders are just overly collecting. Just a thought! Courtney...that's my comment before this one, also.
ReplyDeleteA great source that is akin to your interests. I am interested to see where the collections lead you.
ReplyDelete