Out of the Shoebox: Curiosity

Out of the Shoebox: Curiosity

I'm hooked on the idea of printing photobooks/zines*. Sounds fancy. It certainly can be, but mine aren't. Just a fun way to work with one's photos and get them out of the literal or virtual shoeboxes. But it can be a real grind if you're trying to put something together retroactively.

That's probably the wrong word. If you think of an idea, story, or theme for a project before you start snapping, you can attempt to organize those photos with consistent keywording or files. If not, it's a real slog. That's where I am right now, knee deep in the slog.

*The five people who visit this site regularly have heard that before. Sorry! I love having a blog, but that's one tricky aspect of it - how much do you need to repeat for the occasional passersby?

One good thing about the slog, though, is that it lets you revisit photos. I took a few photos of a young family visiting Pike Place Market in April 2017. They were taking a short break, eating a snack, and looking out over the water. I can't remember if they had two kids in tow or just the girl, who in the following photo is completely captivated by something out of frame.

When I first looked at this group of photos, I tinkered with the others, not this one. None of them are great photos. But after looking at them again, I think I like this one the most. In all of them, I love seeing the girl's sense of wonder. I think she was looking at a large bird. That family is about 3.5 years older now. I hope they're doing well during this strange year.

Pike Place Market area Seattle
Pike Place Market, Seattle, April 2017.