Plan of Attack – September 6, 2010

Plan of Attack – September 6, 2010

There are many positive things and a few negative things going on with my thesis project at the moment. I’m at a crucial point because I have to wrap the project up quick when there is still much to be done. It’s been a challenge putting what my heart wants to do with the project and what opportunities and people have come into my life to photograph together cohesively. There have been several ideas and several groups of people I have photographed that didn’t help me express my ideas. Those failed ideas took up over a year of my time, and now that I have found the subject matter I know is right for my project I have maybe a month and a half to pull it together. My challenge right now is bringing together my photographs and ideas in a short amount of time, and getting the heart of the project across to my viewers. The challenge with photography is getting your ideas across- that means failed attempts and revised ideas- but when the subject and ideas finally work together it can be a beautiful thing. I say this because I don’t think the past year has been a waste. I have learned so much by doing this independent project that I couldn’t have learned in a classroom. I have learned that you really find out what you want to say through your work by photographing as much as possible, and then piecing your narrative or voice together. That is my challenge at this moment. Yes, I wish I had thought to photograph Margaret, Marie, and JoAnn sooner. For some reason I had to photograph the other people first- to learn what I didn’t want to say. Yes, it is a setback that I didn’t photograph these ladies sooner- but I can’t dwell on that- I need to keep photographing them and put the project together.