Essays

It seems right now I’m drawn to essays about rivers. This one is about the Yellow River in China. The photographer says he was inspired by a Chinese novel — and this is the second time today that I have heard a photographer say something about novels or fiction being some of the best inspiration for photographic projects (the other was Joe Johnson, and he was talking about art projects but there’s similarities there with the essay.)

Our talk in class has lead me to believe I ought to start my Big River essay over. Dennis Dimick also gave me a lot of good advice during mpw.71. I don’t know if I’ll do that or not, but I feel like I’ve approached the essay all wrong up until this point.

I also think I’m beginning to feel myself become more attracted to essays than photo stories. Before I didn’t fully understand the essay — I’m just more literal and essays feel a lot more abstract to me — but as I’m getting to know them and how they’re made I find myself wanting to explore this form of story telling.