Photography and Writing: Crafting an Anthropological Text @craftinganthropologicaltext - Tumblr Blog

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Appendix of Additional Photographs: Final Project Part 2

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Appendix of Additional Photographs - Final Project. Part 1

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Possible series- JNM

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Sometimes, when I write, I feel like I hit a dead end, where my train of thought just halts or my ideas get too complex. One way to overcome this, I have found, is to take a short break to do some physical exercise or do some other work to let an idea resonate in my head. This helps me focus on my writing and allows for the possibility to find inspiration from my surroundings. This technique helped me in my final project. I was a bit stuck on the concept of time for a while and finding a narrow focus, but one day, I happened to pass a construction site. Normally, construction on roads happen on night to avoid traffic, but the construction at Hopkins all occurs during the day. This made me think more deeply about what shapes people’s work schedules and ultimately the effects of industrialization on time. Attached is a photo I took of the construction site. If I am still at a roadblock, I always backtrack a bit and try getting rid of some sentences or paragraphs. A piece of advice a teacher once told me was to be ruthless about what is vital to your purpose. Over time, I have learned to not get too attached to what I am writing, because it holds you back from being critical of yourself and prevents you from seeing a place where your logic veers in the wrong direction. When I write, I keep two documents open at once, one for what I end up turning in, and one where I can jot down ideas, “throw away” some writing, and keep things for later. This helps me streamline the path of my thoughts and remove clutter.

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My field site incorporates several locations, including specific diners, and thrift/vintage shops, in order to capture the effects of nostalgia on an urban community. My initial thought process was that I was just going to simply photograph articles found in these places that had a nostalgic feel or vibe to them. However, I realized that simply photographing various objects without a rhyme or reason wasn’t going to do much. When I actually visited each specific field site, I found key elements to focus on at each place. In regards to the Lost City Diner, I was so caught up in the thematic concept. Rather than having an array of random vintage objects, all of their nostalgic items were from the same decade, so I felt that I could focus on a broader range of analysis rather than getting caught up in the details of each individual object. Thus, I could see how each specific item interacted with the other present ones, as there was a true relationship between them. On the contrary, after this transformation took place in which I was able to focus on more of a thematic approach to nostalgia, I had another transformation regarding my field site that I visited next. In the vintage shops in Hampden, at first glance there seemed to be no real commonality in the array of scattered items. Many of the accessories were cluttered on tables, as illustrated in my picture. Obviously there is going to be more of a distinction between the objects in a vintage shop since the quantity greatly exceeds that of those in a restaurant. Thus my focus at these shops shifted to thinking about what the possible intentionality of object placement could be, as I wanted to explore the commercialization of nostalgia.

Regarding my approach to difficulties in writing, I usually use drafts in my writing process. I typically have notes as my first draft, and then slowly craft the notes into actual sentences for another rough draft. Eventually I’m able to edit the piece into something eloquent. I think this process is helpful for me because it allows me to step away from my work and revisit it with a fresh mind and hopefully a new perspective.

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Last PHOTOEX I had previously perceived the Church Office as a location only of socializing, praying, or singing. It was simply a physical space in which church activities were performed. If members needed to hold a meeting, a prayer night, or a game night, the Church Office was the go-to place. Caught in this community, however, I could not help but notice how many of the members, especially freshmen, would become more acquainted with the structure of the rooms. They would, without thinking about it, gravitate towards areas in which they felt comfortable. They would not even have to look for certain board games because they knew where exactly on the shelf it would be located. They would use the restroom without asking. I realized while I was there that the Church Office was not only a medium through which they could interact with other church members or with God, but also an integral and stabilizing part of their lives in the sense that it created familiarity. Interaction with the location itself transformed from conscious to subconscious through repetition. Stepping into the Church Office was stepping into a visually familiar space – the brown walls, the window with the old air conditioner, the cerulean couches – and this familiarity is what gave many of them a sense of comfort.

As for approaching difficulties in writing, I tend to simply spend some time beforehand in the actual site with a pen and notepad in hand, trying not to participate as an active member but a passive spectator of the room (although this is impossible since I am literally in the physical space). Jotting down inner thoughts or observations in my mind helps formulate my words and content. This notetaking aspect is especially effective because it forces my brain to become even more attentive to my surroundings. I’m constantly on the look-out for more things to include in my notes. Once all my information is compiled, it is much easier to organize it into prose.

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Stunning photo taken in Singapore by Leslie Heng

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Photography and Writing: Crafting an Anthropological Text