My project is inspired by the Dreamland Photography exhibit at the Met. I took pictures of my friends recreating a stereotypical slumber party, complete with face masks, pillow fights and boy conversations. I displayed these photos in a scrapbook because I felt that that was where they belonged. The mood of the book seems very innocent, until you get to the last few pages, which show the girls sleeping. This brings an important question – who is taking the photos? The photographer is not in any of the pictures.
I’ve thought of two theories for this puzzle. One idea is that the book was created by a another girl who wasn’t invited to the slumber party, but snuck in and took photos in a desperate attempt to make a scrapbook, and to feel loved. The other idea is that the book was made by a creepy, crazy old man who took pictures of the girls sleeping through the window. In either case, the scrapbook is quite voyeuristic. There is very little connection between the photographer and the subjects. While the reader may feel like they are experiencing the slumber party, they are actually only watching from afar.
