Process Photos
Narrative of Time
As I recorded 24 hours of my life through 20 photographs, I noticed that I would often forget to take photos of my everyday tasks that would be considered the most prominent moments of my schedule. Also I found that I took many photographs of the people and objects around me that I see daily or that interested me. I think the photos that I decided to take display the types of things I notice and what I think of them as they became a part of my day.
The first photograph was taken in a friends dorm where we all gathered to hang out. I not only enjoyed the company but the decorations and lights that surrounded me. The glow that the red light reflected on the window fascinated me as I saw the shadows of my friends behind me.
The next four photos were taken on my way back from this class on August 30th. I normally pass by Union Square Park with purpose because there is always something going on. That afternoon, artists were selling art, t-shirts, and prints. The different mediums interested me; I snapped a photo. As I continued strolling along the street, I passed by large classes of children in uniform, assuming that they were on their way to a field trip. I examined each face and how diverse the school was, even though they were all dressed the same. On the same trip, I passed by a dry cleaning and tailor shop, something new that I noticed, enjoying the words that lit up brightly.
The next 15 photos were taken on August 31st. Before my 3:50pm class, I ate breakfast (unfortunately, the two eggs and avocado toast were not photographed) and a banana. On my way to class, I walked down a different route than what I normally take. I walked down East 16th noticing dozens and dozens of flower bouquets lined up for sale. I enjoyed the smell of these fresh flowers but they later reminded me that summertime was coming to an end. Shortly after the bouquets, I passed by a mailbox. I not only found it interesting because of the graffiti but because in my hometown, we do not use mailboxes like these. The unfamiliar object reminded me that I am living in a new place.
On my way home from class, I came across many people and animals that caught my eye. I passed by a woman kneeling down to take a photograph at a certain angle of two people, without a care being completely in the way of others walking. I then saw a man in a funky, colorful outfit singing (I apologize for the blurry photo, I was afraid he would notice me photographing him). As I continued on East 14th street, I passed by a homeless couple sleeping, whom I pass by almost every day. I decided to photograph them, and threw some change into their bucket. Almost reaching my residence building, I came across two dogs meeting for the first time, greeting one another. Sitting down for dinner, I dug into my kale salad and some quinoa and rice whilst watching That 70’s Show.
Later on in the night, I walked back to the University Center to work on some homework and print my photos. I took a photograph of the outside of my building, appreciating the action and the park that surrounds me. I then took a picture of a building with a continuous growing number on it, wondering what it means every time I walk past it. I took another picture of Union Square, showing that the environment of the same place alters based on the time of day. As I approached the University Center, I noticed some gourds, again realizing like when I saw the flowers that summertime is over. Lastly, I took a picture of my final destination: The New School. I photographed the front of the school because this past week and this coming semester, I will be spending the majority of my time here at The New School.
A description of my process
When I began the first draft, I created a 8×48 inch timeline. My 24- hour period was photographed from night to night. Shown in my timeline, I placed the photos taken at night towards the top and as my day continued, the photographs descended. As the day was coming to an end, I placed the photos ascending back to the top.
In my second draft, I used 18×24 inch Newsprint paper with a 2×2 inch grid. I formatted this representation of time differently by grouping the events that happened in the same period and spaced out the photos when time wasn’t recorded or when time felt stretched out.
Before I created my final draft, I sketched out my plan. I originally planned out a spiral representation but later realized that the design did not correspond with my photographs and how time felt to me throughout the day. My second design represented how the day was spent more efficiently. Finally, I used two 18×24 pieces of drawing paper with 2×2 inch grids. Similar to my second draft, I grouped my photographs in events but I also displayed a descending aspect as the period of time went from beginning to end. Instead of using photos from night to night, I used photos from morning to night to convey my organized concept of time. My final design showed that not only was my day structured but the events grouped together felt fast paced or that everything was happening all at once. Even though the use of color could have been enhanced, it symbolizes the importance of the events that were repeated throughout my day. Also, the final draft clearly shows a pattern between my personal time and time out in the real world, another aspect of my structured day.
