As I discussed two weeks ago, I am working with a photographer to create cover art for the book of poetry I am getting ready to publish. In compiling my poems, there are a few key images that reoccur, and one of them is a cell phone. Because of this, I want to use my cell phone in my cover art. It is a slightly older phone, and a little beaten up from years of use and abuse. I like to think it has character.
This week my photographer David Hwang and I had a test shoot. We shot pictures of the phone on a table, in my hand, in his hand, on the hood of a car, on the dashboard of a car, on various spots on the ground, with other props, without other props and a few ways I am probably forgetting. There are a couple shots that I really like, but so far there is none that stands out as the “perfect” shot – the one that might convince a casual shopper to pick up the book and take a look at it.
It is difficult to match images sometimes. Translating the thoughts I have in my head into poetry is a significant enough challenge, meshing this with an image in my head and then translating it through another person is an even bigger challenge. It’s like having someone else feed you soup with chopsticks. It’s easy enough to get a taste of what you want, but it is going to take a lot of time and effort to leave satisfied.
This Week’s Poetry Assignment
Write a poem about a photograph, preferably one you have taken yourself.
Comments on this entry are closed.