Bird by Bird

It's interesting to think about the disciplines that can be improved by using the strategies an author would use to write. Lamott stresses the importance of creating a routine that encourages creativity. A time when we get used to tapping into that side of our brains. This sort of routine can also add structure in fields like photography, writing, art, music, etc... that may not have it inherently and may attract practitioners who don't come by it naturally. 

Her small picture frame and bird by bird strategy would be very helpful in my own work. It's so easy to become discouraged by taking on the big picture. Setting up reminders to allow us to look at a smaller part of it can help us along when we feel stuck and overwhelmed. 

Stories

I"ll start with two multimedia pieces out of Spain. One is about a man who makes suits for bullfighters, and the other is about a man who has been in a coma for over 20 years.



Justo Algaba:Sastre de toreros/Torero tailor. (ENGLISH SUBTITLES) from Miguel Fernández Flores on Vimeo.

I thought this was a nice piece combining new and old footage. It's interesting subject matter and highly visual. I don't really understand why we don't see him working. Maybe someone trying on a suit. The story has so much more visual potential than I see here.

And here is Coma.



COMA from Adriano Morán on Vimeo.

Another fascinating subject. I don't know that I'm down with the speed changes in this one. I like the straightforward cuts in the first video. I also want to get more of a sense of place. Something wider that establishes the scene.

I've been watching a lot of multimedia stories this week and they often feel a little long. Both of these could have had a tighter edit. Something like three minutes instead of five. They need to have more visual variety and more complex story-lines to justify them being five minutes.

I'll also include this portrait series by Gabriele Galimberti. This is a project called Toy Stories where he photographed children around the world with their favorite possessions. I like this one because it's beautiful, relatable an telling. Things that are the same and things that are different between work well for this series. Link below.

Toy Stories