Documentation Project: Suggestions?

[SolaresLarrave]

Well... I always had seen myself as a kind of documentarian (does that word exist?) of my town... until I became one of the official team.

These months (from December 2005 to April 2006), a group of volunteer snapshooters (all of us local) are in the DeKalb Preservation Project, one of the activities organized around the DeKalb Sesquicentennial. In other words, we, volunteers, are documenting the way DeKalb looks now, for people to see it in the future.

There's going to be an exhibit of some pics, selected by an anonymous jury, and all the pics, digital and film, will become property of the town. Of course, the participants get free film (or CDs, if digital shooters), and we sign a form granting the city ownership of our shots. We do get personal credit for it, but not cash.

The deal is kinda sweet... but my query is now the following: What Would You Do?

Yesterday, after a heavy snowfall, I walked out with my Nikon AF and a roll of color film to "document" the way this town looks under snow. Today, I'll venture into it with my Leica and a roll of T-Max 400 because we have a rather lyrical fog.

A friend of mine said he'd document cars. I had thought about photographing people. Any advice, suggestions, tips?

Thanks in advance! 🙂

 

[taffer]

My take on it

try to focus it towards the human component. I mean, if possible, try to find somebody who is VERY attached to something, may it be because he/she was involved in its creation, maintenance, or attached in some other way.

And then, try to do it as you were interviewing somebody who is telling you the story of whatever you're documenting. If for example you're shooting a certain park, you can try to include some environmental shots of the usual visitors. Or if it's the library, talking with the usual readers or librarian, explaining them the project and asking them if they would mean being in the images.

Just my two cents on it and what I could think in 0.02 seconds 🙂

Oh, and apart from shooting, take notes of what people tells you.

 

[Skinny McGee]

i would say let your friend basically date it with cars and you take the photos that are timeless.. Kids at the Barber shop old men having coffee.. Kinda Norman Rockwell...
That is just what I think i would do.... i have seen some photos on here that will be absolutly beautiful and timeless except for that new VW.. Good luck. sounds like a very worthy project and fun.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Do not forget about the architectural stuff in the city.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Thanks for the quick replies! I'm thinking about going to the local shops and, after telling the owners, take a few pics of the employees and/or environment. The local coffee shop is full of opportunities of this kind (and college students too!). They also have weekly concerts, which I plan to hit.

Another idea is that I know, very superficially, an artist: our local blacksmith, who produces beautiful ironworks. I photographed him during a crafts fair, and he liked his pic, so I'm going to contact him to find out if he's working, or if he'd allow me to photograph him while in his shop, and also if he knows other crafts people, living in DeKalb, who would allow me to photograph them.

Let's see what else comes up.

 

[Tom Harrell]

Really sounds like a great project. Don't forget to do something of the local industry, what DeKalb is famous for. What about rail yards and grain elevators, do you have any of those?


Tom

 

[dostacos]

Really sounds like a great project. Don't forget to do something of the local industry, what DeKalb is famous for. What about rail yards and grain elevators, do you have any of those?


Tom

The City of DeKalb was founded in 1837 by Russell Huntley, and embodies all the makings of a small town, with big benefits.
The early growth and prosperity of the community can largely be credited to two things: the invention/manufacture of barbed wire and the establishment of the Northern Illinois State Normal School (now Northern Illinois University).

well now we know who to blame for Bared wire 😀

the visitor's bureau also lists 6 walking tours, that might be an interesting thing to document

 

[zuikologist]

I agree with Taffer. Try old established businesses, mom + pop stores, older people. As in many places, most of these will probably be gone in a few years.

My take on it

try to focus it towards the human component. I mean, if possible, try to find somebody who is VERY attached to something, may it be because he/she was involved in its creation, maintenance, or attached in some other way.

And then, try to do it as you were interviewing somebody who is telling you the story of whatever you're documenting. If for example you're shooting a certain park, you can try to include some environmental shots of the usual visitors. Or if it's the library, talking with the usual readers or librarian, explaining them the project and asking them if they would mean being in the images.

Just my two cents on it and what I could think in 0.02 seconds 🙂

Oh, and apart from shooting, take notes of what people tells you.

 

[Eryximachos]

You mentioned documenting cars. I'd suggest documenting the way people personalize their cars, e.g., bumper stickers, decals, paint. That human touch may be interesting to your audience of the future.

 

[julio1fer]

I have been working with very old negatives from my city and countryside recently, from 1912-1927 approximately. What I found most interesting was people, especially people doing daily things that are not done anymore, and places in the city that still exist.

If you have to choose, go for people and what they do daily. That is a timeless subject.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Thanks, Julio! I have a number of people shoveling snow... and I'll see to photograph people doing other things. After all, the project ends in April. I'm hoping for some night shots of the local architecture, as well as some of concerts at our local coffee house, merchants and people at work behind their counters. I also like the bumper-sticker idea, and I have seen some that are quite particular! 🙂

I do get to keep, say, prints, but I must turn over negatives. Or something along those lines...

Keep 'em coming!

 

[bmattock]

Just passed through that part of the country last week - where I'm from is just a bit to the south.

Here's my home town - San Jose, Illinois. Not "San Ho-zay," but "San Joe's". That's how we talk there.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[SolaresLarrave]

My Fellow Illinoisian!

I gotta look up your town, Bill! Looks very much like the small town around Champaign-Urbana, where I got my PhD. Nice pic of an elevated structure! Barn? What is it?

 

[bmattock]

My Fellow Illinoisian!

I gotta look up your town, Bill! Looks very much like the small town around Champaign-Urbana, where I got my PhD. Nice pic of an elevated structure! Barn? What is it?

I'm not sure what it is, but it has looked like that since I was a kid. Right in the heart of what we'd call 'downtown' such as it is.

Champaign is right close - San Jose is about 20 miles south of Pekin - Peoria. I lived in Morton, Deer Creek, Pekin, San Jose, etc. Born in Galesburg, lived in Rock Island, Quad Cities, Davenport, IA, and so on. Parents moved around a bit. But I'm an Illini through and through.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[nwcanonman]

Francisco,
I think you're on the right track. Documenting how the town appears now, coupled with the faces that connect with those places will be a wonderful tie-in. We'd all like to see the results ~ ; - )

 

[allthumbs]

I think I am agreeing with most of the responses when I say the most valuable photographs will capture the things that change most or that make the town unique.

Physcially, the townscape--downtown, skyline, open areas, roads, etc., as well as the people in a physical sense.

Perhaps even more important and ephemeral is character or essence, as reflected in how people work and play, where and how they gather to enjoy themselves and each other, places they avoid, the pace of life in the town, rootedness or rootlessness, their pride or ambition or apathy about the town and its surroundings and it's past and future.

It sounds like a wonderful project. I wish you luck.

 

[taffer]

Btw Francisco, in a slightly different sort of way, but just guided for curiosity, have you ever tried browsing flea markets there or even ebay for old ancient negatives or prints of photos from that area ?

Who knows what you could find...

 

[35mmdelux]

I would NOT go after documenting cars. Leave that for Detroit. If its an old town, it must have some interesting buildings, monuments, parks, and the details, the details! Store fronts, mansions, scenics, landmark trees, unusual roads and intersections. For the mostly unavoidable vehicles I'd blurr the action. Enjoy.

 

[Kevin]

The City of DeKalb was founded in 1837 by Russell Huntley, and embodies all the makings of a small town, with big benefits.
The early growth and prosperity of the community can largely be credited to two things: the invention/manufacture of barbed wire and the establishment of the Northern Illinois State Normal School (now Northern Illinois University).

Perhaps you could contact Pamela Anderson's agent and get her to come to DeKalb for a photo shoot.

Wrap her up naked in Barb Wire and shoot her in all of the local shops.

Oh God I am going to regret this.

 

[simplicity]

"Btw Francisco, in a slightly different sort of way, but just guided for curiosity, have you ever tried browsing flea markets there or even ebay for old ancient negatives or prints of photos from that area ?"

I was thinking something similar; perhaps your local library has some. You could try to shoot from the same vantage point as an old photo or two then frame them together much like a then-and-now series.