-DRAFT VERSION-
When you look across a room, when you cross paths on a walkway, when you're walking in your own little world, where does your gaze fall? Everyone walks through the world and on their feet, supporting every step, is a shoe. Some walk through the world with their heads down, and their first impression is of a person are the shoes they choose to wear.
High heels. Boots. Sandals. Tennis shoes. Wedges. Clogs.
All functional. In their own way. Even if they look similar, each has its own unique story. Each has tread a unique path, has taken steps and paths, splashed through puddles and plodded through snow that no shoe will ever experience in the same way.
-NOT FINAL-
I really like the concept you are going with in the draft version. It is short and sweet and I am able to use my own imagination. I find myself wanting to look at other people’s footwear and think about where those shoes might have taken them. As it stands, though, the piece is lacking. I would like to know your thoughts on the paths the shoes in your photos have taken. At least a glimpse. If not that, then I might like to see some expansion of the existing statements. How do we apply meaning to someone else’s shoes? When we see a pair of shoes, as we’re wandering off in our own little world, do we examine the rest of the clothes attached to the personality wearing them and, consequently, change or validate our initial impressions of the shoes? Shoes are metaphors to the uniqueness of a person, so you are giving the shoes their own personality, so tell me about the personality of the shoes in your photos (i.e. the red Chucks love summers and feel helpless in the rain; the boots work hard and go to bed stiff, wake up stiff but still get the job done; etc.).
ReplyDeleteI had a bit of an error when this loaded, so more than half of it is missing. I appreciate the feedback though, and I will definitely be thinking of it when I am shooting more photos.
ReplyDeleteHi Tess –
ReplyDeleteMy college girlfriend could remember the shoes of everyone in any particular place we met, and I was so surprised by that. I never had even noticed shoes before, much less used them to make assumptions about people. Gender is an amazing thing sometimes.
Your brief piece seems to get a little bit at this idea of “shoes making the person” (a concept which makes me recoil with inadequacy, actually) – it starts to move toward a sense of what it means to use something like shoes as evidence of identity, either intentionally on the part of the wearer or from the point of view of an outside observer.
Your photographs are all of feetless shoes – does the shoe change when it is on a foot? How? What statement does an unworn shoe make? You may not have time, but you might be able to add to your photos in a way that plays on this as well.
You’re a strong, creative, and open writer. I’m looking forward to where you take this. Remember to keep “play” at the center of your writing here – it should be fun to develop and explore the ideas you’re working with.
Kirk