Finding the Story: Sequences, Themes, and Inspiration
"Finding the poems between photos. The ones that rhyme. And the ones that don’t."
Sequencing is storytelling. Been surrounding myself with photo books, my mentors, journals, and stories that inspire the vision for The Lowriders. I’m learning different ways that images can move together, how they create rhythm, share stories and invite questions.
Some Inspirational DNA: Rebeca Norris Webb, Danny Lyon, Ben Okri, Vincent Cianni, Tom Stoye, Sandra Cisneros, Alec Soth, Larry Fink, Mark Klasfeld, Lisette Poole, dream hampton, Ben Brody, and Camilo Jose Vergara. I’m immersed in their words and images and looking for other great storytellers and sequencers as I’m piecing this together.
With Alan, we’re spending hours shifting images around, searching for connections. Some sequences feel obvious—like they’ve always belonged together. Others take time, trial, and a lot of letting go!
We’re leaving some good ones on the floor, and that’s a big part of what I have to learn how to do more naturally. Thankful for collaborative processes because, embarrassingly enough, I am often not to be trusted editing my own work.
Early test spreads are making a difference and helping me do that—seeing these images in print, even in rough proofs, offers some frames new meaning and helps others to fall away. There are still gaps to fill, but this is the work.
With a full draft of the sequence complete, the next phase begins: refining the narrative. Soon, I’ll be calling on you all to preview, pick it apart, and build it stronger—together!