Last week, I mentioned that I might go find some local shops that are interesting to look at. I actually have one in mind. Last semester, I have been to this shop called “Gourmet Pottery” on Moody St, and it is a really interesting little shop. The owner is a lovely lady who told us the shop has been here for a long time. The pottery art pieces in the shop are colorful and I would say that they are perfect for photography. I would like to go into the shop and ask about how the the shop comes in mind when she first decided to open it, and maybe some stories behind each art piece. Also, there might have been some interesting stories about its customers before.
On the other hand, I am thinking about doing an interview with a friend of mine who is now running a start-up company that trades educational used books, and he is also an international student at Brandeis. I would like to know how he sees the opportunity behind this market and how the story of gathering enough money to start the business. Also, I would like to learn how he could balance the management of his company and his study at Brandeis. Maybe also some questions about young student entrepreneurs in general. It is hard already being an international student, and at the same time being an international businessman would just be unimaginable.
Both of these pitches sound super cool! Which are you more interested in? The pottery shop seems like a really good option, because you could probably get a lot of interesting photographs.
The second pitch also seems like something that many student would be interested in hearing, because it would directly appeal to business students and international students. What would you photograph for this piece?
Hi Darren,
I love your first idea. This shop sounds like a great location to explore with your camera, and it’s a beautiful idea to ask the proprietor about the stories behind the various pieces. How does she select them? Does she work with local artists? What are her thoughts about the Waltham community as a place for artisans, and how has the artisanal community changed since she began the shop?
The second idea sounds like it might work better for one of the later assignments. I don’t know that this student’s personal story would be strong enough to sustain an entire piece, but I like the idea of a broader piece about young entrepreneurs, in which you could interview a variety of them and assemble short sound bites from various perspectives into a narrative. If you’d like to pursue that kind of story, think about how you would make it visual.
Best,
Mark