One synthetic place that holds a lot of memories for me is the Pirate's Cove miniature golf course in Traverse City. Designed to look like an old pirate hideout, with pieces of driftwood and parts of "ships" making up the structures, it creates an interesting imaginative oasis in the midst of the heavy traffic and bustle of Traverse City during the touring season.
An image of a fantasy, fictitious environment from my imagination:
As a kid, I played in a variety of different imaginary worlds, some one within the other, which is kind of strange, but I know I enjoyed it. One of these worlds was the fictitious land of Benselot, where my cousins and brother often played. It encompassed the entirety of my Uncle's farm, but we had divided it up into regions: there was the fort (a ramshackle lean-to we found in the woods), the palace (the old barn), the pixie forest (my uncle's truck graveyard), twisted tree forest, and others. Each place was vividly alive for us, and I think it would be fun to take some photos that combine what is really there with what we imagined.
An image of a placeless space:
This would be hard to do. I suppose some kind of void-like space would be ideal--something stark, or so full of information that there is no sense of space. This would be really hard to photograph! I would have to photograph something that was metaphoric of the internet--a highway? Eh, that's not very original. Perhaps a spider web.....
An image of a public space:
I think that a slow shutter speed, in a location that a lot of people frequent, would make an effective photo of a public space. Or, a place where a lot of DIFFERENT kinds of people gather, emphasizing the diversity of the space's inhabitants would draw attention to its universal use.
An image of a private space:
Something small and close up. The photo would need to feel framed in, I think. Maybe a photo of a chair, or a corner somewhere. Someplace that would emphasize closeness, either to the viewer, or in proximity with other things. Or, even a photo of a diary would indicate a private space of the mind.
An in-between space:
When I think of nomadic lifestyles, I often think of the college student. We spend so very little time in one place, that we never fully settle--at least, this has been my experience. Even when we set up a room, there is a temporary feel to it. Things end up in piles instead of filed away, furniture is light or second-hand. There is no permanence to a college student's abode. And I feel that this is a natural thing. I think a photo of my own room or apartment would be a good indicator of a nomadic lifestyle--I have virtually nothing on the walls, and all my paintings are instead stacked on the floor, leaning against walls. It looks like I'm in the process of either moving out or moving in at all times. The perpetual presence of an air mattress in the middle of our living room speaks to the nomadic lifestyle of our friends as well, as does the trunk of my cousin's car, which always contains an overnight bag with toothbrush. I myself have started carrying around a toothbrush and fork in my own bag. You never know when you're going to need them. Or where you're going to go next.
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