Enemies of Metal: Your Death is Our Reward

This photo essay is of my living quarters. I consider my community to be the places that surround me and that I interact with and this is what I wanted to explore in my photo essay. I wanted to capture the things that I figured an outsider, someone from the community, would first notice. This demanded that I take a step back and really look at what my house was like. I couldn’t just do my normal thing; I had to try to have a new perspective on something normally rote for me.

Usually I just go into my room and hang my coat up, set my things down, and do homework or watch a movie, but in thinking about it I realized all the things that are unique to my space – things that were pieces of me. I didn’t want to be in any of the pictures because that could influence how people perceive who I am. I wanted them to try to understand my identity through my room. I once heard that someone who spends 5 minutes in a stranger’s room has a better idea of that person than their friends, because they don’t let archetypes, stereotypes, and prejudices get in the way.

I think this relates to the photo essay in the reading this week of the urban cities project. I liked how the photographer took pictures of store fronts because they vary a lot from store to store, area to area. They say a lot about the shop, not just what it sells or does. I picked the pictures I did because the subjects are unique (or so I thought when I tried to view them with my “outsider glasses” on) and add a sense of identity and perspective to who I am. They add personality. 

 I like pictures of cats because they are funny. 

 I work at a restaurant and like to save my change. One is for quarters, the rest is for anything that isn't a quarter. Also there are cat pictures on the right and dark chocolate covered almonds on the left.

 I'm not sure what these are for.

 I like playing guitar, specifically, shredding.

 I sleep on this futon and watch TV and movies from it. Deal with it.

 This was a gift.

This was also a gift.