- Writer's block: How do you visually describe feeling stuck?
- Daphne Strassman, Brookline, MA writer
I recently collaborated with the lovely and insightful writer, Daphne Strassmann, in creating a shoot that represents feeling stuck creatively. Whether a writer, artist, or photographer for that matter, every creative person has faced their inner well running dry. This shoot evolved as Daphne and I were having coffee together, and she mentioned being mid-transition both literally and figuratively, and how it had affected her work; half her house had no furniture in it due to moving and construction, along with other significant changes weaving through her work and her family. All these disruptions in her external life had affected how she moved forward with her memoir.
Something about the way Daphne described her empty rooms called to me, along with what was happening in conjunction with her life, and I wanted to capitalize on that while photographing this very thoughtful person. I felt really excited as she described her empty rooms. So, as I arrived at Daphne's place in Brookline, MA, I was delighted by the raw structure of the space as well as the feeling of only slightly ornamented emptiness I found.
Only minimally draped furniture, and just a few odds and ends decorated the room, as Daphne took her place in it. Only her glasses and the notebook she used for her note taking were well-used items. I had Daphne either gaze at me our out the window as I worked and tested, noting her body language as time went by, and noticing when she didn't react to me any more, as I blended into the unheeded draped furniture surrounding Daphne, only calling quietly to look towards me occasionally when she had settled into her own thoughts.
