Homer's Travels: SoFoBoMo Ideas Or Lack Of Ideas

Monday, April 13, 2009

SoFoBoMo Ideas Or Lack Of Ideas

May is approaching rapidly and I still haven't decided what theme I should use for my SoFoBoMo project.  I've been debating several ideas in my head but haven't made a firm decision yet.  The themes I am considering are:
  • Old Neon Signs or Old Signs in general.  While Omaha has a bunch, I am concerned there may not be enough to meet the 35 pictures minimum.  I've counted around 14 neon signs so far and finding another 21 may be a challenge.  Of course, some signs would need more than one picture to capture adequately and, assuming two pictures per sign, I would need to find four more signs.
  • The Color Spectrum.  Take six pictures each predominately of one of six colors (red, orange, yellow, blue, and violet/purple).  I thought this might be a good theme but finding six interesting pictures of some of the colors (orange and purple especially) may be difficult.  I've walked around the downtown area looking at the colors, or lack of colors.  I never realized just how much red  and how little orange there is in this world of ours.  
  • Monuments, Statues, and Public Art.  This would be the easiest as Omaha is statue and public art happy and, to capture some statues/monuments adequately, you have to have multiple pictures of each piece of art.  The only problem is that I like color and most statues/monuments are monotone.
  • Shapes.  This would be fairly easy as well.  Take pictures of circles, triangles, and squares.  The architecture of Omaha would supply ample examples.
  • Architecture.  Omaha buildings are many, interesting, and varied.  I would like this theme better if I knew something about architecture.
  • Sun Up to Sun Down.  Open the book with a sunrise, finish it with a sunset, and fill it with 32 pictures taken during the 12+ hours in between.  The challenge here would be to take 32 interesting pictures.  My good to bad picture ratio sucks so I would have to take a ton of pictures to get what I need.  As the Wife says, it would involve a lot of running around.  This could be the most interesting theme - sort of a themeless theme actually- but also the most difficult.
Do any of these themes sound interesting?  More importantly, do any sound doable? So, what do you think?

5 comments:

  1. Well I don't want to force you to run around, but I do like the sound of the last idea.

    I also like the Color Spectrum idea. I think it would be neat to see what you come up with for that pesky orange and purple. So that one would be a challenge, but hopefully with less running around than the Sun Up to Sun Down?

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  2. I like both signs and monuments. I'm thinking of doing public sculpture here in the Twin Cities, but I also have an idea about "weapons in public", though I don't know if I can find enough of them in this area.

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  3. I think they all have interesting possibilities. Now let me ask you a question: are you more interested in "doable" or do you want something that will challenge you?

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  4. Good concepts, but I think some of them need more focus. (It's always easier to edit someone else's concepts than my own, I've discovered.)

    Instead of Neon Signs, do Neon Motel Signs or Neon Bar Signs or hand painted beverage signs, or odd fruit stand signs.

    Statues of pets or of women or of men wearing hats.

    Shapes is interesting, but it needs some kind of interplay, or visual punning, something to make it unexpected. Perhaps architectural shapes with nearby people of the same shape. Tough assignment, but it would be very funny.

    Architecture: Pole Barns of Omaha or Omaha Ho-Down (historic brothels)

    Sun Up to Sun Down--in a particular location. Make it Day at the Park or Day in the Square. Could be some real interesting human drama here.

    Color spectrum is well-focused, but would need something to visually and conceptually tie everything together.

    As far as good-to-bad ratio goes, in the olden days if you had a 1/36 ratio you were a real hot shot.

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  5. Vicky: You picked my two favorites. The color spectrum one would have a lot of running around as well but you could do it over several days. The Sun up Sun Down would have to be done in a day.

    BM: The signs idea was my first idea but, while I've found a couple more today, I can't imagine finding enough to meet the 35 pic minimum.

    GH: I'm really not sure. Obviously I want it to be doable but a little challenge wouldn't hurt either.

    Phil: I think if I limit it as you suggest, I would not get enough pictures. As for my picture taking ratio, mine is closer to 1/49 which means I would have to take 1,680 pictures (about 140 per hour) to get the 35 I need.

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