I try to not talk about projects I am working on until they are completed. There is this weird phenomena that takes place if you talk about a project too much…it never happens. At least that is my personal experience. This is why I am just now telling you about my all consuming fall 2014 project: recreating Margaret Wise Brown’s classic children’s book The Runaway Bunny using Lego photos that I took.
You may have noticed an increase in Lego bunny rabbit shots on both this blog and on my Instagram feed last fall and now you know why.
I was approached last spring to do a Lego photography book based on Herman Melville’s Moby Dick but that project fell through. Even though I was disappointed by this, it did inspire me to look for another similar project. I dismissed Moby Dick and several other books, both short and long, for a variety of reasons and eventually settled on The Runaway Bunny.
I set myself a strict deadline of December 1st for completion so I would have time to get it printed and wrapped up for my children by Christmas Eve. (I have found looming deadlines to be a good defense against the inevitable procrastination.)
I had a great time on this project and discovered some shots, like this one, were fun and easy to get.
While others, like this one, I chased for several months.
Here is my initial take away from this project:
- Goals are good.
- Complicated shots need to be pre-arranged before you hit the great outdoors.
- Working within a specific frame work is creativly freeing.
- Hand made books make awesome gifts.
- The Runaway Bunny is not as well known as Goodnight Moon even though they are by the same author / illustrator team and have much in common.
Now that I am free from the constraints of this book project, my typical free form style of shooting seems rather boring and meaningless. I guess it is time to look around for another book project!