Do Not Pass Go!
ASSIGNMENT S11
There are versions of the board game Monopoly representing cities around the world, and the presents street photographers with a great challenge; to take a photograph at the location of every square on the board. Spend a little time getting a feel for each location and seeking out the best street photography spots. That way you will have plenty of options when it comes rot selecting your final images.
As well as the properties, also shoot the utilities, the stations, and other squares on the board such as ‘free parking’ and ‘go to jail’. Try to ensure that every image conveys a strong sense of place, perhaps by incorporating a well-known landmark, iconic building or view. Don’t just snap a street sign, though – that would be too easy!
View the images
Technique
- Think creatively about what sort of image you want to make at each location and plan your itinerary accordingly. For example, some locations might be best shot at night of first thing in the morning, while others might benefit from crowds of people.
- Set yourself a time limit. In many cities it’s just about possible to do this assignment in 24 or 48 hours, although you may find that a period of a month is more realistic.
- Get together with a group of friends and make it a competitive challenge? You could even have an entry fee that goes towards a prize for the best overall collection of images(as chosen via a voting process).
Field Notes
- Forward planning will make this task much easier; work out the best order in which to visit all the locations, and the time needed to travel between the.
- This assignment is the ideal opportunity to produce a photobook, blog article, or series of images for Instagram.
- Street signs give you an obvious connection to the Monopoly board, but use them sparingly; it could get tedious if they appear in too many of your images.
- Maybe create your own board album to display your results.