I have finalized my story location to be about my yard, and specifically about how it has grown and changed within the time that I have lived here, and everything that I’ve overlooked until now in the process of creating this story piece. I’ve lived in this house my entire life, so I have a deep rooted connection to this place whether I like it or not. The current idea for the story in my head given the things that I’ve gotten pictures of, and the things that I know exist in my yard that I can get pictures of, are as follows:
The first portion Is likely going to be about noticing the things that have been in the yard the longest, and how most of them have either decayed or grown. (Rusted boat, rusted truck, giant tree in the center of the yard, old shed, etc.). I want to focus on how I viewed these things as a child, and how growing up, I’ve seen them either grow bigger (tree) or become more and more ingrained in the natural scenery through the overgrowth (boat) The second portion (I’m saying ‘first’ and ‘second’, but the order is subject to change), the newer things in the yard, and how they either clash or fall in line with the old and the natural (garage, new car, new garden, paved driveway, etc.). I figure this will narratively be interesting to go to after noticing all the old things changing. Next, will likely be how things have lived here alongside me, and I will add the photos of living animals in the yard and talk about how they’ve shaped the nature and the ecosystem (deer, birds, neighbors pigs, dog). Finally, end the story on the things that I’ve never noticed before, which will narratively serve as a natural conclusion about how working on this story has brought me closer to the area and helped me see it in ways I never would’ve otherwise.
Obviously, the place where I live is very important to me, so It being the chosen story location will make it very easy for me to talk about. I plan on talking about both the positives and the negatives of it to add tension/intrigue to the piece, instead of it being ‘oh wow here’s cool nature’ the entire time. I don’t think its necessarily hard to believe that the place I grew up in for nearly 20 years is important to me, so I think that adding some slightly negative parts into the narrative will make it a more interesting story, both to read and to work on. Much like the example post from the previous student who did their home, they did it with their home during Covid, which gave it a sense of seriousness and intrigue. I hope to be able to replicate some of that with my post.
(I am still gathering images- I was sick over the weekend and felt it was probably best to not go out in the rain to get more images while sick, seeing as I have plenty of access to my own home any time when it is not raining and I am not sick. I can continue the project with these for now, and will get more probably monday.)