Literary Photo Shoot: Take 2

Last summer I had an amazing idea of combining my passion for literature with my love for my infant son. Together we recreated some cover art for literary pieces that are pretty well-recognizable. Any parent in this photo-happy world of today can probably relate to snapping hundreds of photos of their young children. But how many of them put them on display for the whole world to see? Oh, wait. Let me rephrase. How many parents took really cute photos? Damn, probably a bunch. Well, how many of them spent ours of their summer break patiently waiting for that magic expression that matches the cover of a certain piece of literature? Ya see, I did something pretty cool.



As I took the photos (which you could see here) I remember thinking to myself "Wow, this is easier than I thought it would be." And that was because eight month old Gabriel wasn't very difficult to wrangle and position. Toddler Gabriel is a whole other story. This is partly why I only did two photographs this year. My main goal was to keep the tradition going. I'd like to continue this for years to come. If our family grows, well then I have more models. We will get older. Well then I guess I will have to get better at photoshop.

I would hope that Gabriel and I can look back on these photos as moments where I introduced him to literature. We read bedtime stories, and comic strips, but this is really Gabriel's first step into a profound world of literature and literacy. It doesn't really matter if he majors in English. That is not the point. The point is that he sees the value of literacy. That he experiences literature. That he feels what others have felt throughout time. That is my goal.

So, this year is a humble year. Next year we will up the ante.

Enjoy.

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck