Sonder

A couple months ago I came across a blog post entitled "Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows". A long list of madeup emotions for those feelings that everyone gets, but can't quite put a finger on what it is. I became intrigued and started studying the vocabulary. The first word on this list was Sonder, and this project represents what my visual interpretation is. One of the challenges I give myself is to make the mundane seem amazing. No better time to put that to the test then during a massive snowmelt. Very quickly, this day of shooting became a social experiment. Between watching chunks of dirty snow, I started noticing themes. I saw just how distracted everyone is. The one or two faces I came into eye contact with were some of the most meaningful experiences I had all day. Shooting in slow motion makes you realize this even more. A 1-3 second glance becomes a full-on conversation.

One of the most haunting things about projects like these is the simple act of observation. You're capturing raw emotion and actions without acting or scripts. When you go home and open the footage, it can be chilling how many dots you can connect between total strangers. It's undirected direction; truly daunting and beautiful. Thank you for watching.