Jon Crispin's Notebook

Near the end of a day’s shooting yesterday I asked Peg how many suitcases she thought we had photographed.  She went to her computer and checked the database.  We were up to 248 (out of 420) with two left to do before we shut down for the day.   So we are well past the halfway point, and I was really cheered that we have made it so far.  I shot the first case in March of 2011 and haven’t really been paying attention to the numbers, so it was a very pleasant surprise to see our progress.

John’s briefcase is particularly interesting, with a varied collection of items.  All of the onionskin papers in the background are English language word and sentence exercises.  It is possible he worked at General Electric for a time as he saved the pension and insurance plan brochures.  And he was clearly a fan of the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Dwight Eisenhower, Mickey Rooney as well as cheesecake shots of women.  The reporter’s notebook is especially interesting as it is full of a stream of conscious like composition in  his beautiful handwriting.

Thanks for all the support and interest in the project.  Cheers,  Jon