Shutter Sisters

Snapped, Stamped and Sealed

By

When I was just about to turn six, my family moved half way around the world from Seoul, Korea to Chicago.  In those days, the primary mode of communication with our family back in the motherland was through letters.  Ever since, I’ve had a soft spot for the epistolary form.  There’s just something about the physical act of writing a letter, seeing your words in your own handwriting, the thrill of sealing and stamping a letter, the finality of slipping that envelope into the mailbox, the anticipation of receiving a response.

Living in the digital age, I admit that my letters–stamped and sealed–have become few and far between.  I find that really sad because when I first became serious about photography, it was this very discipline of writing letters that helped to shape my narrative style of documenting the world around me.  So now, I would like to get back into the habit of sharing the stories of my life with one person at a time, and with a pen and on paper.  However, photography has become such an important part of my life that I would like to include that as well, and I think I know just what to do.  I will begin my letters with an image that I’ve captured and start the story there.  This will be the perfect combination of the two practices that I hope to integrate into my everyday life.

If any of you would like to get started on a similar project of combining images and words snail-mail style, I’ve got a giveaway that may help you along.  To celebrate Giveaway May, I am offering up a dozen different photo postcards to be chosen from this Flickr set.  Just leave a comment before Monday at midnight (Chicago time) with a link to an image (your own or other’s) that you think would be a great intro to a letter, and you’ll be entered to win.

Comments

  1. I was so excited to see this I have just become a member of postcrossing – for exactly that reason I miss the sending and receiving of mail. I have searched my town for lovely postcards to no avail. If I was to use a photo as a story starter I would choose this one
    – http://www.flickr.com/photos/14512838@N08/4573914117/in/set-72157623858093027/
    and share the story of our Autumn picnic . I snapped the sign because it made us giggle – taken in a park with just a trickle of water no fish could possibly be there but it certainly gave us much to talk to about.
    Beautiful postcard images thanks for the chance!
    Tamar

  6. I have somehow just found your blog and I love it! I am a budding photographer and your images and stories give me such inspiration. I’ve become a subscriber and am eagerly awaiting reading more!

    xo – Erin

  7. I love this idea. There’s something extra magical about opening up the mailbox to find something from a friend.

  9. Send a letter – the cost of the stamp. Print a photo- the price of the paper. Combining words and images-priceless.

  10. oh, it’s quite hard to choose which i’d like to start with, but i think i’d like to write to my best friend with this one…
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierraromeo/3616256674/in/set-72157624062535310/

    i’ve never quite learned the art of letter writing, probably because i never practiced. and i think it is sad, too. for people in general, but for me personally especially, because i feel i can communicate to those i know better through letters than verbally. but i have never made it a priority. i think it is a really lofty goal to have in this day and age of instant communication.

    your set of postcards is beautiful. i love the mix of subject and mood.

  14. I love getting and sending mail. I have recently rediscovered postcards. What a fun give away.

  15. Wonderful idea. I was lucky enough, back in the day, to experience several great, ongoing correspondences. A friend would go off to college or someone’s family would move away and then the letters would start to appear in the mailbox. I still remember the thrill of seeing them waiting there and, all these years later, I still treasure them. Technology is great but nothing compares to putting pen to paper.

  18. Yes, yes, yes. I have been writing letter since I was a little girl. Since my Mom died, however, I have written very few letters to anyone else. I do write an occasional one, but tend to focus too much on email or social networking. I too feel I should be going back to those regular letters I used to write. Oh and that anticipation … yes.

    Here is an image I took quite recently of some farmers at a closing out farm auction. Definitely a real conversation — er, letter — starter!!

    Diane

  21. Why link to one of my own awful snapshots when your Wayfarer at http://bit.ly/cckf7Y is EXACTLY PERFECT for a friend who is starting over after a failed marriage? (That girl needs to hop on her Wayfarer Flyer and start out on a new road…and no, it wasn’t the one she’d planned to take, but who knows how sweet her trip will be once she starts pedaling!)

    Take it from me! I’m pedaling for all I’m worth! 🙂

    P.S. Guess I’d better slow my Flyer down and write her a letter…

  23. Oh, I love this idea! Really!
    I deliver mail part time as a rural mail carrier. My favorite part of the job is placing letters or cards in the mailbox knowing that the receiver will be happy to get the greetings.

    And a image that would make a good intro or postcard?
    I pick this one quickly, and because I like it:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/6riddles/4461635448/in/set-72157623017471431/

    It has been fun reading everyone’s comments and inspiring to see their choices 🙂

  24. I absolutely love writing and receiving letters. There’s something so wonderful about going to the mailbox and getting something other than bills from the mail.

    I just adore the postcard set you shared on Flickr. It would be so great to make postcards of our own. What a cool idea!

    Here are some photos that I think would work:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/30912270@N03/4586078722/

  26. What a wonderful idea! Snail mail certainly isn’t as common as it used to be and I miss the giddyness that comes from opening a handwritten letter. Those photos are gorgeous!

  29. I love letter writing! I used to keep a written correspondence with my now deceased French aunt. There was, as you write, such anticipation waiting for the return letter: new comments, questions, ides shared. A true conversation thru words.

    I would like to submit this photo from a trip to Florence earlier this year. It was an "impressive" trip, in that there was so much to absorb.

    http://www.onlindenway.com/index.php?id=6945407171997313173

    Enjoy your blog very much!

    Andree

  30. This is a way cool idea! An idea that I think I should run with for myself, personally.
    You are so right, the art of letter writing is passing us by with the avenue of email, texting, etc. I must get back to sending messages via the post office.

    My photo would probably depend on who I am sending my snail mail to. For a general note, I think I would go with the following photos of mine.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibeeeg/4603604497/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibeeeg/4603597899/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibeeeg/4585245374/

    I love this kind of stuff, so I could go on and on ….

    It has been fun looking at other commenter’s choices.