A Mask Story — Photo Essay

Life During COVID.

Our masks have become vital to our health and by wearing one to protect others during these tough times. Brands of all sizes have turned to designing masks of all kinds and not only do we have to grab our keys and wallet when we leave our homes, but now we need to always grab a mask.

A Mask Story is based in San Francisco and a life of a mask during covid. This story will take you on the journey of the mask's feelings and ups and downs in his short life. My process for the project was to start by asking big questions about the story, visualizations, what I wanted the reader to feel, and what message I was trying to portray.

Some other questions I asked were:

• How will the narrative be told?
• Will there be a narrator?
• How will I combine the images and words? (visually)
• Will there be a nrarrotor?
• What is the climax? Or will it have a climax?
• What are the beginning, middle, and end?
• Where will this take place?
• What other characters will be in the story?
• How will the words and images interact with one another? (ex: next to one another, or interdependent)
• What is the overall tone of the photos and story?
• What is the plot?
• What is the story?

After pondering about some of these questions I came up with a list of Must-haves of points to include in the photo essay.

• Images must speak for
• Words correspond with the pictures
• Duo Specific (Images & Words convey the same message)
• Shot within the home, outside & around town.
• Shot while waking up, getting ready, putting on the mask and leaving the house, walking around the city, doing basic things, then the mask on the ground? Or starting in reverse order?
• Beginning — the mask is a form of survival. (Feels loved, wanted, and needed)
• End — the mask is no longer needed. (Forgotten & left behind)
• Middle — the mask spends quality time with its owner and enjoys his life.
• The message of the Story: This mask’s short-lived life, was deeply loved and taken care of for that one year, then forgotten about and left behind to never be picked up again.
• Modern Day — Happy Sunny SF to Sad

Storyboarding

Next Step I moved to creating multiple different storyboards to finalize the best visuals and words to create an impactful story.

Storyboard #1

I wanted to think out different endings for each story. One story was about the mask just being left behind, but the other ending would be the mask being given away. I thought out different visuals for each part as well, either shooting at the park or walking down the street. Below are my two storyboard options along with alternate endings for the story itself.

Storyboard #2

A Mask Story

I feel so loved today, I got a chance to freshen up and get ready. I’m lucky to share a home with her. She tells me she loves the feeling of me pressed against her face. She validates me, telling me there is no one like me when there are so many who look like me. She compliments me and takes the utmost care of me. I think I am the front runner.

I’m excited we’re leaving the house today.

It has been a few days since we’ve left. I wonder where we are going. I miss the wind against me and being outside.

I really wonder where we are going today. I see us heading downhill into the city. I wonder if it’s that park near the water.

She finally reached out to me today. It’s been months since we’ve spent quality time. It’s been weeks or even months since we must have gone outside together. I don’t even remember the last time I got to freshen up.

She grabs me tight and walks out the door, I wonder where we are going this time. We’re heading down hill.

(Option 1) Looks like we’re headed to the thrift store which she loves to go to, but I wonder why we’re headed to the back of the thrift store.

Wait, What is going on? Why is talking to this lady? STOP! DON’T DO IT. I need you to live.You told me I was special, you took such good care of me. How could you give me away so easily.

Alternate Ending

(Option 2) Looks like we’re headed to the roof, after a long time.

Wait, What is going on? STOP! DON’T DO IT. Don’t leave me here. I need you to live.You told me I was special, you took such good care of me.

Before I finalized the photo essay I decided to play with the visuals of the essay itself. I played around with a simple border vs a film border along with fonts to choose the perfect photo essay — the option on the right.

Final Thoughts

As I was working through this concept, I found myself going back and forth on the idea of having the women in the story, but thought it was not needed. I did want to make sure that the copy doesn’t necessarily give away that it’s the mask’s point of view.

If I did this project all over again, I would definitely spend more time brainstorming different visuals for each photograph, I would also put more thought into the interactions between the story and the photos. I would have also loved to edit all the photos so they are the same hues and tones to again tell that cohesive story.

Overall this was a fun exercise and helped me realize how words and photographs are both extremely powerful when telling a story and every aspect counts.