I have been spending way too much time looking for the alphabet in places around town. I think this is a typical project for a graphics design class: compile a poster of images of the alphabet from everyday things/architecture etc. based on some theme. I chose the small town near me (Crozet) as my theme. My first collection of photos were rather dismal, but the collection got better over time. And the search did take me off the beaten path. When I was taking a picture of the B from the water spigot, a fellow at the construction site thought I was an employee of the developer collecting evidence that the construction crew had not put away the hose. "Ah no...just collecting letters."
I adjusted and edited the images in Photoshop and then used InDesign for the layout. I used the panorama feature of Photoshop for the header. And Crozet locals will recognize that the heading "Crozet A to Z" comes from a manipulation of the sign for our local pizza joint "Crozet Pizza" located across from the library. Sadly, I also found that I spent way too much time fixing peeling paint and removing globs of gum in the photos.
I couldn't decide between these two versions. During critique, it was suggested that the panorama was extraneous. But removing it takes away the most distinguishing feature and lure of Crozet. So I think ultimately I will use the cutout letters but put them in the Z-shaped layout that has the longest span of the panorama.
