I decided to name my book ‘Chasing Dreams’ because I feel like it gives the reader an idea of the contents, and the meaning of my images. It also links with my front cover, which is an archived image of me as a child. I chose to edit the images in a dreamy style to link to the idea of childhood, and how for me, I remember places feeling magical. I chose the back image to be the shells, because it connects to the beach on the front cover, and the leading lines follow in a direction that lead through the image; foreshadowing the idea of having something to chase.

Whilst making the book, I decided to add test from a series of poems I had read to me as a child. The collection is from the Flower Fairies. They link well with the nostalgic theme, but also are based on nature and connect with the images. I selected the poems I would want, using just some sentences, or the full poem, and spreading them across pages or just on one. I carefully decided which images I would use, and made sure I kept a reasonable amount without over using them. Again, these poems and fairies are very nostalgic to me, and they help my boo feel personal in some senses.

Unlike Kawauchi, I used a variety of layouts to create an unorganised flow throughout the book. I made sure there wasn’t too much repetition of layouts, and that my best images were on double pages spreads.

I experimented placing different images next to each other to make sure there was a story being told, whilst creating an aesthetic that linked between images.

I decided to put my essay at the end of the book because it authenticates my thought process behind my images, and how I was inspired by the Japanese aethetics.

Overall, I am pleased with the outcome of my book because it captures the dream-like aesthetic I was aiming for, whilst creating a visceral and surreal feeling. Its meaning is slightly ambiguous, which I really enjoy because it gives the reader a reason to think about the meaning and what the story is. I made sure my edits all had similar colour tones, exposures and light, shadows and depth to keep each shoot alike. One thing I may have changed would be taking more photos to give a greater variety of images, like Kawauchi. However her collection in Illuminance were taken over fifteen years, so I think I would struggle to create such a wide range. I feel like I have captured nostalgia and childhood dreams in my own way, and I am happy with the overall outcome.