In the Tradition of Random Thoughts #11 / $2 / :5 / 4M / PO Box 441429, Somerville, MA 02144 /
I have never seen a postcard zine. Well, now I have as this "issue" of In the Tradition of Random Thoughts is contained by an envelope and features David McNamara's photography. There is no discussion of the monument that ey has taken a picture of beyond informing the viewers what the artifacts are. These pictures have been transferred wonderfully to card-stock, the color of pictures like the Bennington Battle Monument striking the viewers with more than adequate contrast. Other pictures, such as the Clifton suspension bridge feel almost a little too cluttered; the mix of nature and human-made things is nice, but the picture feels a little too busy. The other half of the set is a mixed bag, with the picture of the Brighton pier feeling as if David has not cropped enough (perhaps it is just the distance David was away from the monument). The modernist (Barnett Newman-esque) feel of the final postcard, that of the CN towel makes up for a lot of the weaknesses of the set. David contends that the "disposable camera"…creates "a more intimate…relationship between the subject and the object", but when the picture is so far in the background that certain details become obscured, I cannot see the rectitude of David's point. There are more sets to purchase from David; there are bound to be other strong pieces in a set that seems to start off on the shaky side. Still, four original, innovative postcards for $2 is an amazing price; use them during your next vacation!
Rating: 5.2/10
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