A green wooden barn with a metal roof set against a clear blue sky, partially surrounded by snow.

My Senior Thesis

A Love Letter
to the
River Road

For my senior thesis I traveled back to Minnesota and photographed a selection of small towns that border the Mississippi River from Prescott to Lake Pepin. This two day journey produced about 400 photographs, 48 Polaroids, and the written content I needed to create the book.

A Pilgrimage

A yellow index card with handwritten notes labeled "Date: 2-11-23," listing cities and corresponding chapters and page numbers. Names include Prescott, Hagen City, Red Wing, Bay City, Maiden Rock, and Pepin. Pages are numbered 6, 12, 26, 34, 44, and 52. Taped to a white surface.
Illustrated card with text "A Love Letter to the River Road, Dedicated to a Summer in Red Wing" on brown textured background, with vintage-style drawings of people and trees.

Process

For this project I avoided digital methods as much as possible. I designed each spread by cutting out photos, mocking up type, and drawing out ideas. I scanned in objects I had collected on the trip, and took a lot of polaroids that I also added into the project. The book was bound by hand and I also created a custom cover with a cutout silhouette of the Mississippi River.

The Film

To go along with the book I also filmed a short movie documenting the journey and my process. Please enjoy the intro with music by the talented Katy Kirby.

Open book with a brown card and a yellow list. The brown card is titled 'A Love Letter to the River Road.' The yellow list shows handwritten notes and addresses.
Open book displaying a photo of a green and brown barn in snow on the left page, and poetry text on the right page, set against a gray background.
Open book on gray background displaying winter landscape photos of ice formations and handwritten text on the opposite page.
Open book showing a handwritten note, a photo of the First National Bank building, and a snowy dock scene.
Open magazine showing nature photo and handwritten note
Open magazine showing a photo of an auto parts store with a vintage car on top of a trailer.
Open book showing a photo of a rustic wooden barn on the left page and an old blue truck on a snowy landscape on the right page.
Open book with a panoramic photo of a snowy landscape featuring a rocky path leading towards mountains under a clear sky.
Open book displaying a panoramic photograph of a winter seascape with frozen water, snow, rocks, and trees on the shore under a clear blue sky.
Open book showing a photo of a freight train on the left page, and a snowy landscape with a "Keep Off Pond" sign on the right page.
Open book showing winter landscape photos with ice formations on the left page, and a handwritten note on the right page.
Open book displaying a panoramic photograph of a snowy field with a large barren tree, surrounded by hills and forests under a clear blue sky.
Open magazine with two Polaroid-style photos on the left page labeled 'Red' and 'Wing', and text on the right page including stylized handwriting and a small map marked 'Red Wing'. The background is a neutral gray surface.

“I’ve lived all over the world; New York, Portugal, Arizona. I’ve travelled the globe. But this is the best place. Right here. On the river road.

— Fred, Shop Owner, 72

Old barn with green paint and a metal roof, surrounded by snow.
Frozen shoreline with ice, dried leaves, and pebbles.
Frozen lake landscape with cracks and snow under a pink sunset sky.
Old blue dump truck parked on snowy ground in scenic winter landscape with bare trees and distant hills under clear blue sky.
Large chicken statue in front of a drive-in restaurant with a sign reading "Hager Heights Drive-In Broasted Chicken," surrounded by snow.
A festive barn with holiday decorations, including a painted red truck, Christmas trees, wreaths, and the word "Joy" on its facade. Cutouts of Dr. Seuss's Grinch characters are placed outside. The ground is covered in snow, and trees line the backgro
A snowy playground with a play structure, red slide, yellow slide, and swings. Two large ice formations are visible in the background. The scene is set in a rural area with bare trees and hills.
Old car on the roof of a large weathered trailer marked 'Auto Parts Store' with signs for Gilbertson's Auto Parts and other brands; snowy ground.
A yellow note with red text saying "Thank You Call Again. We appreciate your patronage and hope we may continue to merit it. If we please you, tell your friends. If we don't, tell us. We strive to satisfy." Taped at the top and bottom.

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