Photographer Kyle Cassidy has been taking photographs of where Science Fiction and Fantasy authors write for Where I Write. The project started in 1988, when he saw where author Michael Swanwick wrote, and immediately wanted to photograph the "nest, made out of books" where multiple Hugo award winning author Swanwick wrote. According to Kyle Cassidy, Swanwick's response was positive:
"Of course," he said, "but not before I clean it up." I begged him not to but he replied "You can't stop me from doing it, nor will you be able to tell that I have."
I love the fact that Swanwick says that Cassidy won't be able to tell Swanwick has cleaned up; that's part of a personal work-space for a lot of people. They know where things are, even if the casual viewer doesn't. I love this project too— Kyle Cassidy has been accumulating photographs of SF and F writers in their writing spaces for a potential book. In the meantime, the photographs will be featured in Anticipation's (the 2009 World Con') program book.
These are lovely, fascinating photographs. I love that Joe Haldeman writes by lamplight; I love the fish-eye lens shot of where Chip Delany writes—now that's a nest of books. I'm struck, most of all, by how almost all of the writers are surrounded by books—books by themselves, books by others in the genre, and all sorts of other books—and other, fascinating things. Where and how we live says a lot about us; these photographs speak volumes. You can find some of Kyle Cassidy's other photography here; it's well worth a look.