Word Player

Heidi Erwin is insanely accomplished, including being the lead designer on the popular New York Times games “Connections” and “Strands.” Yet, I was impressed when she brought some of that same focus (and playfulness) in brainstorming ideas for her conceptual portrait.

Erwin and I had a long phone conversation, and we got to kicking ideas back and forth, and we decided that be fun to build a shot around a specific word or short phrase that would be in the photograph. After then texting for a while, we landed on the words “unless” and “obstacles.“

She said that there would be plenty of room to work in her Astoria, Queens apartment, so we made the plan to shoot at her home and neighborhood. Her place was a tighter squeeze than expected, but it ended up being amusing, figuring out how to lay a 9-foot seamless between multiple rooms in a railroad-style apartment.

I had enjoyed our idea collaboration for the shoot and worried that this would be one of those shoots with rich conversations instead of taking pictures, so I was intent on remaining focused on the task at hand.

Nevertheless, perhaps there will be more fun problem-solving with Heidi in the future.

Top Image: Heidi Ewrin for Brown Alumni Magazine. Astoria, NY, June 26, 2026.

Second Images: Left: I struggled with whether the lettering was better with dramatic lighting or not. Right: A vintage dictionary tops things off.

Bottom Image: At Astoria Park, Queens, NY.