In this photo, I was inspired by the prompt “exit,” but I wanted to interpret it more figuratively than literally. When I saw this cardboard box leaning against a trash can on the side of the road, I began thinking about transitions and endings. The box had finished serving its purpose in the home it came from and was now making its exit, either to be reused elsewhere or to waste away in a landfill. Its next chapter was unknown to me.
I was drawn to the juxtaposition between the box and the trash can. Together, they emphasize that the box’s role has come to an end and that it is now in a state of departure. To me, the image captures the uncertainty that often follows an exit, when one purpose has been fulfilled and its tossed aside, what comes next remaining unclear.