Literary translator, editor, and grad student Kaija Straumanis has a keen eye for photography, as can be seen from her Flickr gallery. This series of self-portraits, which Straumanis humorously refers to as “stuff being thrown at my head” moments, stands out in particular. In each image, Straumanis is in the process of being hit in the face by some object, whether it is a dodgeball, a book, or even a jack-o’-lantern.
What you’ll enjoy the most about these photos is the perfectly timed capture of the moment of impact. With her hair in disarray, glasses askew, and face smushed from the contact of the thrown object, Staumanis turns these everyday scenes of walking in the park or reading a book into funny, unexpected moments of collision, which she likens to being hit by sudden realizations.
