How much can you tell about a person by looking at their things?
Paula Zuccotti started investigating this question a few years ago by photographing everything people around the world touch in a day. The subjects took notes on everything they touched and then gathered the objects later.
“Many gadgets have been designed to help us figure out what we do in a day-calories consumed, steps taken, stress levels-but the answers are already in front of us,” Zuccotti says in an email.
The project, “Everything We Touch,” is featured in a book and will be the subject of a documentary. Zuccotti, a product designer and consultant, says focusing on the items people interact with provided some insights.
“People are unified much more by their interests than by geography or age,” she says. “Someone’s photo from China can look more like someone from California than from another Chinese counterpart.”
From an 8-year-old in Melbourne to a 72-year-old in Shanghai, here's what people touch in a day.
Arki, an 8-year-old in Melbourne, likes sports.
Claire, 33, is a director and photographer in Los Angeles.
Gemma, 48, is a chef in Marrakesh.
Josh, 29, is a product designer in London.
Liu, 72, is a shadow puppeteer in Shanghai.
Nick, 39, is an industrial designer in San Francisco.
Nini, 28, is an artist and designer in Shanghai.
What do you touch in a day?
See the full set in "Every Thing We Touch," the book. Also check out the project's Tumblr for the latest images.
