Plates
I am fascinated by vanity license plates. A simple combination of 7 alphanumeric characters on a piece of metal can tell a great story about the person behind the wheel. Virginia is the vanity plate capital of the United States, with more than 200 different designs available to choose from at your local DMV. They cover a wide range of purposes, some being purely philanthropic, that benefit from the money raised in registration taxes each year. Others, simply tell everyone on the road that you’re an avid bowler. An otherwise utilitarian identifier for our vehicles instantly turns into a means of self expression for drivers everywhere.
It's amazing to see how creativity dances within boundaries. Seven characters, so much to say. The plate is a canvas for the real stars of the show. I get inspired witnessing the ingenuity of my fellow Virginians combining letters and numbers to share a deep cut reference to their favorite album or just to tell a funny joke. Since moving to Richmond, I have documented many of my favorites as a testament to their originality and their success in making me smile. If you had 7 characters, what would you say?