There were two main goals for this particular project: first, to turn an ordinary object into something extraordinary using photography; and secondly, to design a book cover where the image functions as a symbol of a book or play. 

'Hard Times' by Charles Dickens is all about character struggles resultant from an increasingly industrialized society. The wrench symbolizes industrialization's raw power, but the photography and typography work together to communicate a sense of tension characteristic to Charles Dickens' classic novel. 

Pushing down from the top of the book cover the wrench reaches for the text and tries to squeeze it, break it apart. The book’s title fights back as its italics oppose the direction of the metal’s dynamic compression. 

A serif font for the main title speaks to a desire for traditional preservation. ‘Hard Times’ is also in italics to suggest change and progress in motion. Contrast this font-type with the sturdy modern sans serif font used in the author’s name. 

Contrasting typographic styles suggests there is a pull in two very different societal directions- modern versus classic. You’ll notice, too, that the title is right in between the claws of the wrench. It’s at the center of power and movement, much like the characters themselves are in the novel.