Project Summary: I am writing a 6-8 page paper about how photography can be used to raise social awareness by giving a voice to individuals that are often overlooked or marginalized, namely those that are suffering from illness. With a camera in their hands, these individuals have control over how they are being perceived; this can be very empowering for the photographers and eye-opening for their audience. Through photography those that have been left in silence are able to find meaning in their lives and, most importantly, they gain a sense of hope for the future.
Outline:
• Introduction
• What is visual literacy?
• The Importance of Visual Literacy
• Applications of Visual Literacy – raising awareness, “giving voice”
• The Institute for Photographic Empowerment/ PhotoVoice
• Wendy Ewald
• “Falling Practice: What Illness Teaches Us”
• Tony Deifell
• My Client and his work
• Personal Experience - Understanding Aphasia
• Conclusion
• Direction for future work
• Introduction
• What is visual literacy?
• The Importance of Visual Literacy
• Applications of Visual Literacy – raising awareness, “giving voice”
• The Institute for Photographic Empowerment/ PhotoVoice
• Wendy Ewald
• “Falling Practice: What Illness Teaches Us”
• Tony Deifell
• My Client and his work
• Personal Experience - Understanding Aphasia
• Conclusion
• Direction for future work
I will also be asking my client J if I can use some of the photos that he took over the course of this semester to incorporate into my project.Sources:
Jorgensen, Karen, and Karen Lubin. Falling Practice: What Illness Teaches Us. San Francisco:
Silent Press Books, 2005.
Silent Press Books are an indie photo-documentary publishing firm located in the San Francisco Bay Area. The beautiful images in this book chronicle Jorgensen's battle with amythropic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Much like the images that my client J has been producing, we begin to see that these individuals continue to live very full lives. Sadly, we also witness Jorgensen's slow decline as she battles with her illness. Her photos are both inspiring and unsettling; images of her limp, lifeless legs (pg. 64) contrast so starkly with the vibrancy in her eyes.
Kreisler, Harry, Letitia Carper, and Julian Bourg. "Wendy Ewald." Institute of International
Studies; UC Berkeley; 1998. Web. 12 Mar 2010.
Wendy Ewald's work was the foundation for Tony Deifell's later projects; by giving cameras to children they were able to transform their visions into beautiful works of art.
Newton, Julianne. The Burden of Visual Truth: The Role of Photojournalism in Mediating
Reality. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.; 2001.
This book discusses the role of "Visual Truth" and how it influences our understanding of ourselves, others, and the world at large.
"Methodology." PhotoVoice. Web. 12 Mar 2010.
PhotoVoice seeks to promote self-development, advocacy, and a better standard of living through photography.
Photographic Empowerment; 13 November 2009. 10 Mar 2010.
(possible presentation ideas)
Video - "PhotoVoice.” Photovoice. 10 Mar 2010.
Photo Gallery – PhotoVoice (Mental Wealth) page 4 of 5
COMDIS Clinic – (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnBj5GaHc6k)
http://www.youtube.com/user/UCF#p/u/24F6F0768B19F480/0/avaiaaLhzlw
UCF PROFILES (Start at 6:50 to 7:30)
Potential Source ??
Tony Deifell [official website]– (Seeing Beyond Sight) http://www.seeingbeyondsight.org/
1. Should I highlight the organizations that engage in this kind of work or individuals like Wendy
Ewald and Tony Deifell?
2. How can I tie my clients photos to the idea behind the photos I obtained from "Falling
Practice..."?
3. Should I incorporate my own personal interpretation of some of the images that I have
gathered from "Falling Practice..." as well as my clients own work?
I like your project and about you writing a paper to bring awareness, and how images can bring us into understanding those who are “overlooked” as you said. It gives a story to those who are going through these problems.
ReplyDelete1. I see nothing wrong with touching on the organizations that do work for these individuals, but I wouldn’t spend too much time on this. I think its good for people to know where they can look for more information, but I would spend more time on your paper with the topics you already listed.
2. I would just use the photos J has taken, and then write about what he was conveying. Showing the world from his eyes, or maybe how his photos show his intelligence is untouched and he understands the assignments. Not too sure how to help better on this one. Sorry.
3. I feel if you do this I would save it towards the end of the paper. But if you have some good points share them!
I think you can include both the organizations and the two individuals to include examples of how people have done this and to show there are organizations helping.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Caitlin's comment, that you should include J's photos and describe what he was trying to show.
Im not sure if you should use your personal interpretation towards the images in "Falling Practice". But it might be interesting if you include some of your own interpretations towards your clients since you know and interact with him.
Very interesting project! I really like where you're going with this. Getting to your questions...
ReplyDelete1. I think that you should center your focus on the two individuals you have chosen, and if you want to maybe throw in a little bit to let the audience know that there are many like them out there. Again, I think it would be best to focus on the two you have chosen to get more information about less people rather then less information about more people
2. To better answer this question I'd need to see some of the photos your client has taken. Maybe post the ones you are thinking of using? Sorry can't be of more help...but maybe you can tie them in in the sense that they both show the world from the eye of someone with an illness.
3. I think it would be good to reflect on your own images...maybe as somewhat of a conclusion to the the project. That way you can show your experience as well as your clients with your topic.
Again, let me know which images of your clients you are using and I can help you out more with question #2. Great job so far!
Catherine
Great comments from your peers, Anna! Looks like you are well on your way. Again, this is a great topic. I recommend that you lay a good foundation in the introduction of your paper with regard to the history of organizations such as PhotoVoice and Wendy Ewald's Literacy Through Photography project (see the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke's web page - there is a good deal of information on her work there). Then, you can tie in your work with J, using those parameters.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read the paper and see your presentation!