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Getting Started: Note to Students Visual imagery is a powerful technique for thinking about and reflecting upon relationships, especially for those of us who are very comfortable expressing ourselves with words. The purpose of this assignment is to encourage you to think about families in a different way, more visually than linguistically. For this project, you will select a series of photos that can be meaningfully organized around a central theme. Any theme related to family or marriage is appropriate. For example, you may wish to focus upon how race or ethnicity shapes family life by visually documenting your own family's ethnic/racially inspired traditions and rituals. Or perhaps you want to explore what it means to be a teenager in today's family/society by following one teen through his or her household for one day. Be creative and experimental. The only restriction is that the images must not be illegal and if you are taking the photos in private settings, you must obtain written permission from your subject(s) PERMISSION FORM The photos may be obtained in various ways. You may shoot photographs
specifically for this project or have a friend do so. You may use
photos from your own or your friends' family photo albums. You may
obtain photos through published sources (e.g., books). You can also
search websites for photos. Photos may also be obtained from a stock
art archive on the internet. If you choose the latter, one of the
best places to start looking is: www.corbis.com or www.ditto.com,
where you can search by keyword. These sites also allow you to copy
photos into a word file or print them. Take a look at some of the sample photographic essays and you'll see that they can be organized in different ways and can be used to relate different messages. In some essays, such as "SIBLINGS", the stories themselves guide the essay. This essay is also a powerful example of how students can begin to link personal family experiences with larger social forces that shape families and individuals. In other essays, such as "BLENDING A FAMILY", the photographs add visual interest but are not directly connected to the text. In this example, the power of the essays stems from the respondents' honesty and openness in communicating about a very difficult experience in their lives. When using photographs from the Internet, it's more difficult to tell a cohesive story because you're not likely to find photographs of one particular family or couple in all the settings you might desire. In these cases, it's best to organize the essay around a central theme. For example, in "SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES", the student selected photographs that reflect four perspectives on divorce. In "TRANSITIONS", photographs of couples at different stages of their lives were obtained to tell a story about how marriages and relationships change over time. Some topics you might wish to explore may be sensitive and controversial. In these cases, extra care must be taken to protect the privacy and safety of your subjects. In one essay, "SAME-SEX COUPLES", the faces of the subjects are hidden for this reason. No matter what the topic, always check with your subjects to find out how public they wish to be and always honor their requests. You will probably need somewhere between 8-10 photos to adequately tell a story, but remember that a few powerful images are far better than a dozen that are highly posed and lack sociological insight. Remember also that your photos should focus on a theme. Great photos that are disconnected from such a theme will surely disappoint. Each photo should contain a caption with the following information:
Each photographic essay must also be accompanied by a short written text (approximately one page) that discusses the overall theme and how the pictures relate to this theme. There is no required format. The photos and text may be presented in a traditional photo album, on standard 8 1/2 x 11 paper, a poster board, or any other way you think is appropriate. Collaboration: You are encouraged to discuss your ideas
and project with other students in the class and receive feedback
from them. However, you are not allowed to use others' photos unless
you have received permission from the instructor (and student) to
do this. The text must also be written by you and may not be borrowed
from other students' work. |
