Photojournalism Project: Photo Essay

Project Goal: Each student will create a photo essay on a selected topic of their choice.

Although each student is able to select their topic, not all subjects will work for the project. Addressing the topic of cancer and its ripple through the patient's life would work quite well. Body image and the thought process of someone immersed in an internal dialogue of body image and comparing their body to the "ideal" would also be a substantial topic worthy of the project. Please select a topic that you are either personally involved with, have been affected through others or have close connections with.

Each student is required to spend several hours browsing the links provided on the right column.

Please view the following PDF Photo Essay: HERE

War Photographer prompt here

Steps of the project:

1. Select topic. (This is easily assigned, but often difficult to decide upon).
2. Logistics and purpose. Determine how and why you will be addressing the selected topic. The topic should be powerful/controversial/lacking neutrality. Please take the opportunity with this project to powerfully and passionately share a topic. Without these two ingredients, it may be difficult to successfully complete the project . Selected topic and purpose needs to be written in detail and posted to the foothillart blog by 2/16, (10:00 pm) 10 points
3. Creation of the images, storytelling time. Address the challenge of translating a topic into imagery. If the topic of the project is cancer, how can this effectively be shown to an audience? A photograph of cancerous cells may not be interesting, but the family that these diseased cells affects might make for a more compelling photo essay. Great thought needs to be infused into the creation of the images.
4. Once the images are created, they will need to be edited down to 10-15 finals. All unedited pictures are due on 2/22 10 points..
5. Text. The images are to be powerful in their own regard, but by adding the story behind the images and why they were created, you will inform your audience. As with the images, great care needs to be given to the writing process. The phrasing, the font style, color, type of paper used, text placed on paper, written directly on the photographs, affecting the paper. All of these elements are to be used to strengthen the project.
6. Once the images are printed, the text will be incorporated with the images onto a mat board or some other display sheet.
7. The projects will be displayed and the class will have an opportunity to hear about the project and write comments/critique.

Completed project due 3/

Project is worth 100 points

Project rubric can be found here

Links to various topics here