Lessons 23–24: Ed Kashi—Storytelling
In using photography to advocate for groups of people, it’s vital to act with
sensitivity and humility. You never want to add to your subjects’ concerns
or problems. These situations can be a test of your ability to interact and
communicate well. Think about how you can position yourself to make
compelling images while not abusing the good graces of people who
are giving you access to intimate situations, and try to work quickly and
respectfully. At times, you may become a propagandist for your subjects:
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you bring their concerns or plights to the attention of the wider world.Visual Journaling
Of course, not everyone is involved in advocacy journalism, but many
people enjoy producing personal visual journals of their lives. With the
introduction of mobile photography—through smartphone cameras and such
applications as Instagram—you can share these journals immediately with
family and friends. Smartphone cameras allow you to get close and intimate
with your subjects in a way that’s not possible with larger-format cameras,
and mobile photography applications enable you to combine images to tell
your story. Best of all, mobile photography is accessible to all of us. You can
use your camera phone to do a form of visual sketching, experimenting with
composition and capturing color, shapes, and design anywhere you go.- Find a subject within one mile of where you live that piques your
curiosity. Your subject can relate to people, a place, or a thing. Use
your camera to explore, to learn about, and ultimately, to document this
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want to establish a sense of place. Then, you may want to include some
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story you want to draw attention to. Try layering imagery to make your
photographs complex. Above all, let your imagination run wild.
Assignment