Photo Essays--How-to

Today we will be finishing up our Dan Eldon responses.  Many of you need to write your essay response, I know.  There will be time to do this.

Also, you need to get going on your photo essays which will be due next Monday for presentation.

We'll go over some essentials of taking good photographs and start working with a planning sheet.

For now, please read the information and advice on these web sites:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Photo-Essay
http://www.collectivelens.com/blog/creating-photo-essay 
and

http://www.collectivelens.com/blog/how-choose-photographic-essay-topic 

Also:

http://photophilanthropy.org/award/photo-essay-tips/ 

Here's how to do a photo essay in iMovie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQZLasBSZ8s

A student photo essay project:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jevG-cJZBvM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1g2Wk1gPYI 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxDsaj0kdEU

Dying to Tell the Story

Dying to Tell the Story/ Dan Eldon

 Dan Eldon and Photojournalism

Please write a personal response to the Dan Eldon video, "Dying to Tell a Story," with  at least a page of thoughtful, double-spaced prose that you will print out. Also post your comments for blogging and responding to one another. Try to answer the follow questions:

1. After seeing the video, how has your view of the function of journalism in the world changed, broadened, evolved? Are the journalists/photojournalists who work in conflict zones and report for news agencies simply crazy for risking their lives, or do they perform an important service for us all? Why is it imperative that stories of what is happening in places like Somalia, Sarajevo, and Darfur be told?

2. Do a little research. Find out how many journalists have been killed in the world in the past year? How many reporters have been killed in Iraq? Afghanistan? Just recently, Egypt?

Read:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1353344/One-journalist-killed-dozens-attacked-detained-military-finally-intervenes-try-stem-violence-Egypt.html

and:
http://www.cpj.org/killed/2010/





Suggested Activities

Responses to War

Conflict zones are filled simultaneously with humanity’s most brutal treatment of itself and its most compassionate responses. Photojournalists interviewed in Dying to Tell the Story, along with the film clips and photographs found in the documentary, develop the theme of men and women responding with courage and compassion in the most dangerous places on earth.


WRITING SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDENTS:

* What traits does it take to be a good photojournalist or war correspondent? Explain your answer.

* Describe a time in which you have been in a frightening situation that required immediate attention (such as a fight or a bad injury requiring emergency room attention). How did you respond and feel?

* Think and write about a time in which you responded compassionately to someone who

treated you unfairly or unkindly.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

* Do you have preconceived ideas about people involved in wars: terrorists, soldiers, relief workers, journalists? About war in general? What are they, and how do you think you arrived at your opinion?

* Do you tend to stereotype the traits of courage and compassion by gender? Give examples, then look for examples in Dying to Tell the Story that override the stereotypes.




After Viewing: Suggested Activities and Discussion Questions

1. COURAGE

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

* Carlos Mavroleon and Des Wright discuss the image of the "cowboy photographer." What is meant by this term? How does one draw the line between true courage and foolhardy bravery? In what ways do the many journalists interviewed dispel the cowboy image? Consider BBC war correspondent Martin Bell’s refusal to wear his protective flak jacket when interviewing civilians caught in the Bosnian crisis. Defend his contention that he is courageous and not foolhardy in this action.

* Acts of courage are discussed and portrayed throughout Dying to Tell the Story. Who is courageous in conflict zones? What does it take to be brave? Can anyone be courageous? When have you been especially brave? How does it feel? Does courage involve fear? In what ways?

* What in the documentary illustrates Dan Eldon’s courage? Amy Eldon’s?

2. COMPASSION

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

* Consider the negative stereotype that photojournalists must be cold to film victims of war rather than reaching out to help them. In what ways does Dying to Tell the Story dispel that stereotype? Discuss clips of Dan Eldon, Peter Magubane, and Mohamed Shafi that illustrate their compassion.