Photography Projects

 

For this assignment you will go out in the cultural field (of Southern California) and complete one or more of the following projects:

 

A Photo Observation

A Photo Interview

 

Specifications for Photography Projects:

 

 

1) Create a power point presentation with thick descriptions

2) Submit it on a thumb (USB) drive, email it as an attached file or post it on www.slideshare.net and email the link to your professor: LeannaPhD@outlook.com

 

You MUST take your own photographs!!!

DO NOT submit more than 10 slides for an assignment.  (Select the ones that best tell your story.)

 

PHOTO OBSERVATION:  

 

For this exercise you will need to attend an event in which it would be acceptable for you to shoot photographs of strangers.  Come with the eyes and ears of an anthropologist and make note of everything the "natives" do.  You can go alone, be the guest of a "key informant," or go with a co-researcher.   A class photo shoot will be organized on a Saturday morning to offer interested students assistance in using their cameras and accessing useful subject matter

 

Possible Photo Observation Venues:

 

    lGay Culture  lSingles Bar  lHockey Fans lFootball Fans lRave Party

    lHomeless Shelter  lPool Hall  lDog Park lTattoo Parlor  lSports Bar  

lHealth Spa  lBeauty Parlor  lCar Racing  lLow Riding  lSurfing  

     lSwap Meet  lMusic Concert

 

Outline for Presentation:

 

Title (name of project [pick something creative!], your name, name of course, instructor’s name, date of completion)

 

Pick 10 photos that reveal cultural activities, how space is used, dress, ritual behaviors, cultural rules

 

Write thick (detailed) descriptions that help us to understand the needs this culture satisfies and how they are satisfied. Describe the ways the cultural practices are effective.

 

PHOTO INTERVIEW:

 

This assignment invites you to create a photo profile of someone who interests you.  You might want to pick someone who is culturally different from yourself.  Think about the groups that you have little or no interaction with or knowledge about and that you are curious to learn more about.  Try to choose someone who is different from you in multiple dimensions of diversity (i.e., race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, age, social class, religion, primary language, etc.).

 

How to Proceed:

 

  1. With your subject’s permission shoot a series of photographs that you and they think reveal who they are and how they live.  They may want to change costumes and show you who they are in different settings that they inhabit.  (You may choose to focus on one aspect of their cultural world…and just photograph that.)
  2. Print out the best photos and return to have them reflect on what they say.  Have them write out their responses…
  3. Prepare a presentation that incorporates their comments on who they are, what their cultural practices mean to them as well as your anthropological view of their world(s).

 

Outline for Presentation:

 

Title (name of project [pick something creative!], your name, name of course, instructor’s name, date of completion)

 

Pick 10 photos that best reveal the uniqueness of the subject you chose.

 

Using thick descriptions PLUS your subject’s commentaries to tell us what is culturally unique about your subject.