I got this photo essay from Time online. When I first read the title of the essay it really interested me. Its called "Class Pictures" It is a group of photographs of teenagers in the United States. With each photo, there is a caption that each one of them had come up with, with a story about their lives, or challenges that they have had. After reading through this, you really do get a better understanding about how different everyone really is. You also learn things about that person that you wouldnt have known just by seeing their photos, or by even talking to them. I thought that it was a really great idea to do such a project to see how different, and similar at the same time, teenagers across america are.
After going through and reading the captions of these different people, it made me think about what I would say to someone about my life if i was asked to take a photo and write a caption. It really got me thinking about what points in my life were the best and the worst, and what's most important to me. Also, how things that we say can have a little or big impact on someone elses life. I really dont think about how I have an impact on others, or how my photos could have an imapct on another person. I am majoring in photography, and I hope that one day I will be able to have an impact on other people through my photos, the way that many people are today. I really enjoyed looking and reading this photo essay and I hope you do as well.
What do you think about each of these photos and the story behind all of them? How would you feel if you were asked to do the same thing. What would you say? And possibly knowing that it was something that several people across America would see. I think that in this case, it was important to have text to tell the story, do you agree? In what other situations would you expect to see text used or not?
3 comments:
Normally I like the pictures to tell the sotry but this photo essay was really interesting. It was very interesting to read what people chose to say about themselves. Put in the same situation, I have no idea what I would say. Several of the these students comments made me think a lot, like the one's where they wondered about people' perception of them. That made me wonder what people notice when the first see me and what my hair, cloths, and such make them think of me. It was just really cool and make you think about yourself and who you are.
Kelli - I couldn't get the picture link to the photo essay to work, but I would really love to view the essay if you could post the URL to it or something...
As for what you discussed in your blog, I had never given much thought to the matter. I wouldn't know what to say about myself. Is there a minimum or a maximum? A standard by which to compose my life's story? I suppose I could create it any way I would like. Who is to tell me how I can or cannot share my life's story... you know?
The way in which you discussed this essayist sharing the lives of many different teenagers is very creative, though. I wonder if "I" could be summed up in a photo.
Like Solari, I, too, wonder what other people's perceptions of me might be. I don't let it keep me awake at night, but I would be curious to know a few...
I thought that this photo essay was really moving... It was so interesting to see everyone's different backgrounds and the different struggles that they had been through. The second guy who talked about raising himself really hit home for me because I have many friends who have either single parents due to a death, or have raised themselves due to the lack of support through their family.
If I were to write my own, I really have no idea what I would say. I have been fortunate enough to have a very privileged life, and I suppose I could write about the blessings rather than the hardships that are in my life.
It is really eye-opening how easy it is to judge people without realizing it. As I looked at the pictures of the people, just by the way they dress and portray themselves (happy, said, blank faces) I found myself guessing what their story was. It is really sad how fast people in this world judge just based on appearance and presentation
Post a Comment