#MediaMonday: The Women of Photo
Good Morning Everyone,
When I was in high school, I did not have a media program.
The closest thing offered to me were arts courses. Within one of those courses, I learned to shoot and deeply love black-and-white photography. Coming into teaching media, photography was one of the most foundational skills that I was able to bring to the studies of visual representation in my media and journalism classroom.
In journalism, a photojournalist has the strange ability to freeze a moment at its most dire. They capture the world in ways that can move people to action and to tears. It is the most mesmerizing magic of speaking volumes with the most minimal of content.
I love photojournalism and this week, for National Women's History Month, I wanted to focus on the work of one extraordinary photojournalist: Heidi Levine.
Heidi is an American photojournalist who has seen it all: revolutions in Egypt, wars in Lebanon, terror attacks on the Gaze Strip, everything. As her photos have been featured in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Forbes and others, her work is very well-known and her accolades are endless. She is often seen wearing a combat helmet with her cameras slung around her neck.
Heidi is often described as fearless and exhibits a strong compulsion for social justice and showing truth to the world.
So this week's lesson is: Tell Me the Story.
First, go to Heidi's Instagram @Heidi_levine and have the students look through the pictures.
(Please note that Heidi covers some fairly intense events in human history, meaning that there will be blood and adult-themed topics and images covered in her work. Therefore, if this doesn't fit the maturity of your students, choose another photographer from the CNN article below that will suite the needs of your students better).
Next, have each student choose 1 photo from the feed that they connect with.
For 5 minutes, have the students write about everything that they see in the photo and what thoughts and questions are evoked from their observations. Encourage the students to allow their writing to wander wherever feels natural.
After the 5 minute, have students share their photos and some of their writing with their peers in small groups.
Take a few volunteers and have them share, whole class.
Discuss their takeaways:
What surprised them?
What did they like?
What questions do they have?
What kind of stories would a photo fit best?
As you do this, you will realize that photos speak volumes. Students, through this careful observation, can and will notice all of the nuances and subtleties to photojournalism and start to see these types of photos with more than a casual glance.
This quick lesson is great for a Zoom day and can also be extended by having the students go shoot some photos themselves.
If you would like to learn about some additionally awesome female photojournalists, check out this great article with CNN.
Talk to you soon!
Josh Cantrell