8.1: Photo Essay Assignment and Introduction
- Page ID
- 273310
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)The Photo Essay
The cliche, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” underlies the spirit of a photo essay, an attempt to express a complex idea or understanding through a curated series of photos. The photo essay is a well-honed tool for social justice in the U.S.
Jacob August Riis, in 1890, published “How the Other Half Lives,” in which he shared photos of impoverished families, children, and lives in New York City (Christina Stanton, “The 19th Century Photographer Who Shined a Light on American Poverty,” Saturday Evening Post, August 18, 2023). The photos galvanized the Progressives of the time to focus more on public health and sanitation in the urban environment (See Jimmy Stamp’s “Pioneering Social Reformer Jacob Riis Revealed “How the Other Half Live” in America,” Smithsonian Magazine (May 27, 2014)).
In the 1930s, during what is known as The Great Depression, the federal government introduced work projects through the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure while providing employment to citizens (See “Works Progress Administration” in history.com (September 13, 2022)). Beyond social security, some of our strongest social programs to provide safety nets for the most economically vulnerable citizens date from that era (See Patricia P. Martin & David A. Weaver’s “Social Security: A Program and Policy History,” Social Security Bulletin, 2005).
But what about our artists? They too were employed to create social commentary and to provide snapshots of the U.S. through what was then known as the Federal Writers’ Project, the Federal Arts Project, and other programs. A few such works produced in that context include
- Richard Wright’s 1941 collaborative work with Edwin and Louise Rosskam to document Chicago’s South Side through photos in 12 million Black Voices (See Jeff Wimble’s “‘The Noise of Our Living’: Richard Wright and Chicago Blues” (DOAJ)) ;
- Farm Security Administration’s photo collection of the nation’s farmers and agricultural workers (The Farm Security Administration Photographs in the First International Photographic Exposition, April 18-19, 1938 [graphic]); and
- A collection of interviews and photos of people who had been enslaved before 1865 and were still living in the 1930s (Slave Narratives, Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-1938), among other works.
The tradition continues with the work of John A. White. His 1970s collection of photos of Black Chicago tells a rich story of the joys and struggles of the Black experience in Chicago. Immediately after this chapter, you will see 40+ of his photos with their original captions. As you review the photos, consider what story is being told about Black Chicago in the 1970s. Then consider what story you might tell about Chicago today; this section invites you to create your own photo essay.
Relation to English 96 student learning outcomes
Reading
- Apply a variety of reading strategies to successfully decode texts, including:
- Activating background knowledge;
- Identifying stated and implied main ideas and supporting details.
- Explaining the meaning of new words by using context clues, word parts, and dictionary skills;
- Generating questions before, during, and after reading; and
- Summarizing a text through the identification of main ideas and supporting details.
Critical Thinking
- Engage in practices of critical thinking while reading and writing, including:
- Recognizing patterns of organization to better comprehend and analyze text;
- Interpreting a text and supporting the interpretation with evidence; and
- Analyzing and evaluating a text in connection with other areas of knowledge, including text to text, text to self, and text to world.
Writing Through Reading
- Respond to course readings by writing essays that
- Use textual evidence from the readings;
- Incorporate appropriate focus (including a thesis statement), organization and support;
- Demonstrate unity, coherence, and clarity;
- Support claims with examples, explanations, and details;
- Integrate source material and utilize appropriate documentation practices;
- Synthesize personal, social, and textual connections;
- Apply a variety of invention strategies . . . to generate ideas for writing projects; and
- Employ a recursive revision process through multiple drafts that integrates peer and instructor feedback into the finished writing and that includes self-editing strategies.
Sample Curriculum
This assignment is designed to be completed in two to three weeks.
Week 1, Class 1: Introduce photos essays using one of the photo essays mentioned in the introduction or another of your choosing and then introduce the overall assignment.
Homework: Review John H. White’s photo collection and have them jot down answers to the discussion questions and/or simply note their favorite photo and write two sentences discussing why.
Week 1, Class 2: Review discussion questions. Go through descriptive writing workshop with a focus on topic sentence writing.
Homework: Have them choose an aspect of Chicago to explore and take at least one photo for discussion in class.
Week 2, Class 1: Have students share their photos with each other, and doing pair -share, write descriptive paragraphs of each photo.
Week 2, Class 2: Mini-Presentations: Each student will share the photo they took as well as the aspect of Chicago it is supposed to represent. Viewers will ask questions and maybe offer suggestions of other photos to add.
Homework: Take four other photos for the photo essay based on the feedback.
Week 3, Class 1: Have students work on adding captions to each of their photos and then workshop a few.
Homework: Students should draft the introduction and conclusion.
Week 3, Class 2: Instructor conferences
Homework: Complete final draft of photo essay.
Assignment Description for Photo Essay
Instructions
- Choose an aspect of Chicago today to portray in photos. This could be a Chicago community area (neighborhood) or an identity group, or a park, or another grouping. Some examples might include Black Chicago, LGBTQIA, Chicago in the summer (or another season), Chicago downtown, Little Village, Scenes around Bubbly Creek, etc.;
- Take five photos — must be your own — to convey your idea of the grouping;
- Write captions for each photo that both describe the photo itself and that reflect your overall thesis.
- Write an introduction that identifies the aspect of Chicago that you are trying to convey and discuss why.
- Include a clear thesis — a clear statement of the idea that you are trying to convey.
Essay Components
- Introduction:
- Your introduction should identify the aspect of Chicago that your photos cover. The last sentence of the introductory paragraph will be the thesis statement, which answers the following question: How should your viewers see this aspect of Chicago?
- Five photos with captions
- Conclusion
- What is one thing you would you like readers to take away from this photo essay?
Criteria for Grading
- Introduction/Conclusion
- Thesis Statement and Organization
- Photos
- Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling: Your final essay overall should be revised and error-free. This may mean visiting a tutor who can proofread or visiting your professor during office hours to review your essay line by line.
Writing Process
- Drafting Process*
- First Draft [I will grade the first draft based on the rubric. If the final draft addresses the feedback in the first draft and improves the essay, the first draft grade will convert to 100.]
- Final Draft (The final draft should clearly incorporate feedback from the first draft.)