This assignment is about creating a cohesive photo essay framed around one day. There are two options for completing this assignment — one option with Election Day and the other option is a day and theme that you define.
Points: 20
Due Date: Sunday, Nov. 8, at 11:59 p.m.
Grading: Successfully completing the requirements is worth 18 points. Work may earn an “A” for original thought and effort that demonstrates thorough engagement with the activity.
Submit: 5-8 image files and text document with captions
There are two options for completing this assignment. With either option, you will take 5-8 photos that show varying subjects, compositions and perspectives to tell a story in a way that one photo alone could not accomplish. We have seen several “day in the life” photo essays this semester, including LIFE magazine photo essays by Gordon Parks and W. Eugene Smith.
For both options, you will submit:
- 5-8 photos that show varying subjects and compositions
- Captions for each photo
There is a range for the number of photos for this assignment so you can practice editing your own work. More photos may tell your story more thoroughly and show the effort you put into it. But you should only include your best work, so if you can effectively tell your story in 5 or 6 photos, that is better than using 7 or 8 if the shots are repetitive or technically flawed, such as blurry.
All photos must be new and taken for the purposes of this assignment.
Option 1: Election Day
This option is using Election Day as your featured day and contributing to a collective project to visually document Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 3. This us an open-ended but organized event that requires signing up, which you can do through Nov. 2: Election Day 2020 photo event
Photos and captions are submitted separately for this event, and do not need to be submitted through Blackboard.
Option 2: Day and theme of your choice
The other option is defining your own topic framed around “one day.” Often, photo essays shows a day in someone’s life to offer an intimate view of a broader theme. This could be a look at one person’s job (similar to “Country Doctor”), one day with someone who represents a specific situation (such as a teenager whose social life is affected by the pandemic), or a series theme such as “local businesses” on a particular day.
It is up to you to define the subject and theme, and this should be clearly explained in the captions that accompany the photos.
(If you focus on a pet or animal, you should also show the humans that exist in that pet’s life since that relationship is a major part of any pet’s worldview.)
Submit your Work
1. Blackboard
On Blackboard, upload:
• Your 5-8 images
• Your text document with captions
Option 1: Election Day does not need to be uploaded to Blackboard. There is a separate submission form.
2. Class website
Upload your one favorite portrait to the course website from the Post Image form.
