Wednesday, August 26, 2009

AP Photo










Look at these student blogs for inspiration.
http://lhsap2kevinw.blogspot.com/





Helen Levitt
Photo tips:
Elements:

Assignment 1 Breadth: Personal Heros
In our school book, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines Jefferson speaks of hero worship.
I had gone to bars, to barbershops; I had stood on street corners, and I had gone to many suppers there in the quarter. But I had never really listened to what was being said. Then I began to listen, to listen closely to how they talked about their heroes, how they talked about the dead and about how great the dead had once been. I heard it everywhere.

The three old men at the Rainbow Club who are discussing their hero, Jackie Robinson, illustrate the tendency of poor, oppressed people to idolize heroes whose larger-than-life image is often created and nurtured by their own thwarted hopes and dreams. These heroes are often sports figures and entertainers whose unique talents have enabled them to achieve fame and financial success despite the racial and economic barriers that deny oppressed blacks the opportunity to achieve success in more conventional arenas.

Grant realizes that, by celebrating the accomplishments of their sports heroes and claiming them as representative members of the black community, the old men are celebrating and claiming their own sense of manhood and imagining the heights to which they, too, might aspire, since their heroes have demonstrated that, despite seemingly impossible odds, success is possible.
Jefferson thinks about his coming execution, Grant remembers reading about the execution of a child in Florida who wanted Joe Louis to save him as he was being dragged to the electric chair. This shows hero worship: It may feed the men’s fantasies and allow them to live vicariously through their heroes, but it cannot protect them from the reality of life.

Later in the novel you see how Wiggins relays to Jefferson the responsibility we all have to be human and that, "A hero is someone who does something for other people. He does something that other men don't and can't do. He is different from other men. He is above other men. No matter who those other men are, the hero, no matter who he is, is above them.....A hero does for others. He would do anything for people he loves, because he knows it would make their lives better."

Wiggins shares with Jefferson that he can prove to the white man that he is a man and that is heroic, "To them, you're nothing but another nigger -- no dignity, no heart, no love for your people....I want you to ---yes, you - to call them liars. I want you to show them that you are as much a man - more a man they can ever be."

It is well known that when something inspires us, we reach new heights. Our passion
compliments our effort and we have an inner desire to achieve more. We are intrinsically motivated to accomplish what we had previously thought to be impossible. A single act evolves into a habit; obstacles become minor challenges; and doubt is replaced with confidence.
What and/or who inspires you? Tell us. In words. In photographs. In narratives. In stories. We know that these persons, places, and things must be important to you. Why should they be important to us?

Assignment: Photos Due Monday 8/31 / Assignment due Friday at the beginning of class.

You will be creating a portfolio of at least 5 pieces that speak to those and that which inspire you. Three of your 5 works should be in a black-and-white format.

Start by creating a list of those people, places, and things that inspire you. How can you best capture these images? What words will best compliment the visuals you will be presenting? What photographers, artists, and writers have explored this topic?

These questions should be answered about your hero:
1. Who is your hero (heroine)?
2. From what country?
3. When did your hero/heroine live?
What were some major world events during this individual's lifetime?
5. Why have you selected this person (what interested you about this person)?
6. Did your hero/heroine die in the line of duty (in a heroic act – or as a result of the heroic deed)?
(Answer only if your answer is yes to the question above) How did your hero (heroine) die and how was this incident related to your selection of this person as a hero?

Describe the hero’s childhood. What values were instilled in the hero? How might the hero’s background have influenced his or her future accomplishments?

Was there a turning point in the hero’s life? Perhaps an important event or tragic moment which motivated the hero? What lessons did the hero learn from this turning point?

Describe the moment(s), which make him or her a hero? What action did the hero take? What were the risks the hero faced?

Heroes often receive much fame and adoration for their accomplishments. Describe the fame or celebrity achieved by the hero. What benefits did the hero enjoy as a result of his or her fame? Were there any disadvantages to the hero’s celebrity status?

How did the hero spend the remaining years of his or her life? Even heroes have moments of misfortune. Did he or she experience any downturns in life? How did he or she recover? Why or why not is he or she still regarded as a hero today? Who (or what groups of people) may not view this person as a hero)

Go to these sites: Steve Simon http://www.stevesimonphoto.com/



MY HERO: LITTLE BROTHER by Dylan S.


















Tiffani B. Dad











Roy DeCarava, Artist Romare Bearden
















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