Photo Project: Sophia Kokores
May 12, 2008
For the last four months I have taken photographs of graffiti in East LA, South Central, and Venice Beach, Los Angeles. I chose this subject because I wanted to explore the different meanings of graffiti in a city that both accepts and illegalizes it. I learned to be more hyper-aware of my surroundings as graffiti can be found almost everywhere in this big city. I also learned that graffiti comes in many forms, from religious and political murals, to gang tagging, to artistic expressions. This was truly an eye-opening experience for me and I would encourage everyone to engage in participatory photography to learn, hands-on, about their own communities and express their particular perspectives about it.
Photo Project: Justin Iwata
May 12, 2008
Amongst the McDonalds, Burger Kings, and Del Tacos that litter every corner of our streets exists a palatable euphoria. Rather than serving a standardized menu, privately owned, hole in the wall, restaurants provide a dining experience that is as unique as it is exhilarating. These restaurants pride themselves on delicious, quality food that cannot be identified by a million dollar commercial or an obnoxious jingle. Rather these restaurants, often ethnic in origin, bring authentic flavors and an excitement to the dining table that cannot be replicated or reproduced by production lines.
Moreover, these restaurants provide unique insight into their communities. Many restaurants have survived for years soley on their reputations and on the patronage of the local population lucky enough to know about their existence. Unfortunately, most consumers overlook these taste Meccas due to their lack of publicity. Social change is always difficult, and more often than not the hardest part is to find a good starting point. I believe that this starting point can be found over a plate of great food. At these restaurants patrons can sit, eat, and enjoy while immersing themselves and taking in foreign cultures.
To narrow the parameters of my project, I will focus only on those restaurants that are 5 years and older and are no more than 15 miles driving distance from USC.
Rebecca Shapiro: Photo Project on St. Francis Center
May 12, 2008
As a student in Jim’s course Visual Communication and Social Change as well as a mentor for Venice Arts, I have the opportunity to engage in class discussion about participant photography programs and mentor two thirteen year old girls from Downtown Los Angeles while they shoot their documentary project they are completing as students of Venice Arts. I have come to realize that there is a great deal to discuss about photographic empowerment programs- How does a camera empower youth? Are there any consequences to bring in technology which to a certain extent, is unattainable for these girls, and then introduce them to the concept of “this is what you do have, this is what you don’t have”? And of course, what about issues of exploitation? I feel as though these are all questions that do arise from a third party perspective on these programs.
What I have found over the past three months is that many of the issues that we discuss in class about photographic empowerment programs do not even come up when I am actually shooting with Joanna and Monica, the two thirteen year old girls. In fact, they look at the camera as a fun tool they get to engage with, not a piece of technology that is expensive and unattainable. We also don’t even discuss how the camera makes them feel “empowered.” Most of the time, our discussions do not even focus around photography at all. Because I have been Joanna and Monica’s mentor since October, we have developed a trusting relationship over the past few months. I realized how close we had become when they told me two weeks ago that “everyone gets pregnant around 13, 14, and 15 years old.” I was absolutely leveled when this came out of their mouths, not because I am unaware that teen pregnancy is a huge issue in poverty areas, but rather that this conversation came out of the fact that Joanna, Monica and I had developed a true mentor/mentee relationship through photography. That day became more of a sex-education class than a photo lesson. At that moment, we were all participants and we all felt empowered; and it was unclear as to who mentored who at that moment.
I feel that these types of conversations that come out of participant photography programs truly explain how photography can empower youth. The fact that they get to use nice equipment is great, they get to tell their stories and feel like more active agents of their lives is also fantastic. But, I believe that the greatest outcome that I have seen from working with Joanna and Monica has been witnessing the degree to which these girls become more and more self-aware. At least in my case, the camera works as a great ice-breaker, a tool that they use to begin questioning their world, which is then supported by the trusting relationship we developed over the past six-seven months.
Blog Post: Sophia Kokores
May 8, 2008
One day while desperately looking for graffiti to photograph (my project had not been going well) I came across a small alley way covered in graffiti. I was on my way home feeling discouraged by the prospect of my topic and I was not expecting to find something like this. I pulled my car up and got out to take photographs. There was no one else around. I became a little nervous because it felt eerily deserted. Read more
Jim Hubbard | Uncommon Photographic Journey
May 8, 2008
Jim Hubbard, IPE co-founder and creative director at Venice Arts, will be speaking at Brooks Institute School of Visual Journalism’s Guest Speaker Series on May 13th, at 6:30 P.M. The Iron Horse Soundstage will house the lecture. Read more
