"Magnum is a community of thought, a shared human quality, a curiosity about what is going on in the world, a respect for what is going on and a desire to transcribe it visually." – Henri Cartier-Bresson
This week's focus is on the photo cooperative called Magnum Photos. I want you to learn about the who, what and why and then explore some of the work found there. It is a good example of some of the best photojournalism happening today.

Magnum Photos is a photographic co-operative of great diversity and distinction owned by its photographer-members. With powerful individual vision, Magnum photographers chronicle the world and interpret its peoples, events, issues and personalities. Through its four editorial offices in New York, London, Paris and Tokyo, and a network of fifteen sub-agents, Magnum Photos provides photographs to the press, publishers, advertising, television, galleries and museums across the world.

The Magnum Photos library is a living archive updated daily with new work from across the globe. The library houses all the work produced by Magnum photographers and some special collections by non-members. There are approximately one million photographs in both print and transparency in the physical library, with over 500,000 images available online.

Explore the website to find the answers:
1. Who started Magnum Photo?
2. When was it started?
3. How does one join Magnum?
4. Explore one of the Photo Essays featured on the Magnum Blog. Why did you choose this essay? Describe what the topic is. How does the photographer present this topic? What do you learn from the photos? How do the photos make you feel? How do you think the photographer took these? How long did this project take?

This link takes you to the blog. To see the full site, click on the black Magnum Photos logo in the upper left corner of the screen.
http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_3

Today I want you to explore the work of Mary Ellen Mark. She is one of the people who made the documentary we watched about street kids in Seattle.
Use the links below to learn and answer questions:
1. Read about her Kickstarter campaign. What is she raising money for?
2. Read her bio, how did she get her start in photography? What awards has she won? What kinds of projects has she done?
3. Which of her projects do you find most interesting? Why?
http://www.maryellenmark.com/index.html
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/young-lives-big-night/?_r=0
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/365603/Mary-Ellen-Mark
http://bombsite.com/issues/28/articles/1213

Today we are watching the documentary film by photographer Mary Ellen Mark, Martin Bell and Cheryl McCall. It follows a group of homeless teens in Seattle. It was made in 1984. We are watching this because Mary Ellen Mark was a photo journalist who made photo essays (extensive ones) about different topics that you all may find interesting and inspiring: prostitutes in India, circus performers, patients in a mental hospital, and the kids we are about to see in the documentary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj7UM-KWJS8

When you finish the film, read the following articles:
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2006-10-04/film/where-she-is-now/
http://www.maryellenmark.com/text/magazines/aperture/904I-000-007.html

This gives an update to some of the people in the film.  Write a reaction to the film:
1. What did you think?

2. Was it a realistic portrayal of their lives? Why or why not?

3. What good could come of this kind of film?

Today many of you can begin taking photos for your essays. Upload them to your flickr account when you are done.

Three images are due Monday.

flickr.com

For today's lesson I want you to explore the topic of photo journalism. Please look through the pictures on the site below and answer the following questions:
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/
1. Pick three interesting images. For each one describe the picture, where it was taken, when it was taken, who took it and why the photographer took it.
2. What do you notice is similar about these pictures?
3. What do you see here that you could use in your Photo Essay project?
4. Do a google search for Photo Journalism. What do you find that is interesting?

upload your finished work to the folder in the last blog post. Otherwise write your answers on a piece of paper and turn in.

Research Proposal

Today you will be writing the proposal for your Photo Essay. The proposal will outline what your topic is, what kind of photos you will be taking and how you will go about getting this project completed. The final Photo Essay will be 5-7 images.
Answer each section to complete your proposal:
1. What is your topic? Why did you pick this topic?

2. Describe what your photos might look like? Do you know who might be in your photos?

3. How will you go about getting these photos taken? During class? After/before school? Do you have a camera you could use? You may check one out from me to use before or after school but it must stay in the building.

4. Make a timeline for your project. By next Friday you must have started and bring at least 3 images to class next Monday for feedback. Here are some due dates from me:

Proposals due to me by end of class Friday Nov. 8th

Monday Nov. 18th 3 images due for feedback (does not have to be in the final selection)

Monday Nov. 25th 3 more images due for feedback

Friday Dec. 13th Begin whole class critique of proposed 5-7 images

All images photographed and edited in Photoshop by end of class on the 20th of December. 

January will be for organizing the exhibition, hanging the exhibition and writing artist statements. 

click here to upload your completed Photo Essay Proposal

Once you finish your research assignment from Monday, here is the new assignment. You will need headphones.

1. Watch this video:
click here to watch
2. After you watch the video, respond to these questions.
     1. What was the main point of the video?
     2. What is the difference between journalism and activism?
     3. What is the role of a photo journalist during war?
     4. Could you be a photo journalist in a war? Why or why not?

click here to upload your finished work

Research! Our new unit for Q2 is about photo journalism. This week you will be spending some time researching a particular time from history and the significance Photojournalism had in it. Please choose one of the following topics to research:
The Great Depression and the FSA Photographers
     1. Explain what the FSA was and what the photographers were supposed to do.
     2. Who were the most famous FSA photographers?
     3. What was significant about the FSA photographers? Or, why was this unique/special?
     4. What influence did these photographs have on history?
     5. Pick three famous photos from this event. Put them into your paper and describe them, why they are famous, and who the photographer was. Why did you pick these images? How do they make you feel?
good sites but there are many more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farm_Security_Administration#Photography_program
https://soundcloud.com/agnes-duchamp/latoya-ruby-frazier-the
http://education.eastmanhouse.org/discover/kits/files/6/overview.pdf

Matthew Brady and the American Civil War
     1. Explain who Mathew Brady was and why he is called the father of photojournalism.
     2. What kind of pictures did he take?
     3. How did he take these pictures? What was his process?
     4. What happened to his career after the war ended?
     5. Pick three of his photographs to describe. For each image: Why is this picture important? How did he make this picture?
Good sites, but there are many more:
http://www.mathewbrady.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathew_Brady
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwbrady.html

Upload finished work here as a pages document or google doc.
click here to upload your finished work

Photography in the Vietnam War
     1. What role did photography play during the Vietnam War?
     2. Was this role different from the photographers in WW2?
     3. Who were some famous photographers during this war?
     4. Pick 3 famous images to describe. Why is this picture important? How was it made?
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/vietnam-photos/
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/vietnam-war-photos-that-made-a-difference/?_r=0
http://life.time.com/history/vietnam-1963-america-wades-deeper-into-war/