The plan for my project is to follow my friend Michelle, a teacher at Sunnyside High School, for many days. I want to capture her life mostly at work, as well as the job itself and its surroundings. Kind of a human interest story or “day in the life.” I want to take both candid and possibly posed shots; shots of teaching in action, the school grounds, the students, etc. I also envision it to be black and white, but I will also try color. I will take both digital and film photos and possibly display a mix of the two.
Although Michelle has given me her schedule and an open invitation to visit any time, I won’t have unlimited access—my schedule only permits me to visit her during the week on Fridays any time, or early mornings on Tuesday and Thursday—I will definitely take advantage of any time I can. She has told the principal that I am there to observe and photograph her, so I have been cleared for that, and the students know I’m coming, but I’m not sure what kind of legalities I will have to deal with just yet…
I think this project is significant in that teachers are extremely important and yet they are undervalued and disrespected. The school system is deeply flawed, Sunnyside in particular is in a “less desirable” neighborhood, it is underfunded, and I know Michelle is sometimes extremely frustrated by her job and the students there. I won’t really know exactly what I will get from this until I go there—I have never even seen the school. Maybe I will see a happy environment with kids willing and eager to learn, or not.
I expect to go there at least once a week for the duration of the project. I hope to make twenty great images encompassing Michelle’s daily life as a high school teacher (a biography)—her serious moments working, quiet times, lunch, extracurricular activities, and her students to some extent (if allowed). I am concerned that I will be distracting to the students and interrupt the learning process, no matter how inconspicuous I try to be, and I am also concerned with issues of needing permission to photograph in the school (although Michelle has said that they don’t really seem to care about who comes and goes or their reasons for it) and of minors. I have printed out some model release/minor release forms, but am not sure if these are needed, or if so, if they are good enough.
As far as costs go— I think that will be mainly in printing the digital photos and for B&W paper if I decide to print some myself. I have plenty of film, so that’s not an issue. To exhibit them, I will probably mount them on mat board, I don’t think I can afford to frame 20 11x14 (or larger) prints, but we’ll see. I’m finding that, depending on ply, 16x20 mat boards are around $2-4 each, so the project will start at at least $70 for that, then the cost for the digital prints (at least $70), so I can probably guarantee spending at least $150.
Another idea I have is taking photos at gun shows. I know there are several happening during this time period. It would be interesting to capture the people who really have a passion for guns and their excitement about them (something that is hard for me to understand because I have a deep dislike for guns and think they should be outlawed). These could also be both candid and posed—I see a lot of posed ones. I feel this project would be hard in that I find it difficult taking photos of people I don’t know at all. It’s hard for me to ask permission, I get all anxious just thinking about it, and I don’t want to take photos of people without asking them for fear of making anyone angry. It might also be something that would have legal issues—taking photos inside the shows may be not allowed. This could be more of a social assignment, a look at this particular “scene.” It is also political in that it is a controversial issue, and it’s personal for me. The cost breakdown would be the same, but also include admission fees to these events.
These are two project idea proposals. I am feeling very strong about the first one. I will be taking my first photos on Friday (9/17) so I will be able to tell how the plan is going to go after that.
I wish you gave some time to the second proposal, it is interesting. The first is good too, in the sense that it is well thought out and well written, but it is going to be a challenge given the circumstances. You have the permission to do the first, but I think you will need lots of critiques in progress.
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