Independent Photo Essay and Interview
Step 1: Choose a teacher, coach or organization to document.
Explain the assignment when you ask permission.
Step 2: Schedule the photo essay and interview with your subject. You may need to schedule separate times for each.
You may want to conduct the interview first. This will allow you to establish an angle for your photo essay.
Be respectful of the subject’s time and objectives. If they are trying to teach during your photo essay—be a fly on the wall. If students are working collaboratively, you may have a chance to quietly “direct” them (i.e. asking them to cheat out, etc.).
Follow the Life Formula for the photo essay making sure you have all of the following:
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Wide shot to establish or introduce the scene
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Close-up of tools used for the job
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Interaction
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Medium shot--focuses on one group or activity
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Signature shot--almost like a summary—if you had to pick one picture to tell the whole story, this would be it
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Portrait
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Clincher—closing shot that gives a feeling of the story ending
Step 3: Listen attentively and have a real conversation while you are interviewing. Firing one question after another is a surefire way to shut down your subject! You want them to feel like you are genuinely interested in who they are and what they do. However, it is important that you have a list of great, well thought-out questions. You just have to balance the two.
Step 4: Always ask permission before you record anyone.
Step 5: Edit your photos nicely. You should have 12-15 photos in your slideshow.
Step 6: Create a slideshow with captions to present to the class.
Step 7: Have fun!
Make sure that you do a GREAT job. You would not want to get your subject’s hopes up and then both disappoint them and waste their time by turning in something mediocre. Also, this project will GROW into a later Advertising project where you will be working with this same subject again. You want to have a good reputation with them so that they WANT to work with you again.