Remembering The Impact

Robert Hirsch once said ” The reason we make photographs is because words cannot always provide a satisfactory way to describe and express our relationship to the world. He follows that by saying pictures are essential to how humans observe, communicate, celebrate, comment, express, and most of all, remember.

7 days ago was the 23nd anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the United States. An event where almost 3,000 people died, countless were injured, countless families were shattered, and a nation was left in disarray when 19 hijackers from the organization al-Qaeda, led by Osama Bin Laden, committed murder-suicide via planes as they attacked the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, aka the Twin Towers, in New York City.

https://youtu.be/CZwYIS9-6uo?si=ZJva-HOe1xhuodIH: Remembering The Impact

I must admit, at 9 years old, I remember the event just as easily at age 32. From what I remember, when the news broke, it was the chaos of the day. The chaos of the moment, the gripping fear of what was happening but not knowing what was next To be clear, we were in school, and by 8:46 AM, teachers began to get calls on their phones. The intercom rang for some to be released to the library for an emergency while teacher’s aid and personnel made their way to the classrooms. Students are being checked out in large quantities over the next hour. Teachers are returning in disarray. You could tell some had begun to cry. Hearing whispers and chatter fill the rooms, I look up at the sky out of the windows. Knowing something was happening.

Early releases happened out of fear of what was to happen to any of us. We could hear that the president had to land in Louisiana to refuel, and we could hear chatter about whether they could bomb our chemical and plastic plants next. As we all got home to SEE our parents and to see the connection between the chatter and what was really happening, it was UNFATHOMABLE. We had learned in school about the different wars and battles this country faced, but here was history in the making, a war ensuing in a way we hadn’t thought of. This attack FELT real, and seeing it happen made you almost hold your breath through it all.

Minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years of chaos, disbelief, and shock A time of uncertainty filled the air for many. I received news live, in real-time, and pictures hours, days, and months later. For me, remembering the feeling is easy, and remembering the imagery that circulates is a core memory. The feeling and the changes that have occurred since on school campuses, hospitals, and airports have affected how we move, how we shop, and most of all, how and what makes us feel secure. Is very much present. But also, it reminds me of some of the good. Like how our nation banded together in this time of tragedy. ALL the memories flood my mind.

For some of you, You get the impact of the event mainly through imagery and video. And even watching and viewing that imagery is still just as heart-wrenching.

So I ask, was Robert Hirsch correct in explaining why we photograph, what this style does, and how it impacts our lives? Is this why documentary photography plays a role in our remembrance? How is it that a picture can heighten an experience or feeling? How is it that even those who cannot remember can still feel the feelings and emotions simply by looking at a picture?

THE POWER AND THE IMPACT OF IMAGERY IS BEYOND WHAT WE READ OR THINK!

Amer Saeed

Elements, Principles, and Composition

“I have a flood of ideas in my mind. I just follow my vision.”

Yayoi Kusama

“Every artist was first an amateur.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Since we are at the beginning stages of photography – We decided to get our feet wet with the Elements of Photography and the Rules of Composition. We’ve taken notes on both, but now it’s time to apply that knowledge to some of our photographs.

Remember ” Every artist was first an amateur ” Fear NOT! Just remember to shoot daily and your skill level will rise in no time. Some of you may shock yourselves for the 1st round of shots!

Below are some graphics to help you remember some of the items we’ve touched base on. I have definitely included your Elements Rubric which is the basis of our first scavenger!

You all were also told to follow up your composition notes and artist research with research of your own via Pinterest Boards! I should have 17 examples in each board. Here’s a look into my own.

https://pin.it/21Fh10g

Expectancy is Key

Digital Photography is a yearlong introduction to the Cell Phone Photography and The Digital camera as an art-making tool designed for students at the beginning level. The course will use digital photography to help students learn and apply the basic elements of art and the principles of design. This course will also provide students with opportunities to extend their knowledge and skills in the field of photography and the use of Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Digital Photography will familiarize the student with digital photographic equipment, materials, methods, and processes. Visual problem-solving skills are explored through the use of the computer as the main tool for creative expression and communication. Cellphone photography and editing with a variety of phone applications will be infused in the curriculum. Students create their own blogsites as a place to exhibit their projects and portfolio work. Self-promotion of student photography is encouraged and beginning social media marketing is introduced.

TOPICS vary from Camera Modes to Exploring different types of Photography, while blending in some of our more antique styles of photography and printing methods.

WHAT I LOOK FOR IN YOUR WORK:

Time and effort put into your projects.

Interesting and creative ideas

Good technical quality

Participation and active engagement with the material discussed in class.

Backgrounds blurred.

Be respectful to ALL art.

Think about your digital footprint and how it follows you!

Never, and I repeat NEVER steal anyone else’s work, and never plagiarize.

Work hard for your grade.

Do your photography and writing assignments and hand them in ON TIME.

SHOOTING: Experiential learning takes place in an outdoor or community setting. Through this experience students will develop leadership team building and photographic skills in an environment that is outside the classroom.

IMAGERY: Students have artistic freedom within the boundaries of school policy. Promoting drugs, violence, sex, gangs or racism is against school policy.

GRADING CATEGORIES: Projects, Edublog posts| Portfolio, Presentations|Critiques, Exams|Midterm|Finals, and Participation.

  • Projects are based on technical + artistic elements.
  • Edublog Posts – Imagery, writing, and Time Management.
  • Edublog Portfolio – At the end of the year. All posts are accounted for, Blog organized.
  • Presentations| Critiques – Preparation, project, and social skills. Some will be written responses; some presentations and critiques will be more vocal in the sense that you will be asked to critique and give constructive feedback to your peers on their Art. As Artists, you are given the opportunity to speak about your work and its creation.
  • Exams|Midterm|Final – There are not many exams due to this being a project-based course. Midterm will be a presenation of sorts. Final is on one of your projects in addition to your final blog post.
  • Participation – Overall participation in discussions, labs, in progress check ins etc.

Teaching you, Me!

Hey my loves<3 I, of course, am Mrs. Lee. I’m a photographer and a teacher! What a great way to blend my crafts. Especially since I was little and was asked the question, ” What do you want to be when you grow up?” I don’t believe I was the kid who shouted out, “A teacher.” Haha. By high school, I was saying, ” An American History Teacher. Don’t worry, I had a really good teacher, Ms. Fink, who taught it so interestingly. I was like, “Yes, I’m doing that.” Long story short, by the time I made it to college, I had many nay-sayers. I was determined to prove them wrong. But, in my 1st college history class, I learned I was not about to read a slew of books and write 15-page papers lol. So, then it was on to my original love, photography. To many others, that field made more sense lol. So now I hold a BA in Fine Arts with a concentration in Photography and a minor in Art History. HA, I threw that history in there somewhere. (THAT WAS A DIG ON MY PAST HATERS 🙂 

Now on to a few other interesting things about me. My ultimate favorite color is yellow. 2nd in line is purple. So it makes sense because I’m a die-hard LSU Tiger (I desperately want a baby tiger Hehehe)!!! Since we’re at it, I love red beans and spaghetti, but not together. I think I would totally eat spaghetti every day. I can never pick just one favorite of anything, So I would say the same goes for the red beans and rice. Covid halted one of my go-to dream trips, touring Europe for 9 days, and I’m still waiting to get to Santorini, Greece.! Although, my husband and I plan to check out Amsterdam at some point!

I love, love, LOVE music, it is so calming and puts me in such a vibe. I don’t think I could do without it. Interestingly, if I was at karaoke, I would probably sing “Shirt by SZA.” I am surprised that I chose that song, because I literally listen to all music, but between SZA, Ari Lennox, and Jazmine Sullivan, they always have me in a chokehold for singing and harmonizing. BUT I could easily bust out a Hall and Oates, Prince, Whitney Houston, Queen or a Gap Band song at any time. Don’t get me started on my love for country music. * Blame my mother * She got us hooked long ago!

I think of myself as a complex individual, which brings me to the thought, If I were a super-hero, what would my powers be? It would probably be a culmination of the OG Charmed ones. (Look that up if you’ve never seen it) To end it on a sweet note, when I finish out a week, a perfect Saturday looks a lot like sleeping in ’til the afternoon (if my son, Paxton, allows, which probably only reaches until 9 am). Other than that, what would make the day and night perfect is planning my day spontaneously, not having to do anything, but wanting to do something, while also ending my day with a movie or a TV series with my little family! Now, if only I could transport myself somewhere for the weekend. It would have to be somewhere exotic and tropical! Come to think of it, I could just transport myself back to the 90s for the weekend and I would be quite happy!