Instructions
If you have a Facebook or Twitter account, you're probably created a "user profile," or you may have read and written profiles as one of several genres in your in your English 110 or 120 class. You've no doubt encountered profiles of celebrities or athletes in magazines.
Definition: A profile is a type of feature story and usually focuses on a person. Profile is a somewhat specific term for a story about a person and, usually, focuses on what's important or interesting about that person now.
Although profiles are usually of people, like a celebrity profile, a journalist can also profile an entity, like a sports team or a company.
Profiles are popular types of magazine stories but you will also see profiles in newspapers and other publications.
Also Known As: feature
Examples: The journalist Gay Talese did a famous profile of Frank Sinatra, called "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold," and spoke to the singer's entourage since Sinatra would not grant an interview.
Create a photographic self-portrait which represents a) who you are and b) your relationship to the visual culture you live in. You may narrow and focus both "a" and "b" as you deem suitable.
Your portrait must include a self-taken photograph or photographs as well as written text. It can be digitally "shopped" in Photoshop or any other imaging software. It can be small or large; "realistic," "abstract," or "iconic." It can single-page or multi-page. It can be round or square.
Whatever you do, you must produce it electronically so that you can turn in it via Blackboard. If you REALLY prefer to do a hardcopy, you must still create a thorough electronic version of it. For instance, if you create an actual 3D hardcopy sculture of some sort, you'll need to give us a good representation of it in Blackboard.
This is a very open assignment; use your imagination.
Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to introduce or re-introduce you to the camera and the experience of "writing with light." Most of us take photography for granted and have forgotten what a marvel it was originally considered to be. I want you to "slow down the media torrent" a bit by reflecting on, and engaging with, one of the prime technologies of that torrent. In other words, I'd like you to play with this technology as if for the first time. In a sense the aim here is a backwards one: I want the assignment to de-familiarize the camera for you.
Another aim is the opportunity to creatively reflect on who you are and your own place in visual culture. I want you to consider how it feels to live in this culture, how images and image technologies touch you on a daily basis, how you "see" yourself and how you feel yourself "seen."
And, finally, the purpose is to give you one more kind of practice in "visual writing."
The Walkabout
The spirit of this assignment calls for a walkabout. In some primitive cultures this was a solitary journey taken by a youth on his/her way to adulthood or self-discovery. Your walkabout won't be quite that serious; you'll venture out for an hour or so during one of our class sessions and again on your own time as a form of preparation for your self-portrait.
So. Head out of the classroom, apartment, house, or dorm with a camera as your only survival tool or garment or sustenance. Just walk around a lot with a camera as an exercise in "seeing." Shoot whatever attracts you, without thinking too much. Consider how the world changes when framed in your viewfinder. Consider what the camera is doing when you open the shutter. Pay attention to the mere sensory experience of capturing images.
After awhile, try to see what others are perhaps NOT seeing in any object, event, subject, or landscape. Look also at things, events, people associated with "visual culture"—whatever happens to be in your path. Try "framing" these things in odd and interesting ways. Try to defamiliarize what you see everyday. Think about, feel, "capture" the culture you inhabit. Take pics as well of things which feel like "you."
And, finally, take pics which literally are you (photos of yourself).
Play with light. Use bricolage. Any kind of camera.
Understanding the Self-Portrait and Its Possibilities
Keep in mind that you have one week to complete this project. Because I am giving you a substantial amount of class time to work on it independently, the total hours you'll devote to the project should be about 6-7 (2 hours of class time plus 4-5 hours of your own time, which is less than the standard outside-of-class reading/writing expected of college students for a 3 credit course). The length and/or complexity of the piece should be determined by the hours you are expected to commit. That is, make something as long and/or as complex as is possible in 6-7 hours. (Remember that you have a reading assignment in Berger as well.)
Post your completed profile in Blackboard, "Major Projects Drop Box." If your work is something in hardcopy, scan it and then post to Blackboard. If that isn't possible, simply bring the hardcopy to class.
 How Your Work Will be Evaluated
Remember that the numerical scale in this course is only 100 points; this means that 5 pts. (the point value of this project) can be the difference between one semester grade and another:
88-100 pts. = A
75-87 pts. = B
62-74 pts. = C
49-61 pts. = D |
|
Project Grade Definitions
Outstanding = A = 14-15
"Outstanding" means the document is both verbal and visual, provides the class with a strong impression of who you are, is informed by class readings and discussion, and has a strong creative spark. Verbal material is proofread and edited for clarity, conventional correctness, and reading pleasure. Stand out from the rest. Shows conscientious attention to class and instructor feedback.
Very Good = B = 12-13
"Very good " means the document is both verbal and visual, and provides the class with a strong impression of who you are. Is at least somewhat informed by class readings and discussion. For the most part is well-edited and proofread for clarity and conventional correctness. Shows at least some attention to class and instructor feedback.
Fair = C = 10-11
"Fair" means the document is both verbal and visual, and provides the class with some sense of who you are. Could give a stronger impression and/or doesn't seem very informed by class readings or discussion. May contain verbal material which is awkward and/or unclear. May contain a noticeable number of stylistic and mechanical flaws (has not been edited and proofread very well). Shows little attention to class and instructor feedback.
Poor = D = 8-9
"Poor" means the document is weak verbally or visually or both. It gives only a dim picture of who you are, may be quite undeveloped, does not demonstrate awareness of class readings or discussion, and/or shows a considerable number of stylistic or mechanical flaws (appears not to have been proofread or edited). Shows no attention to class and instructor feedback.
Unacceptable = F = less than 8
"Unacceptable" means the document may altogether lack verbal or visual elements; may be excessively full of style or mechanics problems; may be too short/incomplete to count as a month-long project; and/or does not provide a clear sense of who you are.
Have I seen the sea or has the sea seen me? —Lawrence
 back to 357 Homepage
|
