#robert-cohen

Photo essays serve as visual anecdotes between its subjects and audience. When executed, a story can be brought to life through a series of well-timed and structured pictures detailing the events being captured. It hits in a different way than the conventional textual story, as the visual stimulation or disgust of an image can evoke certain emotions that only a visual representation could do. Furthermore, a multitude of these pictures can be combined to tell a narrative, emphasize a point, or showcase a perspective. Both Chapnick and Kobre provide knowledge for setting up a successful photo story. Chapnick lists out some guidelines for structuring a photo essay, paying attention to time, subject cooperation, and detail as key features. Kobre focuses on the importance of approaching a topic, stating that photographers can begin thinking of a project falling under three categories: the documentary report, the narrative story, or the essay. With each having their own pros and cons, classifying a topic into one of the three will assist in guiding a project towards a specific focus. Moreover, I like his mentioning of visual consistency as a source to keep all the photos of a project to a uniform theme or perspective. I used this tool towards finding my own idea for my story project. As stated in my proposal, I want to create a series of photos on the aspects of mixed black culture, where five different subjects, all of mixed black ethnicity, will have four pictures showcasing a part of their life that brings them close to their dual heritage. Potential aspects include family, food, sports, traditions, or a specific culture or lifestyle, among other things. Going back to Kobre, an example he shared that I felt resembled my idea was Robert Cohen’s creation, Show of Hands. An exhibit of images displaying something people see and use every day without much thought, I hope to bring about the same perspective into my project. The attention to detail in each photo is immaculate, particularly in the photo of Penny Hardaway’s grandmother. Aside from being a basketball fan, I enjoyed the story told from the image, focusing on the wrinkles of his grandmother’s hands, suggesting the hard work she put in to help raise him into the sports star he became. The offset of the jewelry compliments as well, perhaps insinuating the enjoying of some of the wealth that Penny has accumulated over his basketball career. I also loved the picture of the Purple Heart Recipient; I thought using his prosthetic hand to hold the medal was a clever way to showcase his bravery and significance to the award.

Picture 1: Louise Hardaway, grandmother of Penny Hardaway (Photo by Robert Cohen)