Photography of the Great Depression
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Transcript of Photography of the Great Depression
PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION
EVERY PICTURE HAS A STORY
MIGRANT MOTHER
The “Migrant Mother” was a series of photographs taken by Dorothea Lange to document the struggles of poor families in Central California
This is Florence Owens Thompson and her seven children on the brink of starvation
March of 1936
LANGE ON “MIGRANT MOTHER” I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother,
as if drawn by a magnet. I do not remember how I explained my presence or my camera to her, but I do remember she asked me no questions. I made five exposures, working closer and closer from the same direction. I did not ask her name or her history. She told me her age, that she was thirty-two. She said that they had been living on frozen vegetables from the surrounding fields, and birds that the children killed. She had just sold the tires from her car to buy food. There she sat in that lean- to tent with her children huddled around her, and seemed to know that my pictures might help her, and so she helped me. There was a sort of equality about it.
MODERN LOS ANGELES
MODERN LOS ANGELES You must be able to tell the story of the
photograph you take
If it’s a building – what business was there? What happened? When?
A person/family – What is their story? Why are they suffering in our modern Great Depression?
YOUR JOB – CREATE AN ART GALLERY
RUBRIC Essential Skill #4 – 70% of Grade
5 Pics from Great Depression 5 Placards with Story and Content 5 Pics from Modern Los Angeles 5 Placards with Story and Content
Presentation of your Pictures
Habits of Mind – 30% of Grade Accountability 10% Quality 20%
HOW CAN WE PRINT? www.snapfish.com www.shutterfly.com
These websites will provide you with 20 free printed photos upon signing up for their program.
1 person in the group signs up and can print for the entire group
STEP ONE Split up into groups and you will choose a
town/community you wish to photograph (Hawthorne, Gardena, Inglewood, Watts, South Central)
In groups, have each individual come up with a theme to your 5 pictures. What do you want to show? What do you want your
audience to take away from your photographs
Start to research and compile a list of Great Depression photographs you can use for your project
REMEMBER ! You should only choose communities
and photographs that you are comfortable with
Communicate with Family Game Plan Where and What you are going
to take Choose what you are safe with