A Day in the Life: photographic reflections from elders on life within
I am a photographer, or as I like to describe myself, a
"visual poet". I photograph the landscape, plants, animals, friends
and family - always trying to capture the essence or personality of our world.
Since life and death make up this world, my objective is to see the glory of
life through death as a reminder of the eternal life force. I chose my
practicum, "A Day in the Life: photographic reflections from elders on life
with in..." simply by brainstorming with a friend. We came up with this
idea, because of my love of teaching, my passion for photography, and to
conquer fears I had about growing old, death and dying. So the practicum served
not only my students, but also myself. Initially it helped me to embrace my
fears, and then to ultimately to see the beauty and grace that the last phase
of life offers.
My idea was to visit a nursing home and have the residents photograph their
life for a day. I contacted Grand Court, a retirement facility in the Kansas
City area and arranged to teach a six week photography class where the students
would have an opportunity to photograph themselves and their surroundings. I
then coordinated with the Grand Court and the Thornhill Gallery at Avila
College to have the students final work exhibited in both places. My goals for
this project were:
1) Give the residents an opportunity for self expression and interaction with
others that might be very beneficial and healing to themselves and others.
2) Provide an enriching experience for the residents and positive publicity for
the facility.
3) Bring an awareness of our aging community, raise questions about our
responsibility to these people, and enlighten the viewer to the wisdom and soul
the elders offer.
Color Her... Gone by Vern Hardacre
Vern's children were moved to tears when they saw their father's photograph of
their mother's wheelchair claiming, "that photograph alone is worth a
thousand dollars of therapy". Indeed the class had opened up a creative
outlet for Vern to express his grief, where words had failed him.
Frozen Wires by Ruth Cronkite
captured the beauty of a terrible ice storm that devastated the city. It shows
the meditative reflection of one who sees beauty and joy in life, while
maintaining a sense of playfulness and splendor.
Glamour Has No Bounds by Madge
Dolezal. Madge was very proud of being the oldest in the class at age 90. She
lived her life without boundaries- swimming daily and keeping very active in
the Grand Court community. This self-portrait reveals her sense of confidence
and style.
Photography Class Itinerary
Friday, November 9 - Introduction to photography
I introduced myself, explained the purpose of the class, and showed a few of my
own photographs. The class introduced themselves and expressed what their
expectations were for the classes.
Friday, November 16 - How to use the camera
I gave demonstrations, talked a little about the technical aspects of
photography, and assisted students in the use of their cameras.
Friday, November 30 - Learning how to see
I showed slides of other photographers. Students experimented by making photos
of each other using natural light and artificial light.
Friday, December 7 - Photo collage
Students brought in old photographs of themselves and their family while
discussing meaning and use for a collage.
Friday, December 14 - Putting words with photographs
Students were encouraged to write about their photographs as a reflective
practice and to inform them of the process and meaning of their photographs.
Friday, December 21 - Gathering of photographs
Students brought in all their photographs and we selected three from each
student to be exhibited. We talked about presentation, framing and the opening
night reception. The students worked together in giving titles to their
respective pieces, while I took biographies of each of them to be included in
the exhibition.
To begin the project, I researched other
photographers working with the public. Specifically I read Jim Goldberg's Rich
and Poor: Photographs, Jim Hubbard's Shooting Back: A Photographic View
of Life by Homeless Children, Jo Spence's Putting Myself in the Picture:
A Political, Personal, and Photographic Autobiography, and the work of
Wendy Ewald, who taught and photographed children all over the world and
exhibited many of her student's work. My students were given Ilford XP2 black
and white film that I had processed commercially. I chose black and white
because I felt that for many of the participants this would be a new way of
seeing. I wanted them to use photography as a new language in order to express
their deepest concerns.
After the film was processed and printed as 4x6 enlargements, the class
looked at and critiqued their work. As a group we were able to help each other
in our techniques and composition and share our thoughts in what the
photographs meant. We considered questions such as: Is the product itself most
important, or is the process of "seeing" just as rewarding? What
effect does this current image have on us now? What will it mean to us or others
in years ahead? What does it feel like to see yourself at this age, in this
place? The discussion of these questions often times were brief and difficult
to answer in words, but I felt that simply raising the questions would help
them to find the answers in their work/photography. Additionally, I made
portraits of each of the students, so they could experience being the
"model" as well as the artist. Ultimately, the classes ended with
each student having a group of photographs that reflected "a day in the
life" of each person.
I felt blessed to encounter such an amazing group of elders so eager to
learn. Their joy in working together as a group, and their individual life
histories, taught me that growing old can be a graceful and beautiful thing.
Age is really just a projection of our minds. Who we are is more about soul.
I'm not sure they realized it, but the lessons the elders taught me clearly
outweighed anything I might have taught them. It was a wonderful and enriching
experience. My exhibition was a great success. All of my initial goals were met
and then some! In my opinion, the practicum project is an essential part of the
degree criteria. I am especially grateful for all the freedom we had in
choosing our own paths and presentations.
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