For this documentary photography I wanted to show the distinct differences of the environment of different parts of the city. Since I have lived in Milwaukee all of my life I wanted to explore the environments that I have known and been to. So, others are able to see the feel of the environment because as I have learned in my class at MIAD everything in the city changes. In which capturing these moments are unique because of location and time. Although before proceeding with the documenting of the photography I had found I felt inspired and more identified with the photographer Peter Essick and picture editor Dennis Dimick who work with environmental journalism. Who record and visualize the change with the planet because of humans. Dimick said that most documentary photography was, " trying to eloquently make visual sense of our world so readers can better understand how to find their own place in it." Which I believe makes total sense and has made me recognize the things around me more closely. Like the change within the city today environmentally and the change that still hasn't changed social ecologically.
Documentation from Zoe Darling's class
MIAD Projects for The Urban Sketchbook Course
The Urban Sketchbook course I took at MIAD with Zoe Darling focused on the ability to see and comprehend the daily changes that we explore outside of ourselves. As we took class trips outdoors we visited multiple places in Milwaukee and was asked to document our findings on these trips. The geography of it all was more than the just places, it was about the changes that we cease to recognize and explore it.
Project #1 - Urban Sketchbook
For our first project we were given a sketchbook and was asked to sketch, journal, or collect anything while we went on our outdoor trips. The task was very loose and we had freedom to create anything and even add things into the sketchbook that were found. From the beginning of the class we had a little over 100 pages to fill, which meant we needed about 6 pages done everyday in order to fill the whole book. I used the loose rules for this project to find my style and explore mediums. While trying to complete the project.
Project #2 - Personal Geography Layering Piece
The personal geography piece was something that involved layering things into a piece. Again the standards were loose and even the term layering. Although we had to include some sort of map that meant something to use, but it didn't need to be a map specifically. For me I decided to use a map of Milwaukee neighborhoods and have it in between a anatomical heart as if it was pulling apart. I had noticed that in the duration of the course the people and what I was learning had made me find myself. So, I wanted to open up about it and made my piece that literal concept.
Project #3 - Zine
For those who don't know a zine is a similar thing to a book. You have a story that is produced and you have choices of how it is presented. This last project was the most open one of them all. A zine where you get to create anything, but still slightly showing the viewers what you have learned within the time spent in the course. While showing what you are deeply involved in or passionate about. My zine was about my family and some of their addictions and illnesses. Something that is close to me, but shown in a more sarcastic way.