Time: | 50 minutes |
Materials: | Magazines that can be cut up Poster board, scissors, and glue Blackboard or chart paper Worksheet D: The Second Commandment |
Preparation: | Collect magazines that contain a variety of photographs (advertising, news, fashion, etc.) Divide up magazines, poster board, scissors and glue to be distributed to small groups. Make enough copies of worksheet D for the class. |
Overview: | In this lesson, students consider the uses of photography as they find examples of different kinds of photographs and discuss the multiple motivations of photographers. |
Big Idea: | Photography is used for many purposes, including art, documentation, news, and persuasion. The intentions of the photographer will impact the content and composition of the photograph. |
Let my people go, NY, USA
Finding Photographs (25 minutes):
Depending on the size of your class, you might need two or even three groups working on each genre.
Share and Discuss (20 minutes):
You might point out that these different types of photography have corollaries in the literary world. Like photographs, some texts (such as newspaper articles) are created to report on events. Other texts are used to tell stories (novels, for example), persuade people (e.g., essays and advertisements), or evoke emotions and associations (e.g., poetry). As in photography, the form and structure of a text will be determined in part by its purpose.
You can also use this notion of different types of photography to make connections to other curriculum areas. For example, in talking about documentary photography or propaganda, you can discuss the role of these types of images in the context of Holocaust studies. Similarly, you can relate the use of persuasive and propaganda photography to the history of modern Israel and Zionism. Israeli photographer David Rubinger has, for example, captured many iconic images that have helped to mold perceptions of the Jewish State in the eyes of the world.
In biblical times, there was a concern that images would be used for yet another purpose—worship. For that reason, the Second Commandment prohibits the creation of “graven images.” What is the impact of the Second Commandment on photography (and art in general)? For homework, have students complete Worksheet D: The Second Commandment.
If your students have not yet done the Introductory Lesson, we recommend beginning with that lesson before progressing through the lessons in this unit.