For the graphic design and art documentaries, I reviewed some feature length videos. For photography, I found a really good series of videos on YouTube (which is always FREE!). These are shorter videos, so you could get through several of these in one day if you wanted to, or use one a day for a filler activity.
This will be the last post that I write for this semester, so if you look for them every week, just know that I’ll be coming back again in late June or July with more helpful thoughts/materials that you can use in your digital classroom!
Now, onto the videos! Each video is an interview with a photographer. They all work very differently and their bodies of work are extensive. For each video I’ve given the general information and a discussion question.
Alexey Titarenko
- Where to find it:
- Run time: 10:57
- Questionable Content: none!
- Discussion Question:
- As Titarenko explained his process, you get a sense for just how long his long exposure photography takes. Is there anything that you do that takes you so long that it can only be described as a labor of love? Why is it important to actually spend the time on something in order to get a specific result?
William Wegman
- Where to find it:
- Run time: 10:46
- Questionable Content: none!
- Discussion Question:
- Wegman said this about creating art: “When you know it’s right, it’s very wonderful to feel that kind of clarity about what you’re doing. It’s not always there. You have to have periods where you’re not sure.” Have you ever felt this kind of clarity after creating art (whether it be photography or traditional art)? How do you move past it when you go through periods of uncertainty in your artwork?
Laura Wilson
- Where to find it:
- Run time: 11:14
- Questionable Content: none!
- Discussion Question: She said, “What makes a photograph – or any creative undertaking – interesting is the content of it; the intelligence behind it.” A well thought out photo is more important than any setting you might use on your camera. What are you learning about right now that could help you in your creative work? What inspires you to create?
Graciela Iturbide
- Where to find it:
- Run time: 16:24
- Questionable Content:
- 10:28, nude figure
- Discussion Question: Graciela’s Lady of the Iguanas image has become an icon. The way she describes taking it was just a chance photo; a bit like being in the right place at the right time. How much of photography has to do with knowing how to take a picture, and how much of it is just having a ready camera and being in the right place?
That wraps up this series on movies that can be shown in the classroom! If you missed the graphic design and art documentaries, click the links to find them.
Since the videos above are so short, I’m offering a single discussion guide for all of them for free! Click the button below to find out more.