The project focused in developing clear and concise writing, thinking and visual skills. For example, one student worked in a beauty salon on the weekends. He designed, first in writing, a thesis statement concerning what "beauty" is. He looked at other models and definitions of beauty, visuals from the book "Crowns: Portraits of African American Women and their Hats" - and literary, John Keat's famous definition on beauty as truth. Next he outlined the types of shots he wanted to take and took them the following weekend. As the film was developed and the pictures discussed, he decided to re-shoot some pictures. His first shots were with an action flash camera; his second were with a 35mm camera and a digital camera. These photos were finally submitted to the Bertelsmann World of Expression Contest.

The final project is work that reflects student exploration of their environments. I wanted students to take a hard look at their worlds and choose elements from their worlds. This project would reflect themselves and their worlds. The writing and re-writing, the taking and re-taking of the photos reflect the thought process needed for college and regents type research essay projects. The students were, and are expected to think, create, reflect, rethink, recreate and finally present their projects for formal evaluation.

OVERVIEW by Michael Toney
Expressing through Imagery is a project of the students at William Taft High School in conjunction with the Media Workshop. This project is an attempt to integrate Literature and Photography.

Literature has, and will always be, the ultimate expressive form of the press print technology. In this post modern era, and with newer technologies, the Image is becoming more prevalent as a means of expression and communication. Photography is essentially the first modern technology for capturing images - "writing with light". It is therefore necessary to explore its foundations both technically and theoretically.

With these skills we hope the students will explore a new form of literature. A literature of imagery which tells a story, an experience, an idea, something about their world, about their time and their identities.