Ready, Set, Go!

Imagine being in a new country, wandering through the streets of one of the world's largest cities. With the exception of a few chains that are scattered along major avenues, nearly everything is unfamiliar to you. The people, the culture, the history--it's all above your head. You even have trouble understanding the language. Oh, and you have less than twenty-four hours to get to know one of the city's neighborhoods well enough to be able to tell a story about it through a series of images. Good Luck.

This was the daunting task that presented itself to me yesterday afternoon. I chose to document Roma, an quiet upscale neighborhood that was safe, sounded interesting, and was within walking distance. Given the deadline, I found myself taking many of my photos in less than desirable light. I also had difficultly interacting with locals and getting compelling photos of them. Despite anything that was working against me, though, I think there are some great photos in the final product. The assignment has definitely given me a good idea of where I stand and it has highlighted some of the things I can focus on as I move forward. Check it out:











On an abbreviated scale, I think the assignment illustrates a common problem that photojournalists face. To paraphrase my instructor, Guy Calaf, photojournalists are experts at nothing. They need to immediately be able to portray the people and places they visit, but often don't reach a true understanding of those subjects until their work is done and they are moving on.