As a comment, write one paragraph about what you are interested in working on for this class + your name + contact info
As a comment, write one paragraph about what you are interested in working on for this class + your name + contact info
72 Comments
So I've been thinking about the term "justice" and the future projects of this class that are to come. I want to relate justice to my life that will bring about a new view to others around me. I still need to think more about it, but have a certain idea in mind that I'm going to be very reluctant to give up. I'm going to keep it vague for now but it relates to the beach. In terms of collaborating with the other students, as of now, I would like to work with someone from the Sociology class. Its a topic that I'm not to sure if I fully understand, but feel I could benefit from it in the long run. Capturing people in social events sounds interesting, however if the other classes presented them selves with a more interesting topic I may have a change of heart. Never the less I look forward to working on the future project together as a team. 1/14/2012 01:56:52 am
Come on Gill....give up the idea. It is about sharing and trust and learning.
ross gill
1/15/2012 10:03:13 am
I want to focus on environmental justice that centers around the ocean. My father use to work at Clean Seas, a organization that maintains specialized response equipment to oil spills. With the connection I would hope to do some sort of ride along and bring light to what is accomplished with in this job field.
Andrea Vargas
1/16/2012 01:47:35 pm
It might be interesting for you to keep an eye on the developing stories related to the cruise ship disaster...
Brittany Tippings
1/11/2012 01:09:42 pm
Hey all! So I have a few ideas that are all very vague but one that is near to my heart has to do with kids and their background. Specifically single parent households but I am not sure were this idea is going, it's just something that interests me. Feel free to send me some feedback and input on this topic.
richard ross
1/14/2012 01:59:00 am
Good. How do these kids fare economically, educationally, emotionally. Can you shoot kids from single parent vs two parent homes and see any difference? Their rooms as well? Other ideas?
Meghan Harris
1/22/2012 10:49:52 am
Hey Brittany,
Donna Marie
2/9/2012 06:40:01 am
I may be able to help you in the topic of single parent households.
Ellen Campbell
1/12/2012 05:27:39 am
I want to look at justice in the realm of human sexuality. I have been study sexuality with the Baldwin's for the last few years and now write for sexinfoonline.com, so this is a topic that is of great interest of me. For my project, I would like to focus on our society's suppression of female sexuality. Women are generally taught that sex is something not to be discussed. Topics revolving around sexuality are usually taboo and unladylike to talk about. Women often feel embarrassment, shame, and confusion about their sex lives resulting from the lack of knowledge through discussion. Men on the other hand, generally don't feel the guilt that most women feel about expressing their sexuality. I want my project to open up and normalize an open female dialogue about sex. It is not fair that sexuality is such a huge part of a peoples' lives, yet remains unspoken for many women. I am thinking about interviewing a wide variety of women in terms of age, race, background, etc about their sex life and paring quotes with images. So, let me know if you are interested in bringing justice to the expression of human sexuality :)
richard ross
1/14/2012 02:01:30 am
Always a compelling topic. How to photograph it, video tape it without purient interests abounding. How to get people to talk candidly? Maybe ask the Baldwins for some tips on interview techniques. 1/18/2012 04:29:26 am
I'd be happy to help you in this project or at least offer my advice if you need someone to talk to since my work deals with identity in a variety of ways, including sexuality. Shoot me an email or stop by the grad studios some time and talk to me.
AB (Alex Bogdanov)
1/12/2012 06:21:46 am
In writing, ask every person on Death Row in the USA to “Describe in writing or drawing the Happiest Moment of Your Life.” Rephotograph the responses and publish as a book.
richard ross
1/14/2012 02:03:35 am
Good topic. Maybe writing to see if you can photograph at San Quentin? Or where the Death Row population is.... Make sure you ask Mauro Bedoni COLORS MAGAZINE about their experience with Death Row photographs. It was a major scandal. Look on line for what happened.
richard ross
1/14/2012 07:57:56 am
Cissy mentioned Amnesty International as having the names, locations and pipeline to contact death row convicts. Might give that a try.
Cissy Ross
1/16/2012 04:26:22 am
Richard Ross beat me to the punch here with the Amnesty International suggestion. I hope it is helpful.
Chris Silva
1/18/2012 04:38:23 am
Is this project supposed to bring some kind of heart warming affection to people who have commited serious enough crime(s) to land them on death row? I'm not talking about the fringes of who may or may not be guilty or the questionable cases. I'm talking about the majority who have been decided to be condemmed to be put to death and who have more than likely commited MULTIPLE violent and/or heinous crimes. Strikeable offenses are no joke. Thats kind of what I'm getting from it, which from your project description almost sounds like what you want as well. Juxtaposing the good with the bad is one thing, but I'm having a hard time seeing this as a productive way of shedding light on any truth that justice can offer. I predict people making mundane and stereotypical drawings that people will inherently look at with a "sick and twisted" slant because of the context. The work might be in that context rather than in the context of what justice is.
Alaina Judd
1/12/2012 10:44:39 am
I am interested in people who take justice into their own hands. I have been thinking mainly about protesting, against planned parenthood and stuff like that, but am open to many different ideas. I don't think I want to focus on the Occupy movement but would be open to it if others want to collaborate and have an interest in it. I have also considered bringing religion into this but am not sure if that is the direction I want to go in. Please let me know if you have any interests in this area as I am very open to any new ideas.
richard ross
1/14/2012 02:05:59 am
There are always pickets at Planned Parenthood. And that is a particular polarizing issue in this society. Perhaps asking some of the protesters who want to define a fetus as individual at conception. So justice would apply at conception.....Good interview material.....Other thoughts?
Alaina Judd
1/15/2012 06:25:16 am
Yes, I really like the idea of asking about whether justice applies at conception. I have also thought about interviewing the staff of planned parenthood to ask how justice motivated them to work for the organization versus asking the protesters how justice motivates them to spend their time protesting outside of the organization.
Carly McMaster
1/19/2012 01:09:31 pm
Hey! I hadn't looked through the photojournalism's posts until now, and I realized that we have very similar project ideas! I'm planning on studying the role of justice in both sides of the abortion debate, and it looks like that is one of the aspects you are focusing on (however it also looks like you're going in other potential areas like Occupy as well).
Andrea Vargas
1/13/2012 04:57:12 am
Hi Everyone,
richard ross
1/14/2012 02:09:07 am
There was a hate crime in Santa Barbara about two weeks ago that was GLBT related. You might contact the SBPD and see if you can talk to investigating detectives. Active investigation....they might not want to share info....but worth a shot. Or where were hate crimes committed in Santa Barbara. What do the sites look like?
Amy Martinez
1/13/2012 11:04:01 am
Amy Martinez
richard ross
1/14/2012 02:11:50 am
Amos Kennedy will be printing text on paper.....but that doesn't mean that it can't already have an image on the paper. What would you think of having images of the "street tribe" as the under-image for text....and what might that text be. ...."Your tribe doesn't like my tribe?"
Amy
1/15/2012 06:28:55 am
I was thinking "What does dignity look like without opportunity" -what you think?
Cissy Ross
1/16/2012 05:52:31 am
Amy...I like your idea for justice quote for Amos Kennedy to consider:
Napatr (Pat) Pumhiran
1/15/2012 03:42:05 am
Hi everyone,
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:28:52 am
Pat
Pat Pumhiran
1/22/2012 02:35:36 am
Yes, I was thinking about going to interview kid(s) from the closest Juvenile facility in Santa Barbara. Once I have all of my information, I could take picture of activities and/or objects that represent these kids.
Jessica Law
1/15/2012 06:05:38 am
Hi everyone,
Richard Ross
1/16/2012 10:30:54 am
How about photographing the dogs that are "put down" Are pit bulls put down more than statistically probably than poodles? What is the difference between SB and OXnard shelters? Might be a real interesting study, I people are recognized as a threat.....as a breed....are they dealt with more harshly.....this translates to the Pit Bull "gangmembers"
Isabella Lam
1/21/2012 06:55:12 am
Hi, I am from the Writing 109 class, and I am currently trying to do some research on animal justice. I would like to contact you.
Claire Bredenoord
1/15/2012 10:10:25 am
I am thoroughly fascinated by race, and for this project I plan to turn the mirror on myself and explore whiteness. As a white person I reap the benefits of that label without ever having to confront it. Few caucasians think abut their skin color until they are thrown into an environment where they are the only white person--a circumstance some may never experience. Still, those considered "non-white" live in that circumstance's opposite and are forced to acknowledge their race, as well as its social implications, every day. I hope to reveal some of the impact of this racial disparity when you no longer have the option to ignore its existence. I want people to ask, "Is it because I'm white?" We can only understand how to turn white privilege into universal privilege through examining exactly where and how whiteness plays into our lives.
Amy
1/15/2012 04:27:30 pm
GENIUS!!
Sal Munoz
1/16/2012 07:00:23 am
I LOVE this idea. You should check out some of the work of Tim Wise. He's a White Anti-Racist activist who does a lot of writing and research in this area. There's also a few people on campus who might be interested in helping or participating in this project if you'd like for it to branch out.
Claire B
1/16/2012 10:23:47 am
Thanks! I actually read Wise's book Colorblind for a class I took on race last fall, but I'm definitely going to look further into his work. Any suggestions of people to talk to on campus are greatly appreciated :)
Kelly Kastanos
1/16/2012 09:03:54 am
THIS IS GENIUS! I find this topic fascinating also because I went to a high school where I was in the minority as a white person (it was a mainly Asian school). The thing was that I didn't realize it at all until I came to school here, surrounded by white people. I never considered my race to be a big part of my identity, but I feel that it comes into bigger play in areas with a higher white population. Justice?
Claire B
1/16/2012 11:05:59 am
I also went to a predominantly asian school (over 75%), but for elementary school. I feel like each school I went to after got progressively "whiter" and I doubt I would even be as aware of race issues if it weren't for the obvious differences I observed as my skin color changed from minority to majority. Because this is rarely brought to white people's attention they don't have to acknowledge racial differences, so I feel we need to put it on their radar. If the pepole in power have the option to ignore race issues, progress will never be made towards true equality.
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:33:40 am
same question as Pat's posting. How do you manifest it as research, text or image? Get angry and Amy and sal.....ask them not for support....but suggestions and ideas that are REAL.
Sasza Lohrey
1/15/2012 11:53:37 am
Still brainstorming more ideas, but here are two:
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:37:41 am
Has to be real and 10 week 1/4 makes it difficult. The County of Santa Barbara has a health clinic. It is a different population than a "boutique" drs office. How can you photograph in both? Does the camera have to be up to your eye to make a photograph. Not at all. DeathRow? How do you do this in such a brief period of time...when a death row inmate has been there for decades.....and the bureaucracy works so s-----l-----o----w.
Sasza
1/16/2012 12:52:49 pm
The idea is still in the beginning stages but I think it could be interesting to juxtapose the documentation of the lowest end of health care, such as the temporary/free/public clinics of Doctors Without Walls, up through Planned Parenthood, to private practices and very expensive health care, all the way up to very wealthy people who casually throw away money on such things as plastic surgery. Exposing the fact that while some people can't even afford/gain access to medicine or care for basic injuries or health problems such as cataracts, which greatly effect their daily life, other people are off spending thousands of dollars on "operations" such as botox and plastic surgery, which have no purpose beyond satisfying their own vanity.
Cissy Ross
1/17/2012 11:10:55 am
Farmworkers are another population that is underserved by health workers. Portraits of different people representing different kinds of workers coupled with facts from some solidly researched and cited text might work.
Alina Lipanski
1/15/2012 03:26:23 pm
The topic of justice in society has made me think about my own beliefs. I have never been very socially/politically outspoken. However, in the past I have been somewhat involved in animal rights. I was a vegan for many years and still have restrictions upon things that I eat/wear/purchase. I want to document the unjust actions that people subject animals to, as a vast majority of the population is unaware of what is going on. I am open to animal testing, mass factory farming, animal abuse... whatever I can gain access to.
Cissy Ross, Writing Program
1/16/2012 06:00:23 am
Author Peter Singer has written a lot about this, including The Ethics of What We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter. This might help you focus on what angle you want to pursue.
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:40:25 am
There are stockyards near bakersfield and in the Imperial Valley. The smell is pretty dense. Images might be interesting. And how to befriend someone there that will let you get MORE access than taking pictures from the road. And how much permission do you need. Maybe contrasting feedlot animals with free-range. How about speaking to Animal Control with the Sheriffs dept?
Deborah Choi
1/16/2012 04:36:42 am
I'm interested in looking at the accessibility of a healthy lifestyle, which would encompass access to health foods, food education, and exercise programs. As a poor college student, I've had to figure out how to eat healthily while on a budget though I do have access to the Rec Cen through my paid tuition. But I realize that not everyone is as lucky as I am.
Cissy Ross
1/16/2012 06:04:31 am
Morgan Feld in the Journalism Writing class is interested in a similar topic. Check out her comments in this blog under that class. I see possibilities for a collaboration!
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:42:56 am
When I go to the rec center I get annoyed when the tv screen is not working properly. The equipment there, paid for with student fees is the latest and the greatest. But how about the people that work out with a couple of coffee cans on the end of a metal bar filled with concrete mix. How can you differentiate with the equipment people use as an indicator of social status? Might be a starting point. Maybe.
Richard Ross
1/16/2012 10:44:09 am
There used to be Primos Gym on the corner of Haley and Salsipuedes.I believed they moved.....but you might track them down. Boys and Girls clubs as well.
Sean Ison
1/16/2012 06:20:32 am
I would like to look into the lives of migrant workers. For the first image I took photographs of people working in the strawberry fields down in orange county. I want to continue looking into the lives of migrant workers in Santa Barbara and other areas.
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:45:48 am
Save me from another student being in the fields doing the same images of migrant workers. I am sure that will not be you....but the challenge is there to really go home with them, drive with them, give them your camera.....do something beyond what has been done before!!!!
Sal
1/16/2012 06:57:18 am
Sal Munoz
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:48:12 am
Vending machines as well? Community stores and what they sell? What is the difference between Laguna Blanca, SBHigh, Cate School and San Marcos. Speak with the principal, nutritionist, State regulators. Carpinteria High School has been on national TV for their lunch program of fresh, organic, and healthy lunches. Jamie Oliver works there for some of the shootings.
Cissy Ross
1/17/2012 11:13:54 am
You should check out an organization call S'cool. It promotes healthy eating in the schools. I think it helps schools partner with local growers.
Liz Brownstein
1/16/2012 08:22:55 am
For my project I'm hoping to look into the injustices surrounding employment and job opportunities in terms of either gender disparity or occupational opportunities that are more open for people who have a certain appearance. For example, there are several businesses that come to mind who more heavily, or entirely, employ women, or who rate a candidate's appearance and beauty as more important than their experience or potential in the company.
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:50:16 am
Does the service industry depend more on female looks than financial sector? What do flight attendants looks like vs, the portrayal on "Pan Am?" Is that a hollywood vision vs a time frame? Good question. Not sure how you answer it in terms of research or image.
Minami Coirin (Writ 107J)
1/18/2012 07:35:35 am
Hey Liz! I'm in the Journalism Writing class and I think this topic is incredibly interesting! My first post I originally had a totally different idea for a justice project, but after reading yours I would love to collaborate with you on the topic. Also the aspect of ageism (injustice based on the age of person applying for the job, disparity of how capable/incapable they are viewed solely on age) would be something to think about. Like I said, I would love to partner with you on this project so shoot me an email!
Andrea Napoli
1/16/2012 10:03:40 am
I was inspired by the documentary Waiting for Superman. It is about the education system and its flaws. I want to investigate the education system differences in the Los Angeles area between the areas that are rich and the ones that are poor. I want to focus on quality of the teachers, quality of the facilities and experience of the students as well as the staff there. My father is a Complex Project Manager for LAUSD and has told me many of the experiences that he has had in this area. I believe the education system is one of the most important systems and definitely has problems that need to be exposed.
richard ross
1/16/2012 10:54:26 am
LAUSD. How much access can your Dad get you? USE IT ALL. It is a lot of who you know....and getting a foot in the door. Shooting kids is very difficult and may cause real problems. You MIGHT consider photographing the architecture, images of school exteriors with statistics of what the population is, skill level of teachers, student/teacher ratios. Of course, go to cross-roads, Harvard Westlake....etc. Get images of the buildings and all the stats....which are going to be DIFFICULT....but more accessible....by freedom of information and simply publicity for private schools. What is the average income of parents of the kids?
Melissa Chhan
1/17/2012 02:40:17 am
One topic I am very interested in is the idea of commodity fetishism. I was introduced to this topic when I took a class with Laurie Monahan. Even before that, I thought a lot about why people are obsessed with things that are just....things. What is it about an object that holds so much power for someone to become completely immersed in it? What if they knew where half of their clothes came from, how their computer was made?
Cissy Ross
1/17/2012 11:22:32 am
Intriguing! The New York Times has done some great photo pieces on sweatshops on the anniversary of the Triangle Fire. This is a video piece on regulators who check out garment industry:
Melissa Chhan
1/17/2012 02:17:19 pm
Cheers Cissy, that was helpful. Interesting to see how even the inspectors had a difficult time distinguishing between what was a sweatshop and what wasn't. What also looks challenging is how many of the workers do not speak English and/or are not free to talk. This will be challenging but I'm even more interested in doing more research now.
Kiran Dhillon
1/22/2012 04:59:34 am
Hi Melissa! I am in Writing 107 J, and I'd be very interested in collaborating with you. I have always been horrified by sweatshop working conditions and wages, and I think any effort to publicize the issue is a positive move in the right direction. I also think it sounds very promising that you know people who work in a sweatshop, as they would be good interview material. I have a car and would defnitely be willing to drive down to LA with you! Let me know if you would like to collaborate
Sasza Lohrey
1/17/2012 02:19:47 pm
I am very interested in the backgrounds of the workers in sweatshops and would be interested in trying to work out a collaboration if you need help taking pictures!
Lesly Chan
1/18/2012 08:20:32 am
Hey Melissa,
Lesly Chan
1/18/2012 08:21:59 am
In highlighting the three societal groups, I think it will provide more of an impact on the injustice of the industry. What do you think?
Melissa Chhan
1/19/2012 02:36:18 am
Lesly, I think looking that the different levels will be be a great starting point. I just read your post in the writing class and wanted to contact you so I'm glad you replied with your contact info. I also thought a lot more about the other side as well, because designing and making garments is also a craft which should also be recognized. I will be contacting you very soon!
Lesly Chan
1/19/2012 02:56:53 am
Just realized I'm an idiot and had my email down wrong..... long day haha. Here is the correct one: 8/14/2012 07:39:21 pm
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