SEEING BEYOND SIGHT CHALLENGE
This is an open-source project, which means you can use any of the material, build upon it and modify it all you want, and we just ask that you share your results, images and improvements so that it helps other people do the project too. Please email resources we can share.
SAMPLE AGENDAS & CURRICULA:
I. One-day workshop at Working With Artists | Denver, CO | by Greg Cradick
One day workshop (10am-4pm). Skill Level: Beginning & Intermediate.
More info about the workshop or to sign up.Participants do a morning meditating on their other senses, going in deep and trying to tap into the strength of other ways of "seeing." They then go out blindfolded to make some images with these other senses. Some concepts will be addressed related to Trace Dance from Wilbert Alex. Facilitated by Greg Cradick.
II. Two-hour workshop at American Visionary Art Museum | Baltimore, MD | by Tony Deifell & Julie Stovall
Introduction (10min)
- Explanation
of goals, process, how to shoot
blindfolded, how to guide person blindfolded
- Hand out a copy of
- Show some examples (prepare in advance). A good
sort audio-visual slideshow is here: http://www.seeingbeyondsight.org/photochallenge
- Ask people to pair up in twos to take turns
photographing (ask whoever came alone to raise their hand and pair up someone
else who is raising their hand)
- Have five or
more digital cameras for people without cameras to borrow
Shooting: Part 1 (20min)
- Each pair
takes turns shooting assignments with a blindfold and playing “guide” role (10
min ea)
Discussion (20min)
1) DIADS/PAIRS (10min) – each person turns to another person who wasn’t their partner, and take turns describing one thing that was surprising in their experience (shooting & guiding)
2) WHOLE GROUP (10min) –
Facilitate a conversation with the whole group to draw insights, lessons, “aha
moments” from the first experience, and prepare them to re-try shooting again.
Possible prompting questions to
ask group:
i) What did you find surprising in your experience?
ii) What was the hardest assignment & why?
iii) What was it like being a guide or being guided?
iv) What could you draw from this experience that might affect how you normally take pictures?
v) What could you draw from this experience about how “to see” the world more broadly?
vi) What ideas do you have for doing it differently the second time (and possibly getting more out of it)?
- Each pair takes turns shooting assignments wearing a blindfold and playing “guide” role (15 min each)
- Tell people they can come back at different times as they finish. (If the group is large, possibly ask for a few volunteers to upload the first shoot before going back out for Part 2.)
Curating & Sharing (20min)
- Each person should choose their top three pictures to upload (be selective!)
- Get everyone to write captions with each top picture that have an observation about what they learned or noticed (but not repeating what is in the image itself).
- UPLOAD images to http://www.flickr.com/groups/seeingbeyondsight (worth practicing in advance).
- Process: i) load images from camera to local computer hard drive, ii) chose three top (write down file name or delete others), iii) sign-in or sign-up for free Flickr.com account, iv) upload JUST the three selections, v) join the “Seeing Beyond Sight Challenge” Flickr Group at this URL: http://www.flickr.com/groups/seeingbeyondsight, vi) just above each picture and select “Send to Group” in small gray type at top-right of image and send to SBS group for all to see. This will be fed as an iframe to www.seeingbeyondsight.org as well.
- Start a discussion thread in the Flickr Group to document your group, where you are in the world and anything about your event.
- Have some drinks available and just hang out watching best photos being projected.
NOTES:
EQUIPMENT NEEDS (can still be done without all of these, but they help):
- 5-8 computers w/ internet connection for uploading (more helps A LOT in parallel processing uploads at the end)
- a few universal memory card readers
- Five or more digital cameras (old ones are just fine) for some people to borrow if needed
- Battery chargers for each battery used.
- Projector
- external speakers [for 1) audio for slideshow example and 2) music during uploading process – helps with energy]
VOLUNTEER NEEDS:
- Three or more volunteers: a technical person who is the point person for setting up all the computers, testing the upload and wireless connection and helping participants through the in-take process (really important for them to do a pre-event run through in uploading to Flickr)
- One volunteer who focuses on getting the current uploads to project on the wall (people love showing everyone their pictures immediately – and it builds energy). They can also make sure captions are done during uploads.
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