Photos from the UN

Here is a link to the photos of presidents by Platon- at the UN conference this fall...

http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/2009/12/07/091207_audioslideshow_platon

I found this to be a shocking and excellent example of image culture. Each of these presidents/leaders is photographed in exactly the same way- most of them are at ease. When I first went through, I looked at the pictures and thought they were dignitaries, UN workers, but until I recognized the president of Afghanistan, I was going along under that assumption. The images betrayed me. Or did they? Maybe they spoke some truth about these men and women that I would never imagine to be true. So many political images are propaganda and I have beliefs based on these images presented to me.

About Me and My Expectations

I am a 7th Grade English teacher and graduate of the TC English Education program. I studied film and creative writing in college and visual studies have consistently been an interest of mine. I'm looking forward to exploring image culture through this course, perhaps bringing some of my work back to my students to broaden our visual and media literacy work.

In addition to being an English teacher, I teach online education courses through Drexel University and am an editor of young adult literature. One of my passions has been a bit absent from my life of late- my study and love of photography. I am fascinated by moments frozen in time. The visual archive particularly interests me personally- especially the notion of collecting a lot of images then piecing them together. This type of editing is an art form I truly enjoy.

Me