Chapter 4: Portraiture
Alaskan Native Jim LaBelle, 75, is one of five Indian boarding school survivors. He was sent to Wrangell Indian boarding school when he was eight along with his brother Kermit who was six at the time. He was there from 1955 to 1961 and still remembers the numbers assigned to him instead of his name. (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post/Getty Images)
Additional Learning Prompt
Collaborative Portraiture Exercise:
- Pair up and discuss how you each want to be named or referred to during the portrait session and in any other discussion or presentations around the work. Determine the pronouns you each prefer, any nicknames or other naming conventions that you are both ok with each other using (or not!)
- Interview each other about what you each want to gain from the photo session and define goals for your portrait session.
- Sketch out an agreement that describes the specifics of usage, publication rights and restrictions (if any) for the images you will be making. Be specific and clearly describe how you may or may not use the images on social media, in publications and on digital platforms.
- Together, decide on the location, time, and wardrobe that will fit the mood of what the person being photographed wants to convey.
- Shoot digitally so that you can review the images in real time together, either through
- your phone or a computer. This way you can both see if the images are getting to the heart of what you are each going for.
- After the session, exchange a wide edit of photos with each other.
- Together, select a few images that you both agree will be acceptable to use for the points drawn up in your agreement. Add the image file names that you agree will be the ones you can both use to the agreement.
- Each of you should sign and date the agreement and each should retain a copy of it to refer to if necessary.