Story Ideas

So my semester-long project is going to revolve around an issue that currently plays a significant part in my community. Whether that be the community of the University of Georgia, the community of Athens itself, or the community of one of the many organizations I’m involved in, that’s all up to me.

When I think of Athens and the issues plaguing our town, the first one that comes to mind is the disparity between the haves and the have-nots. Athens is dominated by the University of Georgia which (primarily) consists of affluent, middle/upper-class members from outside of the town who are only here to party (and sometimes to learn). For those who grow up in Athens, life is much less glamorous then the traditional University student lifestyle, and this difference is a key disconnect between the mindsets of the average native Athenian and the average member of UGA. Much of Athens’ population is underfunded and unemployed, and it is commonly argued that the University could do more to give back to the community that hosts its presence. I have thought about this issue for a while, and while I am able to compare the two in words, doing so in images throws me off a bit. I can imagine shooting separate images of the two, but I would like to find a place where I can photograph them together. Any ideas?

My second idea revolves around one of the classes I am taking this semester. I don’t remember the proper title, so let’s call it Community Service Spanish. In this class, I will be going out to one of the local elementary schools as a mentor/tutor to young students who need the support and friendship. As a fluent Spanish-speaker, I am hoping to be able to help out the younger Hispanics, especially because there are many of them who cannot speak English and very few of the teachers at the school speak Spanish themselves. To document this issue, I would prefer not to photograph my work, as I feel that trying to be a mentor and a journalist at the same time means that I cannot give 100% fully to either one, and I hate half-assing things. That being said, there are about 50 other people in my Community Service Spanish class, and I think it would be a great idea to go and document their efforts at helping the Athens Hispanic community.

Thoughts?

Return

Hey all! I’m back.

For those visiting this blog for the first time, my name is Alan Liow, and I am a fourth-year at the University of Georgia majoring in Spanish and Magazine Journalism with an Emphasis on Photojournalism. This is my personal photoblog which I hope to use to post the pictures/videos that I will be shooting throughout the year.

So this semester I once again am looking to document a semester-long story, but I hope to be much, much better about my weekly updates (as in actually updating weekly.) Last semester was not the best example of this behavior, but I am looking forward to starting over and actually getting it right this time. First of all though, I need a topic to write on, and so I will be back here soon with some ideas that I hope you readers will look at and comment on. Thanks!

Petit Le Mans

Guess where I was the weekend of October 1, 2011? I had an amazing day as a photographer at the annual Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. Hands down, this was one of the most awesome things I’ve ever been to or done.

The Petit Le Mans is the largest of the American Le Mans series of races, and it runs either 1000 miles or 10 hours, whichever one comes first. I was there from almost seven in the morning to about 11 at night, and it was unbelievable. Thousands upon thousands of people come out to watch the race, and I was set loose upon the grounds with a press vest and a camera and told to make images. So I did:

Rhythm and Hue

David Garibaldi is a performing artist whose shows are a combination of motivational speech and fantastic displays of art, while all the while a DJ and drummer play remixed versions of Top 20 hits in the background. Garibaldi is most famous for being able to paint large pictures of celebrities in a matter of minutes on stage, and his performance “Rhythm and Hue” was very unique indeed.

Between performances, Garibaldi talks to the crowd, telling them about his struggles to achieve his dream and exhorting them onward, giving them support and pleading with them not to give up on their own goals. He also stressed the importance of having a plan in life, and not just wandering around aimlessly. Garibaldi’s performed his heart out onstage: pumping up the crowd, running around the stage, leaping upwards to paint a spot on the top of the canvas; it really showcased the athletic ability needed to perform like this.

Athens Improv

Improvisational comedy can be very difficult. Some people aren’t funny even when they’ve had time to prepare an act. Improv requires people to be quick-thinking and funny at the same time, something that could easily implode under the wrong circumstances. The Athens Improv troupe consists of a number of highly skilled comedians, all who have the innate talent for comedy and the sharp mind needed to succeed in a world where you have to make it all up as you go along.

Because improv-ers are creating the scene as it occurs, with some audience input, of course, it often involves surprising ideas that can take people by surprise. It also requires a little bit of athletic ability and dexterity, especially when you don’t know what your fellow improv-ers want you to do or will do to you.

Pecan Picking

Over Thanksgiving Break, I went pecan picking with my family in Griffin, Ga. Pecans are delicious and highly relish the opportunity to get as many of them as possible. However, we quickly depleted our supply on the ground and decided that we wanted to get the ones that were up in the trees. Thus my father commenced his shenanigans at throwing sticks to knock the nuts down. It worked surprisingly well. Observe:

Stone Mountain Highland Games

On October 15, 2011, I had the pleasure to be a part of something I’ve always admired: Scottish culture. The Annual Stone Mountain Highland Games are one of the biggest games in the Southeast and highlight of many Scottish families’ years. The event spans several days, but Saturday and Sunday are the biggest. There was an enormous amount of Scottish pride on display, from the clan tents set up all over the woods, to the perpetual hum of bagpipes practicing off in the distance or performing right next to you.

I was in awe the entire day, not just of the immense endurance required to practice drumming and piping for nearly more then9 hours or of the strength required to flip telephone-pole-esque logs, but of the entire spectacle of the Games themselves. All I got from the even this year was a pin, memories, and ton of photos, but I think I might try for a quilt the next time I head back.

Community Dance Day

Being part of the University of Georgia Ballroom Performance Group has certainly given me a new appreciation of dance. I was never one to attempt or even like dancing while growing up. It just didn’t seem to fit well with me. As part of the group, I have definitely improved as a dancer, but I now recognize that dancing is not about being good or bad, but about having fun.

In the spirit of this idea, Community Dance Day was held on October 9, 2011 in the University of Georgia Dance Building. Featuring performances by various local dance companies and lessons for all ages and skill levels, Community Dance Day was an event to show Athens that dancing is something that can permeate all levels of our culture. Seeing children having fun while dancing definitely put a smile on my face, and makes me wonder if I should have gotten into this earlier.

ZTA Field Day

On October 4, 2011, the ZTA sorority had its annual Field Day, an event that corresponded with the organization’s Pink Week support of breast cancer awareness and prevention. The sorority’s hosted its Field Day on the Myers Quad with events such as a three-legged race, water balloon tossing, and a yogurt eating contest.

Rather oddly, at least for me, the sorority was not the one taking part in the field day. When I first heard of the event, I thought it would be quite a funny event to see these girls running all over the field doing ridiculous things, but as it turned out, the sorority merely hosted the event. In actuality, they pulled a bunch of guys from fraternities or around the quad to compete against each other. Sigh.

Project Condom

I had the opportunity to shoot the Project Condom Fashion Show on October 25, 2011. Hosted by the University of Georgia Health Center, Project Condom’s main goal was to raise awareness of the dangers of unprotected sex and the subsequent prevention of the risks associated with sexual activity. The Show also hoped to remove the stigma surrounding condoms and foster conversation between partners that might have been lacking before.

Of course the highlight of the show would have to be the costumes themselves. Created completely out of thousands of expired condoms donated by a condom company, the designers have been working on these costumes since mid-August and most have them have put together some splendid displays. There were several heats at the show, with each one being themed: day dresses, long dresses, costume themes, etc. There were also several performances by local entertainment companies such as the UGA Dance Team and Sweet Dreams.