English 107G University of Portland Dr. Herman Asarnow Fall 2001

 Assignment 1

Photography & Writing Assignment

for Painters' Portraits Experience

Part I--Due Date: Please return the disposable cameras and lists of details for each portrait for this project to me by Sunday, September 2 4 p.m. at BC 380, my office, in the plastic containers outside my office.

The Assignment, Part I: After viewing the self portraits by all the artists on our web site, plan out 2 visual self-portraits for yourself. You will be assigned to a group of 3 students from the seminar, and you will help each other create and then photograph each other's self-portraits. The purposes of the assignment are to enable you to consider several things:

• that the self one projects is, at least partly, a choice one can make;
• that the self one projects in pictures or words may only be one of many selves that we, upon introspection, discover within us;
• that we can create the image of a self that we wish to be, and then perhaps become it (the "field of dreams" concept: "if you build it, they will come");
• and, finally, that we can use many tools, depending on the medium, for establishing the images of our selves in the world.

In this assignment, you'll use visual elements. Later, in writing about yourself and the world, for this course and beyond, you will use many verbal elements of self-creation, self-expression, and self-assertion.

Consider such issues as: your pose, your expression, what you will wear or carry (props, etc.), setting, lighting, makeup, whatever. The list is limitless. Write out a list (to be handed in with the pictures) for each of the two self-portraits of the elements you have planned for them so that you won't forget them, or confuse them with each other. And create a title for each of the two self-portraits. Make it your goal to have each self-portrait illustrate one major, but different, part of who you are.

Do keep in mind that the photographic equipment is going to be one of those mediocre disposable cameras (sold to us by a local Wolf Photo store managed by a UP alumnus who graciously offered us a discount on cameras and film developing for this project!) So be careful to plan for the pictures to come out okay. There are 27 shots in each camera, so each person in the group can take 9 shots, total, to come up with his or her 2 "selves." Consider lighting, in particular.

Make an appointment to meet with your group partners to take photographs of each other on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday), August 30-September 1. These photos will represent each student's visual self-portrait(s) at the beginning of class (and of his or her college career). The goal is to have 2 initial self-portraits for each person in the class--2 different selves at the start of the term.

I will return the photographs to you at my office (BC 380), after about 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 4. Come by them to pick them up!! Your first writing assignment will be to use 2 of self-portraits as the basis for two different, brief, autobiographical essays about your self (selves). More specifics on this assignment in class and on the web!

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