Over the last few years, my activism has taken many forms - I've been a Field Organizer for the Obama campaign, a delegate to the CA State Democratic Party, I've written on blogs, run phone banks, signed petitions, you name it.
But nothing has been as satisfying as picking up my camera and documenting the profound social changes our country has been going through. Why? Because nothing cuts through bullshit faster or expresses emotional truth better than a simple, thoughtful photograph.
Believe it or not, it's not that difficult to accomplish. You don't need fancy equipment or a degree in photography. You just need a trained eye, and a point of view you feel passionately about.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. My goal is to follow up with other diaries for more specific recommendations and ideas.
Hopefully, this will get you started.
#1 - Shoot what moves you
This photo was taken last year on the Proposition 8 "Day of Decision", the day a California appellate judge ruled Proposition 8 unconstitutional. I actually shot two rallies that day, one in West Hollywood, and this one, a candlelight vigil in Downtown LA. Although the vigil featured many prominent activists from the LGBT and Latino community, it was the crowd - with faces of joy which glowed by candlelight - that consistently drew my attention.
Telluride, CO. 4th of July - Again, I chose to zero in on a single subject who became a proxy for an entire event, in this case Telluride's annual 4th of July parade. I was drawn not only to her dress, but to the sense of wonder in her face.
Camp Courage - Santa Barbara, CA. A facilitator listens intently as a speaker tells their deeply personal story. The emotion on the facilitator's face says so much, and yet asks many questions. It draws the viewer in not only because they feel empathy for the subject, but because it makes them want to know more.
LESSON: Using a single subject as a proxy for big issues or big events works because it helps the viewer identify with the subject in a very personal, accessible way.
#2 - Search out the unusual
Code Pink members demonstrate against Jane Harman in Venice, CA. I chose this angle because, to me, it perfectly captured the rally's irreverent nature better than yet another photo of a protest sign.
Netroots Nation, 2010 - Lt. Dan Choi holds up his iPhone, which show the official discharge email he'd received earlier that day.
Christmas Day, New Orleans. I love old, crumbling cemeteries because you'll never know what you'll find there like, perhaps, a shiny red plastic Xmas tree on a grave.
Obama campaign rally at USC. I had already been at the rally for a couple of hours, shooting the speakers at the podium. When Obama came on stage, this lone Get Equal sign shot up for about a minute before the protestor was escorted away.
LESSON: Finding unusual angles or subjects as a proxy for big ideas or events will surprise a viewer and capture their attention.
#3 - Know the limitations of your equipment
You don't need thousands of dollars in camera gear to capture a seminal moment, but you do need to know the limits of what you have to capture that moment effectively. You can't capture the emotions of someone's face from a hundred feet away if all you have is a point-and-shoot camera any more than you could capture the scope of a massive crowd if all you have is 300mm lens.
Having said that though, it's amazing what you can do with even a simple flip-phone cam or the iPhone. The following photos were taken with an iPhone 4 using the Hipstamatic app set to the John S lens and one of their B&W high-contrast "films"
San Francisco Muni Bus
Street performer, Venice, CA
Homeless begging on the Venice, CA boardwalk
LESSON: Better, more expensive equipment doesn't not mean better images. Understand what you're equipment can do and use it to the best of it's abilities.