Photojournalism Course Documenting COVID-19
Media Arts and Design
At the end of the semester, SMAD’s photojournalism course usually culminates with each student producing a final portfolio that covers a range of assignments that they would encounter as professional journalists, from sports, to public meetings to portrait shots. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic JMU’s classes moved online and all of the assigned events the students were scheduled to photograph were canceled.
As a way to adapt and change the curriculum for the online environment SMAD’s photojournalism students were tasked with the project of producing a photo essay documenting some aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the cancellation of in-person classes the students have been working on their photo essays while quarantined at home with family or roommates.
A photo essay addresses a topic or story through photographs where a viewer sees how a photojournalist conveys a message. Typically, these stories focus on the lives of others, but under stay-at-home orders and to prevent any unnecessary health risks, students were permitted to document their own experiences.
Each student submitted six photos along with a layout of their photo essay in a newspaper page format. A short paragraph helps to set the scene for the viewer and captions provide further detail for each photo. From photographing self-isolation within off-campus housing to documenting the changing landscapes of hometowns to taking a look into why students decided to stay in Harrisonburg, yielding a range of topics both unique and insightful.
These photos and stories will become a visual record of this global pandemic and give viewers a chance to see how a group of JMU juniors and seniors have adapted, adjusted and achieved a meaningful end to a surreal semester.
See student work listed below:
