Response to Lecture

I always say this, bu today's lecture was very fun. In some ways, maybe because Kip shared a lot of his own work, it seemed a lot less formal than our other lectures. As we were talking about personal narrative I got to thinking about our next project. For many people, the confession project seemed to border on a lot of the same techniques as personal narrative. Since Kip decided to have "story-time" I thought that we could possible have to do the same thing. Maybe we'll have to illustrate a book or perhaps make a video. I am kind of hesitant to share anything too personal, but this could be a chance to do it in a creative way. I am currently getting my minor in English in the hopes to become a better writer. I feel like this project would help me combine my two passions while also revealing more about myself to the class.

I was very interested in the photographer, Sally Mann, that Kip spent time on in class as well. I decided to look up more of her photos and these are a few of my favorites:

I think the last one looks like a face on the tree. I think it is funny the way some people view these photos as "child pornography" or "too controversial because it is clear that nudity and sexuality are not the points that Mann is trying to portray within these pictures. To me and the way that Kip explained it, her photos were more about nature, mother-children relationships, and customs within her family's way of living. It is strange how many people can look at the numerous portraits of women painted nude over the years but when it is a photograph of a child, nudity (from bodies that are not even developed) is shocking. In Jessie Mann's explanation of her mother's work she makes it clear that this was a way in which her mother expressed her feelings toward her children. These photographs evoke emotions of love and care. In this way that are not exposing anything else.