Yesterday, my photographer friend Monique Dykstra and I did a videoconference. That means we worked with a class on live-video. We were out in Laval; the students were in Franklin Centre, near the American border. This is all part of a great project called Quebec Roots, organized by the Blue Metropolis Literary Foundation. We are helping the students put together a chapter for a book about Quebeccommunities. Monique D is helping them with their photos; I'm working on the writing. The students have already been quite busy on their chapter. Monique D commented on the photos they've taken so far, and I made some suggestions for improving the writing. My main point is that the project needs more FOCUS, as well as more DETAILS.
The cool thing about discussing focus when there is a photographer around is that we are talking the same language. Monique D doesn't want blurry photos, and I don't want blurry writing. Also, details bring a story (and photos!) to life. It's the details we remember, such as one student's description of the schoolbus driver with a "snowy beard."
I'm going to show you a photograph I took at the videoconference yesterday. I know, I know... it's not a very good photo. Monique D told me it needs more context (meaning you can't really tell what is going on in the photo unless I explain it to you.) So here's what's going on in the photo: the big people on the screen are in Franklin Centre, and we're the little people in the box at the bottom left.
Time to leave for school. Author-illustrator Genevieve Cote is coming to speak to my students. Means I'll have lots more to blog about tomorrow!
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