Representing themselves.
In our efforts to promote self-representation we engaged in a Photo Ethnography Project (PEP!)
During our stay in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa 2010 - 2011 we gathered groups of Coloured youth with the help of community leaders, gave them digital cameras and asked them to take photos based on certain themes: home, family, beauty, the Other, etc.
The term "Coloured" in South Africa refers to heterogeneous, multi-generational, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, genetically blended people, or creolized people.
The youth would photograph their experiences, return as a group and we'd discuss the images they produced. We discussed image framing and composition, subject matter, and what the images meant to them.
Over a period of a few months we met, spoke and shared images. Towards the end of the project we met individually with each member to pick out their favorite photos. Then as a group we showed the favorites and voted which would be exhibited.
The three resulting shows exhibited in the communities and a gallery represented the youth's perspectives of where they lived and who they were as South Africa
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