Students’ visual work displayed in University Library

Ellen Countryman

An exhibit of student work from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Visual Storytelling class will be on display at Audio Visual Services on the third floor of the University Library from now until Nov. 2.

Gary Harwood, instructor for the sophomore-level photography class, said the students picked their subjects and developed their own stories.

“For many students, it represents their first attempt at creating multi-visual stories,” Harwood said.

Students spent about two to three days per week for eight weeks with their story subjects, Harwood said. They took thousands of pictures of people’s everyday interactions.

David Labelle, award-winning photographer and guest lecturer, explained the importance and difficulty of getting beneath the surface of people. LaBelle said it is very difficult to gain the kind of intimacy with people these students did.

“They took pictures of troubling subjects with great dignity,” LaBelle said. “These are pictures that the students, faculty and university can be very proud of.”