The Student News Site of Central Oregon Community College

The Broadside

The Student News Site of Central Oregon Community College

The Broadside

The Student News Site of Central Oregon Community College

The Broadside

Rob Kerr: Community Display

Left%3A+Timothy+Park%3A+Darkroom+I+went+into+the+project+hoping+to+convey+the+oddity+of+modern+technology+like+smartphones%2C+mixed+with+a+historical+process.+Right%3A+Sue+Carrol%3A+Sunnyside+Sports+I+photographed+the+fun-loving+Sunnyside+Sport+Staff+at+work+with+my+iphone+6.+I+plan+to+take+a+bike+tour+later+this+year+and+took+this+class+to+start+thinking+about+how+to+photograph+a+story.
Left: Timothy Park: Darkroom “I went into the project hoping to convey the oddity of modern technology like smartphones, mixed with a historical process.” Right: Sue Carrol: Sunnyside Sports “I photographed the fun-loving Sunnyside Sport Staff at work with my iphone 6. I plan to take a bike tour later this year and took this class to start thinking about how to photograph a story.”

“Rob Kerr is an iconic member of the community and education system. Also, I was blown away with his students’ work” said Stewart Fritchman, owner of Bellatazza coffee. The work from the students taking Rob Kerr’s Photo Essay class is on display in the downtown Bellatazza throughout April.

Left: Sabrina Robinson: Wild "My goal was to capture the high desert's unique geography and beauty which I found below ground." Right: Brian Nelson: Car " I spent three weeks photographing the daily life of a full-time student who lives in his car. My goal was to create a narrative that conveyed the solitary nature of this lifestyle and who he is."
Left: Sabrina Robinson: Wild “My goal was to capture the high desert’s unique geography and beauty which I found below ground.” Right: Brian Nelson: Car ” I spent three weeks photographing the daily life of a full-time student who lives in his car. My goal was to create a narrative that conveyed the solitary nature of this lifestyle and who he is.”

Kerr has received awards from the Associated Press, American Photo Magazine, National Press Photographers and the Society of Professional Journalists. His work was most recently published on the cover of the New York Times, and he has also been featured in the LA Times, Outside Magazine, Skiing Magazine, Runners World and Switchback Magazine. Kerr currently is a freelance photographer, family man and teacher of Photo Journalism Basics and Photo Essay at Central Oregon Community College.

Kerr said that the opportunity to show his students’ work presented itself after their above-average work was completed.

“Students progressed exponentially from Photojournalism Basics (the prerequisite to Photo Essay)  where communicating an idea from a single frame was a goal. There was a very short period for assignment and each photographer overcame unique storytelling challenges,” Kerr said.

The students were allowed to photograph whatever they wanted and were challenged to photograph something that was outside their individual comfort zones. After initial shoots, students developed a series that conveyed a story.

Kerr said, “In particular, I was struck by three photographs.”

These three photographs are Sabrina Robinson’s photo of a gated driveway and mobile home, Brian Nelson’s photo of Patrick in his minivan spending the night at a Walmart Parking lot and a photograph by Timothy Park of the test strip fixer during one of his darkroom courses.

Kerr said that the students all improved their skills and that they looked at entire shoots and discussed the thought process while framing and capturing.

 

Danielle Meyers | The Broadside

(Contact: [email protected])

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    Carrie WaywardsonJun 9, 2016 at 7:50 am

    Nice to see what cutting one’s teeth at a daily newspaper can do for a fella!

    Reply
  • C

    Carrie WaywardsonJun 9, 2016 at 7:50 am

    Nice to see what cutting one’s teeth at a daily newspaper can do for a fella!

    Reply