UNC Hussman innovation stories: remote photojournalism

A spotlight on the ways UNC Hussman students, faculty and staff are innovating to connect our community online and continue education remotely.

Remote photojournalism and the creative process
 

Associate Professor Chad Heartwood’s Photojournalism Projects students greeted each other a little differently on the first day of class after Spring Break: with ‘elbow bumps' via remote video (screenshot above). But they had to rethink more than their greeting. “I had to totally reinvent the class because I can't ethically ask them to go out into the community and potentially expose themselves or others to the virus,” Heartwood said. So for a class that would normally have students roving with their camera, Heartwood encouraged them to turn inward. He structured the remainder of the year around “creative process,” with students examining each layer of that process. This week’s theme is “where do ideas come from?” For the final project of the class, each student will be using any media of their choice to document their pandemic experience. Heartwood will provide regular prompts as a catalyst. Some of his examples:

What have you realized you take for granted?
What brings you comfort?
Choose image on your phone from this week last year — make a similar yet contrasting image in this time of COVID-19.
Create a portrait of someone you miss.
Make a collage (mixed media) exploring what your fear looks like. Then photograph it.

What brings YOU comfort? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram. And stay tuned for more stories of how classes are adapting at UNC Hussman.