Tell a Migration Story … With Photos Population Pasta Tell a Migration Story … With Interviews Tell a Migration Story … With Maps Through the Eyes of a Refugee Activity Index

<< Photography can tell a migration story through the cultural markers it captures. Photo courtesy of Sidney Hastings

• Visit Geography Action! and The Genographic Project to find out more about human migration.
• Learn the basics of human migration by reading the Human Migration Guide for Grades K-2; 3-5; 6-8; or 9-12.
• Then read the Photojournalism Guide for Grades K-2; 3-5; 6-8; or 9-12 to learn about taking photographs to tell a story with pictures.

Learn About It
Words aren't the only way to tell a story. Have you ever heard the saying that "a picture is worth a thousand words?" Photographs are a great way to tell a story in ways that words alone cannot. Photographs can document a community's cultural landscape and cultural markers, as well as the changes that occur over the years. Read the Photojournalism Guide for Grades K-2; 3-5; 6-8; or 9-12 to find out more about photographing objects to tell a story about history.

Think About It
Practice using photography to tell a story. Remember the steps you learned about in the Photojournalism Guide as you take pictures:

• Choose a worthy subject.
• Consider how you will frame the subject of your picture.
• Think about how you can tell a story with a sequence of photographs.

• Take two different photographs from two different angles. Compare them. Do they tell the same story? How might a photograph taken from ground level looking up give a different impression than a photograph of the same object taken from above?
• Take a series of photographs of different people in the same pose. Do their pictures tell stories that are similar or different? Why or why not? Does it depend on the story?
• Take a photograph of a particular scene. Then draw or paint the same scene. Compare and contrast the two. Do they tell the same story? Did they capture the same mood?
• Take the same photograph at different times of the day or year. How did this affect the story? For example, a woman sitting on a park bench in the morning vs. a woman sitting on the same park bench in the dark. What is different about their stories?
• Take photographs of different subjects of the same type (for example, grocery stores in your community). How does sequencing them tell a story that one photograph alone could not tell?
• Think of a story you'd like to tell. Break that story down into three parts (e.g., morning, afternoon and evening). What photographs could you take that will tell each part of that story?
• Take two pictures of the same subject. Take one that shows contrast (or opposites) in the photograph and one that does not. How do the two photographs tell two different stories?

Younger Xpeditioners: Visit a place in your community that is part of the cultural landscape and select one local landmark that fits into the migration story of your community. If you have access to a camera, take some pictures. Ask a parent or trusted adult to help you use the camera and develop the film or download the digital images. Once you have your photos back, select a few of the best photographs that show the cultural marker's importance in your community. If you don't have access to a camera, draw a picture that tells a similar story. Write a sentence on your picture that tells why this place is important to the community's migration story.

Older Xpeditioners: Create a photo essay that tells a migration story of your community. If you have access to a camera, take a variety of images of your community that you can use to create a community collage. After you have developed your library of photographs, choose your favorites—those that you think can tell a story about the community. Piece together your pictures to tell a story. Decide how you want to arrange them (in a sequence, in groups, etc.) and then mount them onto poster board.

If you don't have access to a camera, or to supplement your photo essay, find and collect existing photos or other cultural artifacts for the collage. Some examples could include restaurant menus; maps; brochures from community organizations, businesses or attractions; images from the Internet; postcards; and newspaper clippings.

Share your collage with the community. See if you can display your collage in the local library or historical society. Consider submitting your photo essay into photography and journalism contests or exhibits.

Parents: Don't let your camera collect dust waiting for your next vacation. There are great photographic opportunities within your own community. Keep a camera handy for impromptu photography sessions and bring your camera along when you visit the park and other community locations. Encourage your child to take pictures of the treasures right in your backyard! Keep a scrapbook of photographs taken around town and share them with out-of-town guests who want to learn more about your community.