Most of us know Serena Williams to be one of the most accomplished female tennis stars or athletes known in the US. But how do we, as outsiders of her personal life, truly view her? This image, Serena Williams, Key Biscayne, FL, by Walter Iooss captures Williams in a limousine, dressed up for an event, fixing her makeup. It depicts her high social, financial, and athletic standing. We aim to ask and understand questions surrounding the significance of the photo beyond what the eye sees. How can we interpret Iooss’ work? How do we see Serena Williams through this image? Who is she as an athlete? Who is she as a female? Who is she as an African American in America? How does this documentary photo shape or change our view on Williams as both an athlete and a person? This podcast aims to not only answer these questions, but to further discuss Williams as a powerful figure in the sports world, and address her intersectionality as an African American woman and athlete.

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This podcast is part of the Crop and Click series featuring student research on documentary photography from our collection. ��̱������� for a portfolio of all the works discussed in the series.

Hosted and produced by Emma Rudy and Marcos Ruiz. Cover art by Lucy Sherman ’23.

In this podcast, we explore Walker Evans’ work with the Farm Security Administration (FSA), specifically his photograph . Vicinity of Selma, Alabama. We engage with Roy Stryker’s mission, capturing “America for Americans,” and the politics behind the collection. Simultaneously, we address Evans’ desire to make an artistic product and what this means for the truth value of a documentary image. Engaging in close visual analysis of Store with false front. Vicinity of Selma, Alabama, we discuss the aestheticization of poverty and labor and the role of the human body within the context of Evans’ works. We also explore another FSA photograph by Arthur Rothstein, entitled Sign, Birmingham, Alabama, and discuss how it also engages with the politics of the FSA and promotes cultural stereotypes. We end by wrestling with a critical question, do documentary images have any objective truths at all?

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This podcast is part of the Crop and Click series featuring student research on documentary photography from our collection. ��̱������� for a portfolio of all the works discussed in the series.

Hosted and produced by Nora Fox and Nathaniel Zuckerberg. Cover art by Lucy Sherman ’23.

This podcast is centered around the 1991 Nan Coulter photograph, Azle, Texas: War Decor, Photographs in America, which features a building with yellow ribbons on the doors. The hosts, Savannah Compare and Ava Steinberger, will analyze the symbolism in the composition of the image, as well as tie the image into the complexities of war photography and how much it varies and symbolizes within the larger context of war. The ribbons in the Nan Coulter photograph signify American civilian’s solidarity with the soldiers fighting in the Gulf War, and their universal nature allowed for the public to use them in order to shape whatever message they wanted to send. This podcast will connect the versatility of the ribbons to the complexity of war images and how they all represent a wide range of perspectives regarding war.

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This podcast is part of the Crop and Click series featuring student research on documentary photography from our collection. ��̱������� for a portfolio of all the works discussed in the series.

Hosted and produced by Savannah Compare and Ava Steinberger. Cover art by Lucy Sherman ’23.

The National Child Labor Committee, founded in 1904, was dedicated to promoting social reform as it pertains to child labor. Hired by the NCLC, Lewis Hine advocated for photography as a medium of education. Describing his craft as “detective work” he was an investigative photojournalist capturing the dire conditions of child labor in New England. Among the earliest examples of documentary photography in America, A Sweeper in the Hill, assumes the position as a symbol of the common exploitation of child labor and photojournalism. The motives behind Lewis Hine and the NCLC as a whole reveals the troubling truths about the conditions of the workplace and the ill treatment of children in the early 18th century. What can we learn from A Sweeper in the Hill and other photos within the collection in regards to the document as a reform device?

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This podcast is part of the Crop and Click series featuring student research on documentary photography from our collection. ��̱������� for a portfolio of all the works discussed in the series.

Hosted and produced by Ella Caron and Eden Lorin. Cover art by Lucy Sherman ’23.

Can a photograph ever just be a photograph? [or is there always a communicated message from a photograph as a record?] This podcast analyzes Jurgen Schadeberg’s photograph, We Won’t’ Move, shot in the shantytown of Sophiatown in 1955. Jurgen Schadeberg was a white photographer who immigrated to South Africa from Germany. He was renowned for his work in the South African magazine Drum at the beginning of South African Apartheid, from 1951 to 1959. He leverages the composition of his photograph to visualize power dynamics during South African apartheid. Jurgen Schadeberg’s image emphasizes the importance of context and artistic choice in creating a powerful, photographic record. This podcast will not only reveal the story behind Schadeberg’s photograph but also compare it to similar works by black photographers working in South Africa during apartheid.

��̱������� for a transcription and bibliography as well as images of the works discussed in today’s episode.

This podcast is part of the Crop and Click series featuring student research on documentary photography from our collection. ��̱������� for a portfolio of all the works discussed in the series.

Hosted and produced by Samantha Simmons. Cover art by Lucy Sherman ’23.

Welcome to “Through the Lens of History: Unveiling America’s Dust Bowl,” where I, Samantha Simmons, delve into the captivating world of documentary photography. In this episode, I transport you to the heart of the Dust Bowl era, exploring Arthur Rothstein’s iconic photograph Fleeing A Dust Storm, Cimarron County, Oklahoma. Join me as I unravel the visual and emotional layers of this powerful image, shedding light on the resilience of those facing environmental adversity during one of the most challenging periods in American history. I dissect the composition, lighting, and background, unveiling the emotional impact and artistic intent behind Rothstein’s lens. Through discussions, I explore the historical context, significance, and cultural legacy of this photograph, examining its role in shaping public perception and documenting the human experience during the Dust Bowl era. Join me on this visual journey through the lens of history, connecting with the past and appreciating the enduring power of documentary photography.

This podcast is part of the Crop and Click series featuring student research on documentary photography from our collection. ��̱������� for a portfolio of all the works discussed in the series.

Hosted and produced by Samantha Simmons. Cover art by Lucy Sherman ’23.

As individuals living in a technologically advanced society, we have access to images on a daily basis and are trained to believe everything before our eyes. Rarely do we stop and question the intentionality behind an image or its neutrality, making us easy subjects for manipulation.

This podcast examines the ever-changing role of the camera in China from the start of the Mao Zedong era (1949 – 1976) to the present. While this history is not linear, it is clear the camera has been used as a tool for political messaging. Our chosen photograph and the focus of this episode Government 04, Shanghai taken by Luo Yongjin in 2006 materializes this notion through its portrayal of a Chinese government building. At first glance, the structure looks remarkably similar to the U.S. Capitol, embodying the growth of China’s influence on the international level. Ultimately serving as commentary for the Chinese government’s illegitimate spending methods on Westernizing spaces rather than improving the lives of everyday citizens. How and why you might ask? Well, tune in as we examine just how powerful the documentary photograph really is.

Click for a transcription and bibliography as well as images of the work’s discussed in today’s episode.

This podcast is part of the Crop and Click series featuring student research on documentary photography from our collection. ��̱������� for a portfolio of all the works discussed in the series.

Hosted and produced by Madeline Cournoyer and Noor Hoban. Cover art by Lucy Sherman ’23.