Really good journalism

I’ve come across some amazingly good storytelling, some of which I shared with my students, in the past week or so. Stories like these remind me that for all the problems with journalism, there is still an overwhelming amount of good.

Not Forgotten: Rochester’s Victims of Homicide in 2007

Will Yurman’s work with the Rochester Democract and Chronicle was one of the first indications I had, several years ago, that interesting new ways to tell stories were emerging, in his case through audio slideshows. This piece also combines audio and slideshows and it is as riveting and touching a piece of journalism as I’ve seen in a while.

The interface is simple: thumbnail pictures of all but two of those who died during the year. Clicking on each one launches a slideshow of striking images and audio from family members, funeral services. There are a few details of the actual crimes (and a depressing number of statements about the lack of arrests in most of the cases): what we get are the words and emotion of brothers, mothers, aunts, sisters and others as they remember.

I have returned again and again to this piece to work my way through these 55 stories and emerged from those sessions deeply moved by the stories and deeply impressed by the scope of this project, both the concept behind it and its realization.

(The Democrat and Chronicle site also has a 2:04 video of Will talking about the project that is worth watching.)

The Horses

Melissa Lyttle has a blog post up today about a recent project: San Martin de Caballero.

It was easily one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen, and conceivably experienced. Like I said before, I’m not sure the pictures do it justice — but they do make me want a cowboy hat in every photo I take now. And they also helped spark this longing for more experiences that awaken all the senses, and expose me to some amazing cultural events.

I am a huge fan of Melissa’s work. There is something in her use of colour, depth, light and shade, as well as in the way she honours her subjects, that reminds of the work William Albert Allard has done for National Geographic. Her photos take me deep into the stories she covers and invite me to linger and look.

TAGS: JOURNALISM, MULTIMEDIA, PHOTOGRAPHY, STORYTELLING