How to Morally and Effectively Source Subjects for Emotionally-Sensitive Project?

-I apologize if this is a repost. I was getting errors on the first try.

Hello to all,

I am in the planning stages of my first long-term photo series. It will be a series on persons who have/are served/serving time in prison. My goal is to show that rehabilitation is possible, none are beyond redemption, and ex-cons can become positive contributors to their communities.. As I “begin to begin”, so to speak, I’m wondering how I can source my subjects in a way that makes all parties feel valued and unexploited. Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? I won’t require any last names (could this pose problems down the road?), and I suppose I’d accept aliases, though I’d want to note that it IS an alias being used. I’m sure that not many people will be willing to admit that they served time, much less be photographed for it. I have to figure out how to attract the people that are willing to share their stories. Currently, my plan is to put up flyers around my campus for the first images in the series, expanding off-campus once I get things moving. Can the sensitivity needed be conveyed in a flyer? I’m trying to be as sensitive as possible with this – I believe in the message. Thanks so much.

P.S – I noticed a notice at the bottom of the main page that LS is invite-only. I registered in February of 2012 but wasn’t invited. Is this a new policy that I was grandfathered into?

by Phil Garber at 2013-01-23 22:50:06 UTC | Bookmark | | Report spam→