****THIS IS A FREE SERVICE****
You are volunteering for a portrait series which is in
conversation with my most recent photo series titled The (Mis)Education of
Chicago. The (Mis)Education of Chicago focuses on the Chicago School
Closing of 2013; which were primarily executed in black and brown
neighborhoods. The intent of this portrait series is to identify and highlight
the residents of the communities that were impacted (either directly or
indirectly) by the school closings.
About me:
My name is Austin Pope and I’m recently received my MFA in
photography. My artistic practice focuses on issues relating to social justice,
photographing communities of color, and discovering the beauty of all
communities within Chicago. This portrait series is being shot on Medium and Large
Format Film Cameras. Why do I shoot film? Film photography has a cult following
within Chicago and beyond. While I still love digital photography, shooting
film for certain projects forces me to slow down and think about what I’m
shooting.
Who qualifies for this project:
- Anyone impacted by the school closings of 2013. This includes adults, young adults, parents or direct family members who
attended one of the schools.
- Individuals who live near/lived near any of the closed schools (it’s not
necessary that they be former students from the school or to have children that
were students at the school). Individuals should live within 1-2 blocks from
the location of the closed school.
- Individuals who taught/worked (in any capacity)
at one of the schools
- Individuals that have a unique relationship to
the school- this must be clearly defined in question 3 below.
Instructions:
- Please fill out the form on the next page.
- Be sure to enter your name, email and answer the
required questions.
- Once completed, tap the “Finish” button at the
top of the document.
- It will ask for your email again. Please enter your
email and hit “click to sign”
- Check your email and click the link to confirm
your signature.
*** Disclaimer: not every portrait taken will be included in
the final version of this project. This is due to limited resources on my part
as this is a self-funded project. I’m willing to provide a free print
(physical, not digital) while my photo printing supplies last. Receiving a
print is not guaranteed. Because this service is free, the timeline in which
you’ll receive the photos will vary. It could be next month, it could be next
year or significantly longer since this is a major project. Photography isn’t my
primary occupation, so I have to edit as time allows Film photography is an
imperfect process. If the photo doesn’t turn out right, I won’t process/edit/provide
you with a photo. Due to limited supplies, I can only take 1-2 exposures
(shots) per person or group. I truly appreciate you for volunteering for this
project. Please be patient with me as I work through the process.
*** IF YOU DON'T SEE YOUR CLOSED SCHOOL IN THE DROP DOWN LIST, MORE THAN LIKELY WE'VE ALREADY HAVE A PORTRAIT FOR THAT SCHOOL***
