More on Profiles

I've almost finished reading all of the field notes from Tuesday's class.  I'm impressed at how much more detailed these are than the ones from the previous week.  Good work!

In class on Tuesday, we spoke a bit about profiles; I wanted to share a couple of samples.  As you read these, take note of how the authors create tension in the texts.  In the first example, Alan Feur of The New York Times writes about Sharpe James, the former mayor of Newark and his journey home after serving part of a 27 month sentence in a Virginia federal prison.  Read the article and the photo essay that accompanies it.  Take note of the details in this piece and how they work to draw the reader in while providing an insight into the life of a public official.  

Sharpe James's Greyhound Journey

In the second piece, the profile is embedded within the larger informative text.  Notice how the audio slideshow is used to get the actual voices of the two young people profiled to the audience.  The use of image and sound humanizes the text by allowing the audience to hear and see.  

Foster Kids Face Tough Times after Age 18

Once again, think about your interviews and your photo essays and ask yourself what particular story you want to tell.  Look for the contradictions and bring in the voices of those you are profiling.  Everyone has a story to tell!