Photo Story–A Mother’s Journey

If you read newspaper a lot, you may notice that there are several different editing choices when it comes to photojournalism. An photo editor has to decide either to use one giant facial close-up picture or 5~7 photos shot from different angles with different sizes.

There are some common rules for photo editors when they have to choose which photo to use, which not to.

  1. Lager images draw viewers’ attention and show more details, which can increase the number of readers.
  2. Running different sizes can add contrast and change the pace of the story.
  3. Pictures in pairs: Don’t use 2 or more pics when one can sum all up. But when pics complement each other, 2 or more pics will say more about the story.

Here are 2 major different types of photo editing for newspapers or magazines. One is photo story, one is photo essay.

Photo story is defined as visual narrative with beginning, middle, ending. Images are interrelated with each other.

Photo essay explores a situation and expresses a point of view. Each photo makes its point, and together they make a larger more significant statement.

Today, we will talk about one of my favorite photo stories (a multimedia project)–A Mother’s Journey.

A Mother’s Journey is a documentary photograph work started by Renee Byer in 2015. It recorded the final days of a tumor patient Derek Madsen and how his mother Cyndie French spent the rest of his days with Derek.

1
Cyndie French, embraces her son, Derek Madsen, 10, on July 25, 2005, after learning Derek needs surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his abdomen. The emotional impact is taking its toll on her. “How can anyone maintain a nine-to-five job and do this?” she begins to wonder.

This project has won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography. The Photography Channel helped to make a multimedia piece, including Renee and the mother’s interview.

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Shortly after his 11th birthday and Cyndie’s 40th, Derek is comforted by his brother Micah Moffe, 17, left, and mom Cyndie, right, as he gets a tattoo in preparation for radiation therapy on November 30, 2005. Micah often accompanies Derek to treatments even though his schoolwork suffers.

Cyndie is a single mother of 5 children, and she quitted her job after Derek was diagnosed a cancerous tumor in his abdomen in 2015 when he was 10. Cyndie tried everything she could to comfort her son.

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Derek has a final burst of energy after days of Cyndie keeping vigil at his bedside. She helps her anguished son walk on April 26. A cancerous tumor has distended Derek’s stomach so far that his pants no longer fit. Another tumor in his brain impairs his eyesight making navigation difficult inside their rental home.

The interview of Renee’s is basically her telling stories behind these images, their conversations and their feeling at that time, which strikes a chord with the viewers and amplifies sadness of whoever is watching this.

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Cyndie holds Derek on May 8. He is on medication that hinders his speech and keeps him awake at night. Except for a few minutes while hospice nurses are with him, Cyndie spends nearly every moment of the day at his side. “I was exhausted beyond belief but I had to do this. He would call my name and always expects me to be there,” Cyndie said.

This is a well established example of multimedia, including interview audios to enhance the impact of still images. It would be better to include interviews of Derek, if he wanted to share his thoughts. From the story telling perspective, I do want to know more conversations or even quarrel between Derek and Cyndie, environment sound in the hospital, etc. But we all know, that this is a heart wrenching story, and we all should show our respect to Derek and Cyndie.

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Cyndie leads Derek’s casket to burial with assistance from her sons Anthony Moffe, foreground, Micah Moffe, opposite him, and Vincent Morris, who is not visible, as well as several friends. “I will forever carry your memory in my heart and remind others to give of their time, energy and support to other families like ours,” Cyndie says at the funeral. Derek was buried in Mount Vernon Memorial Park in Fair Oaks, California, on May 19, 2006.

 

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