I am a photographer, or as I like to describe myself, a "visual poet". I photograph the landscape, plants, animals, friends and family - always trying to capture the essence or personality of our world. Since life and death make up this world, my objective is to see the glory of life through death as a reminder of the eternal life force. I chose my practicum, "A Day in the Life: photographic reflections from elders on life with in..." simply by brainstorming with a friend. We came up with this idea, because of my love of teaching, my passion for photography, and to conquer fears I had about growing old, death and dying. So the practicum served not only my students, but also myself. Initially it helped me to embrace my fears, and then to ultimately to see the beauty and grace that the last phase of life offers.

THE PROJECT
My idea was to visit a nursing home and have the residents photograph their life for a day. I contacted Grand Court, a retirement facility in the Kansas City area and arranged to teach a six week photography class where the students would have an opportunity to photograph themselves and their surroundings. I then coordinated with the Grand Court and the Thornhill Gallery at Avila College to have the students final work exhibited in both places. My goals for this project were:
1) Give the residents an opportunity for self expression and interaction with others that might be very beneficial and healing to themselves and others.
2) Provide an enriching experience for the residents and positive publicity for the facility.
3) Bring an awareness of our aging community, raise questions about our responsibility to these people, and enlighten the viewer to the wisdom and soul the elders offer.

"Color Her... Gone" by Vern Hardacre Vern's children were moved to tears when they saw their father's photograph of their mother's wheelchair claiming, "that photograph alone is worth a thousand dollars of therapy". Indeed the class had opened up a creative outlet for Vern to express his grief, where words had failed him.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS ITINERARY
Friday, November 9 - Introduction to photography
I introduced myself, explained the purpose of the class, and showed a few of my own photographs. The class introduced themselves and expressed what their expectations were for the classes.

Friday, November 16 - How to use the camera
I gave demonstrations, talked a little about the technical aspects of photography, and assisted students in the use of their cameras.

Friday, November 30 - Learning how to see
I showed slides of other photographers. Students experimented by making photos of each other using natural light and artificial light.

Friday, December 7 - Photo collage
Students brought in old photographs of themselves and their family while discussing meaning and use for a collage.

Friday, December 14 - Putting words with photographs
Students were encouraged to write about their photographs as a reflective practice and to inform them of the process and meaning of their photographs.

Friday, December 21 - Gathering of photographs
Students brought in all their photographs and we selected three from each student to be exhibited. We talked about presentation, framing and the opening night reception. The students worked together in giving titles to their respective pieces, while I took biographies of each of them to be included in the exhibition.

To begin the project, I researched other photographers working with the public. Specifically I read Jim Goldberg's Rich and Poor: Photographs, Jim Hubbard's Shooting Back: A Photographic View of Life by Homeless Children, Jo Spence's Putting Myself in the Picture: A Political, Personal, and Photographic Autobiography, and the work of Wendy Ewald, who taught and photographed children all over the world and exhibited many of her student's work. My students were given Ilford XP2 black and white film that I had processed commercially. I chose black and white because I felt that for many of the participants this would be a new way of seeing. I wanted them to use photography as a new language in order to express their deepest concerns.

After the film was processed and printed as 4x6 enlargements, the class looked at and critiqued their work. As a group we were able to help each other in our techniques and composition and share our thoughts in what the photographs meant. We considered questions such as: Is the product itself most important, or is the process of "seeing" just as rewarding? What effect does this current image have on us now? What will it mean to us or others in years ahead? What does it feel like to see yourself at this age, in this place? The discussion of these questions often times were brief and difficult to answer in words, but I felt that simply raising the questions would help them to find the answers in their work/photography. Additionally, I made portraits of each of the students, so they could experience being the "model" as well as the artist. Ultimately, the classes ended with each student having a group of photographs that reflected "a day in the life" of each person.

"Frozen Wires" by Ruth Cronkite captured the beauty of a terrible ice storm that devastated the city. It shows the meditative reflection of one who sees beauty and joy in life, while maintaining a sense of playfulness and splendor.	"Glamour Has No Bounds" by Madge Dolezal. Madge was very proud of being the oldest in the class at age 90. She lived her life without boundaries- swimming daily and keeping very active in the Grand Court community. This self-portrait reveals her sense of confidence and style.

REFLECTIONS ON THE PROCESS
I felt blessed to encounter such an amazing group of elders so eager to learn. Their joy in working together as a group, and their individual life histories, taught me that growing old can be a graceful and beautiful thing. Age is really just a projection of our minds. Who we are is more about soul. I'm not sure they realized it, but the lessons the elders taught me clearly outweighed anything I might have taught them. It was a wonderful and enriching experience. My exhibition was a great success. All of my initial goals were met and then some! In my opinion, the practicum project is an essential part of the degree criteria. I am especially grateful for all the freedom we had in choosing our own paths and presentations.

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