Trapped: Mental Illness in America’s Prisons

Here is my latest project - Trapped: Mental Illness in America’s Prisons.

What started out as an assignment for school has produced a piece that has changed my life and hopefully will do the same for the people that view it. That was my hope when producing it at least. Ten weeks ago, we (my grad class at OU) were given the assignment to create a magazine including the brand, the mission statement and of course the content.

For this project, I decided to focus on the mental health crisis, specifically in prisons. This brought me to the CPTU inside the Kentucky State Reformatory.

My intention was to make a multimedia piece that made the viewer feel what I felt when I was there. There were days that I was extremely scared and others that I left thinking how much someone on the outside missed them. Some days, I had to remind myself that many of these men had done heinous things.

I saw them cry. I saw them hit themselves so hard in the head that they bled. I saw them throw things at the officers.

I left the prison feeling the same way the warden and the doctors do - wanting to help these men that have nowhere else to go but feeling helpless. All I could do was make a piece that brings others in and hopefully makes them feel for these men, the doctors, the warden and the issue at large. There needs to be a shift in the way our society sees mental illness. We don’t need to just house these people and maybe prison isn’t the place for them.

I hope you all feel something from this piece. Please let me know what you think. Visit my project at www.indepth.jennackerman.com

Happy Holidays From the Beach

Here is a little holiday greeting from the beaches of North Carolina where me and Tim are enjoying our winter break and as you will see putting up our Christmas tree.

2007 CPOY Winners

The 2007 CPOY (62) Winners have just been listed. Check out the images here. There is also a list of winners. I have also listed them below.

First of all I want to congratulate all of my classmates including Travis Dove who was named College Photographer of the Year. It is so amazing to see the growth that has occurred in the last year. I think the most amazing thing was that the awards were scattered among many people — showing the strength of our class as a whole. I truly am proud to be part of this class at OU. I have to point out that OU took away 28 awards this year (in gray)

Spot News
Gold - Brian Frank - San Francisco State University
Silver - Michael Mullady - San Francisco State University
Bronze - Dominic Nahr - Ryerson University
Award of Excellence - Dominic Nahr - Ryerson University

General News
Gold - Phillip Andrews - Western Kentucky University
Silver - Phillip Andrews - Western Kentucky University
Bronze - Peter McCollough - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Jenn Ackerman - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Brandon Kruse - University of Missouri
Award of Excellence - Ben Fredman - University of Missouri
Award of Excellence - Peter Hoffman - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Edward Linsmier - Western Kentucky University
Award of Excellence - Daryl Peveto - Brooks Institute of Photography

Feature
Gold - Justin Mott - San Francisco State University
Silver - Brandon Paul Watts - Brooks Institute of Photography
Bronze - Jeff Giraldo - Western Kentucky University
Award of Excellence - Jenn Ackerman - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Peter McCollough - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Ross Mantle - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Matt Eich - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Justin Maxon - San Francisco State University

Sports Action
Gold - Peter McCollough - Ohio University
Silver - Benjamin Reed - University of Missouri
Bronze - Cody Duty - Western Kentucky University
Bronze - Daryl Peveto - Brooks Institute of Photography
Award of Excellence - Jeff Giraldo - Western Kentucky University
Award of Excellence - Andrei Pungovschi - University of Missouri

Sports Feature
Gold - Noah Rabinowitz - Ohio University
Silver - Teresa Prince - University of Nebraska
Bronze - Ben Fredman - University of Missouri
Award of Excellence - Travis Dove - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Mandy McConaha - Western Kentucky University

Portrait
Gold - Travis Dove - Ohio University
Silver - Brian Lehmann - University of Nebraska
Bronze - Dominic Nahr - Ryerson University
Award of Excellence - Ben Rasmussen - John Brown University
Award of Excellence - Mikayla Mackaness - Macquarie University
Award of Excellence - Noah Devereaux - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Justin Mott - San Francisco State University
Award of Excellence - Jake Stevens - Western Kentucky University
Award of Excellence - Tim Gruber - Ohio University

Pictorial
Gold - Nicholas Weissman - Brooks Institute of Photography
Silver - Shaena Mallett - Ohio University
Bronze - Afton Almaraz - Brooks Institute of Photography
Award of Excellence - Mikayla Mackaness - Macquarie University
Award of Excellence - Kirk Irwin - Syracuse University, SI Newhouse
Award of Excellence - Daryl Peveto - Brooks Institute of Photography
Award of Excellence - Ricky Lesser - Brooks Institute of Photography
Award of Excellence - Travis Dove - Ohio University

Illustration
Gold - Katie Barnes - University of Missouri
Silver - Justin Wagner - Brooks Institute of Photography
Bronze - Kelly Marie Heck - Savannah College of Art and Design
Award of Excellence - Luiz Gilberto Santos - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Lindsay Adler - Syracuse University, SI Newhouse
Award of Excellence - Benjamin Roberts - University of Iowa

Domestic Picture Story
Gold - Jenn Ackerman - Ohio University
Silver - Tim Gruber - Ohio University
Bronze - Michael Mullady - San Francisco State University
Award of Excellence - Daryl Peveto - Brooks Institute of Photography
Award of Excellence - Nathan Morgan - Western Kentucky University
Award of Excellence - Max Bittle - Southern Illinois University

International Picture Story
Gold - Dominic Nahr - Ryerson University
Silver - Justin Maxon - San Francisco State University
Bronze - Ikuru Kuwajima - University of Missouri
Award of Excellence - Daryl Peveto - Brooks Institute of Photography

Documentary
Gold - Travis Dove - Ohio University
Silver - Carl Kiilsgaard - Western Kentucky University
Bronze - Brian Frank - San Francisco State University
Award of Excellence - Kainaz Amaria - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Phillip Andrews - Western Kentucky University
Award of Excellence - Justin Mott - San Francisco State University

Sports Portfolio
Gold - Benjamin Reed - University of Missouri
Silver - John Tully - University of Missouri
Bronze - Ben Fredman - University of Missouri
Award of Excellence - Jordan Murph - University of Hawaii
Award of Excellence - Nick Adams - Western Kentucky University

Portfolio
Gold - Travis Dove - Ohio University
Silver - Dominic Nahr - Ryerson University
Bronze - Brian Frank - San Francisco State University
Award of Excellence - Benjamin Reed - University of Missouri
Award of Excellence - Justin Mott - San Francisco State University
Award of Excellence - Justin Maxon - San Francisco State University

Individual Still Image/Audio Story or Essay
Gold - Crystal Street - UNC Chapel Hill
Silver - Tim Gruber - Ohio University
Bronze - Ricky Leung - UNC Chapel Hill
Award of Excellence - Chris Kelleher - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - M.K. Smith - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - Tim Gruber - Ohio University

Individual Video or Mixed Media Photo Story or Essay
Gold - Tim Gruber - Ohio University

Multimedia Project
Gold - Jeff Giraldo - Western Kentucky University
Silver - UNC at Chapel Hill - UNC Chapel Hill
Bronze - Sonya Hebert & Beth Skabar - Ohio University
Award of Excellence - UNC at Chapel Hill - UNC Chapel Hill

At War

I stumbled across this blog by David Leeson and Scott Kesterson. It is an interesting look at the making of their documentary, At War.

This is blogging at its best. You get into the minds and lives of the director and producer of this documentary and become an active listener in the story because you are invested in the lives of those who are telling it. It also interesting to read the comments — some that are from the soldiers that were there when they were filming. Look at the Sept. 2. post, Subject Driven Storytelling.

Deseret News Multimedia

This summer at the Deseret Morning News, where I interned, multimedia was a term that was starting to gain a foothold. Last week, the paper published a multimedia piece staffer Jeff Allred produced on a the Youth Pioneer Handcart Trek. I think this was one his first and he was eager to jump on board. I remember the night I drove the audio recorder over to him before he left to do this story. I gave him a couple tips and then I just told him to play and try it things out. I think he did great. He put together a good narrative and the sound is strong.

He also wrote the story. I think this is a great example of a multidimensional photographer — one that can tell stories in multiple forms. Great job Jeff.

Reporting for Duty - A Storytelling Combo

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch produced a piece that stretches my idea of storytelling and the use of multiple tools for telling stories.

The project, Reporting For Duty, has its own interface and includes multiple stories and ways of telling the story. From video interviews to multiple videos, graphics and text this project tells a full story using multiple tools. Different stories are told throughout in different forms and helps to tell the whole story. This is an interesting way to tell stories because the viewer has control with what they want to watch and read. And often as photographers, we see multiple stories developing as we shoot, but feel limited to telling one of them.

I ran into this when I was covering the aftermath of Katrina. I was sent down by a nonprofit as a writer and photographer and often I struggled with which story to concentrate on. This is a great example of doing it all. A little time consuming but worth it when you see the final product.

Coal Mining

This post is a tribute to coal mining. For the men and woman that allow us to turn on our lights at night and stay cool during the summer.

Six men are still trapped in the Crandall Canyon Mine in Huntington, Utah. I found this news driving home to Salt Lake City on Monday afternoon. Since Sunday, rescue teams including fellow miners have been trying to gain contact with the men.

After spending two months covering the coal industry, I came realize that the mining industry is very unique as there is a culture, history and legacy. This equates to pride and loyalty. Loyalty to the mining itself but most of all to each other. This is a tribute to the loyalty found in and out of the mines and to the six men in Huntington.

I have never published this work and figured this might be the best time to do so. While I am living in Utah now, these photos were taken in Ohio and West Virginia.

Out of the Mines: The Affects of Coal in Appalachia

Here are the images with captions. Please click on the image to see all of the images.

, originally uploaded by jenniferackermanphotos.

 

Video: Drum Circle

Here is a video I have been working on for the last couple of days. It was one of those situations when you get there that you are thrilled that you brought video and audio equipment. I think this was a good lesson on trying to juggle the three devices. Luckily, most of the time they were doing the same thing for about 2 hours, but there were times when I had decide what equipment to pick up knowing that it would only happen once. In the end, I decided to use all three in the presentation. It was the first time I used photos in a presentation like this and I think it worked well. Let me know what you think.

Here it is. Also, check out the story on the Deseret Morning News website.

You can also view the videos that I produced for the paper on the Brightcove site.

Video: Tribute Amid Tears

The Deseret Morning News decided to try out video for the first time for the funeral of Stephen Anderson. Here it is

Here is a link to the video on the Deseret Morning News’ website.

Let me know what you think. I ended up using my Handicam and crossing my fingers that I would get some decent audio. I am still learning how to do this video thing and would love some feedback.

Photo Intern - Day 4

I feel like I am starting to get pretty settled into a routine here in Utah. For the last week, I have been waking up by 5:45 (well this morning it was 6:15) and by 6 or 7 I am in a yoga class down the street. Its pretty awesome. I come back home, take a shower, eat breakfast and head to work.

This morning was a little different. I had an assignment at 8 so I skipped yoga (and the shower) and had a great day working on a multimedia project, using stills, video and audio. I am working on a special project with a writer on a river in Utah that has been deemed one of the most endangered lands in America. I am going to continue to work on this project. Here is an image I took this morning (one I am not going to use for the story).