Students talk about expressing themselves through photography

Listen to My Pictures - Foto Class - Guadalajara, Mexico from Josh Meltzer on Vimeo.

In this video of 13 minutes, a half-dozen photography students describe how they are using cameras to capture the world as they see it.

Josh Meltzer, a newspaper photographer on sabbatical as a Fulbright Fellow in Guadalajara, taught the class and invited other professionals to work with the students.

As you can see, the students produced some exceptional work using very simple digital cameras. In the interviews you´ll get an idea of what they were trying to say with their work.

Stereotyping, biting satire and youth culture: Nacos vs. Fresas

Part of youth culture is deciding who´s in and who´s out. This is not new. And it creates culture clashes. It has to do with how young people dress and talk, the music and movies they like and how they spend their time.

In Mexico today, it´s about the Nacos and the Fresas. Here´s a video that makes fun of the mannerisms and tastes of both.



What do you think about these stereotypes? What kind of video would you make about other young people at your school? Satire is by its nature nasty. It demeans people. Would you want to make that kind of art?

Nothing new about the clashes

In the Broadway play and movie "West Side Story," the art form is not satire but musical tragedy, and its setting is New York City in the 1950s.

The two gangs that are battling each other are the Sharks, who are from families of Puerto Rican immigrants, and the Jets, who are from working class white families.

In the end the clashes lead to violence and death, just as they did in Shakespeare´s play "Romeo and Juliet," which "West Side Story" draws upon.

Featured in the newspaper

The Guadalajara Reporter, an English language newspaper here in the capital of Jalisco, recently did an article about the cultural phenomenon of Nacos and Fresas.

"From the dandies of the early 19th century to greasers, punks, teddies, mods, hicks, Goths, thugs and metrosexuals, social stereotyping has forever been part of our culture, says the Reporter.

"Mexico’s naco and fresa phenomenon is a societal chasm that accentuates two ends of the cultural spectrum. It’s also sprouted a rash of jokes and a now famous cartoon series on YouTube."



Art isn´t always pretty. Often it highlights the dark side of human nature.

What did you like or dislike about these videos?