Alison's Storytelling

Zach Wade

Alison Yin's project-format storytelling reveals a clear purpose in some profiles and a simple curiosity in others. I think anyone can appreciate Alison's visual activism in reducing gun violence in the Oakland community, and documenting the grief and pain in the area serves a powerful force to people.

I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to reduce the slideshows to a selection of only 30 or so photos. And ordering them in the most telling sequence is a task reserved for the most diligent and reflective of us. 

My favorite presentation of Alison's was "Crabbing with the Hoopers" because I think it captured the lifestyle of the Hooper family without the melodramatic techniques she used in other projects that appeared self-insistent with too much reliance on unnecessary subtlety in an effort to feign sophistication. (e. cropping someone's head and focusing solely on the sports cap..... it didn't tell me anything and I don't like it)

I think sometimes photographers guise their discretion with the popular perception of the 'lens of truth' that is forever honest. But sometimes they emphasize aspects within the photo and manipulate the context. I think Alison's photo essays are fascinating regardless however.