POYi multimedia: A new Dawn?

Post for Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008
POSITIVES:
David Stephenson's first-place winning "A New Dawn?," a multimedia project for the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader, boasts fantastic black-and-white photos put together over several chapters. It tells the story of a single mom who has undergone significant abuse and is now working her way through drug court.
As I moved through the project, I was touched by the photographer's compassion, especially those photos involving the mom and her children, because they showed her for who she really was, despite her shortcomings. The best picture, I felt, was one in the final chapter in which she is holding her youngest child. In the background is a two-way mirror, indicating she still hasn't broken free of the court system and of being monitored. The ending was sad and real, because I wasn't sure whether she would succeed in her efforts to regain her children.
The photographer is clearly skilled in getting access to this woman in all aspects of her life. I've had to arrange for court photos before, so I can appreciate a little of how complicated the process is.
CRITIQUES:
On the other hand, I wasn't completely impressed with the soundtrack, and I wasn't convinced that aspect was even necessary. As I understand it, the use of music is controversial, because while it is great (when chosen right) at evoking emotion, it can also be seen as a crutch or a gimmick, much like tilting a camera at an angle for a diagonal-looking shot. I didn't think the music was entirely appropriate. I automatically draw the connection between the music and the mom, and since the music sounded, at times, like a hip-hop beat, I automatically assume this is the kind of music the mom is around most days. That would be fine if it were accurate, but for all I know, she's a hard-core country fan or way into John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" album. I would have liked to know more about how the music was chosen.
I would have also liked more identification of the people in the photos, whether by captions or by people introducing themselves by voice ("My name is Bob Smith, and I'm Dawn's parole officer," or something like that).