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Equivalents: Teaching Photography as Inner Reflection

This Musings explores how Stieglitz’s Equivalents can guide students in seeing their own photographs as mirrors of the self. Through two models, structured writing with Description–Analysis–Evaluation (DAE) and intuitive reflection through narrative, it shows how to move from surface images into depth. With scaffolds, examples, and IB connections, it offers practical ways to help students trust intuition and write with clarity.

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One Response

  1. With regards to timing for this project, here’s how I structured it:

    🌟 One 50-minute lesson to introduce Stieglitz and Minor White, and to discuss Equivalents. I used the Equivalents Insight Card and the T1_P1 Photography Project Card to frame this. The focus was on situating Stieglitz as one of the first fine art photographers, then Minor White as his student, and how White developed this project (self-portrait without presence). We also explored what “resonate” means, and how to discern what comes from thinking versus feeling.

    👉 The next lesson was time for students to go out and take photographs in their surroundings with this in mind. Homework was to go through their photo library and select the images that resonated most.

    🌟 A following lesson introduced the Describe → Analyse → Evaluate structure. Students applied this to one of their own photographs, with homework if not completed in class.

    For submission, I asked for 2–3 slides: selected images and a short reflection text (approx. 130 words). I wasn’t thinking of these as polished AIP screens, but I was also interested in how students chose to curate their images alongside the writing.

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