In the summer of 2004, I was teaching photojournalism to a dozen university students on a study abroad trip though Poland. If you asked anybody what the most memorable part of the experience was, they would probably point to our visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau, the two adjacent Nazi death camps that are often referred to, singly, as Auschwitz.
I shot this collection of photographs during the three-hour tour of the Auschwitz-Birkenau compound. Taken as a whole, I think these images are an exceptional example of the ability of photography to escape its literal bias, and to show the viewer something different than what I actually saw that day.
This online gallery includes audio narration of my thoughts about photographing Auschwitz. If you are traveling to Auschwitz, the movie may help you understand what to expect, what type of camera to bring, and why. Click here to view the Auschwitz Multimedia Exhibit.
Tags: Auschwitz-Birkenau, holga photography, holocaust, photography tips, photojournalism, pictures, professor, visual studies
