Jan. 26: Your lens to the interne t's most powerful photographs. 📸

Jan. 26th: Week in Photography

📸Your lens to the internet's most powerful photographs 📸

MOST POWERFUL PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Kin Cheung / AP Photo

For many Chinese people, the Lunar New Year is a time of traditions, travel, and festivities, but fear over the deadly coronavirus outbreak that has killed at least 41 people and forced the lockdown of several cities in China has urged many to rethink their plans this holiday season. In this surreal image from Hong Kong taken Jan. 23, not a single face in this massive crowd of travelers is left unprotected at the departure hall of the city's high-speed train station.

📸FOR YOUR 👀 ONLY:

INSIDE THE BRONX SENIOR PHOTO LEAGUE

The Bronx Documentary Center in New York City stands out for its deep commitment to the local community. The center now offers courses for older residents in the area and has an exhibition of these new artists on display through February. We spoke with Rhynna Santos, who taught several classes of seniors and helped curate the exhibition.

The BDC is well known for its work with school kids. How is working with seniors different from kids?

In some respects, working with high school students and older adults is very similar, even though they are on opposite sides of the age spectrum. Teens are considered too young and inexperienced and older adults are considered past their prime and not relevant.

Teresa Guzman / Courtesy Bronx Documentary Center

When I first began to teach older adults, I was heartbroken at how much they didn't believe in their ability to learn. So before I begin with the camera, I teach them about ageism. Once you can engage them in that conversation, they are more open to challenge those notions and pick up the camera and photograph their surroundings with confidence.

Once you gain their trust, they are starving for knowledge. Older adults desperately want to learn and be challenged artistically and intellectually. And I challenge them in this class!

You talk about having to overcome ageism and low self-esteem. How was that handled through the lens of photography?

It is important to locate students in their own magnificent story, for them to begin to see their lives as important enough to document. Students learn about documentary photography and how these images can change how we see our own communities. A photo of a family around a dinner table now takes a different meaning.

As an example, the area where Mitchell Senior Center is located is currently going through major gentrification. We discuss these issues and what kind of impact that is having on their neighborhood. Their homework is to document these changes. Once they see their work they begin to see that they are capable of doing great things that have an impact on others.

Penny Santana / Courtesy Bronx Documentary Center

Forty-eight people are listed on the press release! As this class includes such extensive history, technical skills, and outings, how was it taught?
For students to learn any art form properly, it is about repetition. Attendance is important. Sequential learning allows an older adult to build on skills they learn week after week. We take two field trips a session to an art institution in New York City. Students have weekly homework. I found that the more materials they have at home, the more confident they will be when it comes to photography. I would love to have the funding to write a photography manual/text book for older adults. We also have weekly photo critique sessions where we look at students work and partake in constructive criticism. This exercise allows students to learn from each other.
What were some of the curation challenges?

This exhibition is history, in not just work, but it's a statement that the point of view of this often-ignored community is important and crucial to telling our complete story.
The first challenge was trying to make it an experience friendly for older adults. We wanted to make sure we attracted a wider audience that included seniors in New York City. The gallery is wheelchair-accessible. We also made sure to have plenty of seating for our audience. When scheduling programing, like our student panel discussion, we made sure to have it early in the day, a time convenient for older adults to attend.

Phyllis Thomas / Courtesy Bronx Documentary Center

What was the reaction of the seniors to the outdoor showing? Of the community?

We felt we had to take the work out to the community and make it accessible to everyone. So we decided to print their images on vinyl and put them up by the park where most of the seniors hung out in. When I asked for permission to put up the work, I was told over and over again that the panels would not last one day, that they would be vandalized. We challenged that notion.

To ensure the work was not messed with, we did print a large panel stating the work was by members of Mitchell Senior Center, so if anything happened, they had the seniors to deal with. The outside exhibition was so popular the first exhibition was extended from one week to three weeks. Some panels were damaged from strong winds, and we found that community members fixed the panels with tape and string. This demonstrated how transformative this exhibition was to this community.

Elena F. Farciert / Courtesy Bronx Documentary Center

📸THIS WEEK'S PHOTO STORIES 📸

Our first story chronicles the journey of a French national and his sincere love of all things American. Join photographer Larry Niehues as he embarks on the remarkable endeavor of photographing all 50 states in the union. Next we travel to Wuhan, China, where the government has effectively locked down the city as it attempts to restrict the spread of the deadly coronavirus outbreak. And in honor of tonight's 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, our last story takes a look back at the once-in-a-lifetime duets and collaborations that have graced the Grammy stage over the years.

Also, here are more photo essays published by our friends elsewhere.

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL: ON THE ROAD WITH LARRY NIEHUES

Larry Niehues

"America is truly a beautiful country and I feel blessed to be walking in these states as a foreigner."

ON LOCKDOWN: THE CORONAVIRUS IN WUHAN

Getty Images

Wuhan, home to 11 million people, is on lockdown.

UNLIKELY COMPANIONS: ICONIC COLLABS AT THE GRAMMY AWARDS

M. Caulfield / Getty Images

Only the Grammy Awards can bring together some of the most unlikely and historic collaborations in music history.

📸YOUR WEEKLY PALATE CLEANSER📸

Eloisa Lopez / Reuters

In a single photograph, nature's incredible knack for rebirth after immense devastation is on full view. Here, bright and vivid leaves sprout from the ash left in the wake of the Taal volcano's eruption in Laurel, Philippines, on Jan. 20.

"That's it from us this time — see you next week!" —Gabriel and Kate

📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by the News Photo team. Gabriel Sanchez is the photo essay editor based in New York and loves cats. Kate Bubacz is the photo director based in New York and loves dogs. You can always reach us here.
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