Mindy Nierenberg | Through the Lens of Photo Ethics

Join us on Tuesday June 22nd at 7pm for an important conversation with artist, educator and most recently the Senior Director of Programs for Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts Mindy Nierenberg about the ethical implications of making photographs.

This event is free for Griffin Members. Not a member? Look at our many options to be part of our community here on our website.

This virtual offering will stream live from our Griffin Zoom Room for registrants to enjoy at home. Registrants will receive links to view this program via email within 24 hours of the event start time.

“As we navigate [through] times of controversies, political upheaval, and an increasingly polarized world, we need to hold ourselves to higher standards, both philosophically and ethically.”   – Neeta Satam, Freelance Photographer

The Ethics of Seeing

Is it ethical to take photographs of the homeless? How can I create my aesthetic vision while being confined by a code of ethics?  Is it possible for either the photographer or viewer to be objective?

These questions and many more will be considered in this talk and discussion. Although manipulation of what the eye sees has been discussed almost since photography began, photographical ethics are crucial now, given the growing awareness of issues of power dynamics, inequality, and social justice. When combined with the impact of social media, commonplace access to smart phones, and global travel, it is clear that photographers and viewers need to be literate in photo ethics.

This talk will reference historical and contemporary photographs, covering street photography, documentary series, photojournalism, and fine art photography. Participants will have opportunities to view images, share their viewpoints and build their own ethical photography practices and perspectives.

About Mindy Nierenberg

Mindy Nierenberg is an artist, teacher, and program creator. She spent ten years at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where she founded the Office of Community Partnerships and Service Learning, created community-based art programs, co-taught service-learning courses on campus and in the Navajo Nation, and served as an Assistant and Associate Dean. As the Senior Director of Programs for the Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, Mindy spent the past eighteen years designing and implementing programs and initiatives for undergraduate and professional students across the University. She also taught the course “Art, Activism, and Community” at both Tufts and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and designed a course for medical students and SMFA students to collaborate on art in healthcare. She has worked locally, nationally, and globally to prepare students for lifetimes of ethical, equitable, and collaborative efforts and leadership for the public good. She has been a consultant, speaker, facilitator, and trainer at conferences and universities in the U.S. and abroad.