Through the Lens: Photographing Life and Culture in Ireland

During the Maymester, students explore Irish culture, documenting their experience through collaborative photo essays and a printed zine. 

Idly leafing through the pages of a well-crafted print magazine can feel transcendent and grounding in equal measure—whisking you away to a faraway place, while connecting you to people you’ve otherwise never known.    

Each May, students in the Moody College photojournalism study abroad program set out to Ireland with the goal of creating that special experience by producing a tactile, visual dispatch in the form of a zine—a self-published, DIY magazine.    

Donna De Cesare, associate professor in the School of Journalism and Media, leads the documentary photography storytelling class, which is now in its second year. The purpose, she says, is for students to seek out stories highlighting social issues, while learning the technical aspects of photojournalism and the connective power of storytelling.  

“We’re looking at social issues that may be contentious sometimes,” De Cesare says. “But we’re looking for solutions, and we’re looking for people’s stories of their experiences.”  

De Cesare says that the goal is to create impact by bringing the viewer into a story so they can better understand different perspectives.  

“When you give a story with a lot of statistics, [for example,] it’s hard for people to connect or visualize,” De Cesare says. “But when they see real people, it’s that human connection—the personal story—that we are really drawn to.”  

Students also learn that photojournalism is as much about story as it is about technical craft. “Making good pictures is not that easy,” De Cesare says. “Anybody can go snap, snap, snap.”  

In a digital world, De Cesare still believes manual photography to be vital. “We use optical cameras with interchangeable lenses because I want [students] thinking intentionally about what [their subject] is, how they see it, how they feel about it, and choosing for themselves how to frame it,” she says.  

By learning their camera, the students can rely less on editing and move away from the common practice of digitally altering photos for personal use. No TikTok filters. No AI. No Photoshop manipulation.  

What transpires, instead, are raw, authentic moments captured through the craft of photography.  

“Photojournalism has to stick to optically accurate images of what happened, of what you saw in that moment,” she says. “We have to be able to still have faith that it’s an accurate rendering of what happened and not something that was doctored.”  

De Cesare says learning manual photography can feel a lot like learning a new language. But once students get the hang of it, it becomes a rewarding, lifelong skill.  

At the end of May, students compile their photo stories into two-page spreads ready for layout in their zine, which goes to print later in the fall. Here, the Alcalde shares a selection of images from the inaugural 2024 documentary photography storytelling class—a vivid collection of student photos dispatched from Ireland. 

The following are excerpts and photos from the student zine, Ireland in These Times: 

Estamos Aquí

Kim Andrade, Mason Rouser, Sally Parampottil, and Walker Watson explore the imprint of the Brazilian diaspora on Irish life. For whatever reason they left—whether in search of economic opportunity or an escape from political turmoil—Brazilian immigrants are making an indelible mark on Irish society. 

Éire Environment 

Amber Huchton, Becca Youngers, and Kevin Myers explore what it means to bridge the gap between humans and nature. The pedestrianized Capel Street is an example of Dublin’s increasing adoption of cycling as a viable mode of carbon-neutral transportation. 

Echoes of Éire 

Caro Arredondo, Elena Delgado, and Madison Strange expand on what it means to be Irish. Jess Kav, a prominent Irish singer, songwriter, and musician, is renowned for her genre-bending style that combines elements of jazz, Motown, soul, and R&B. 
 
 

In Limbo 

Anna Ippolito, Mirya Dila, and Quinn Lawrence-Sanderson explore stories from asylum seekers. In the heart of Dublin, behind the bustling streets and iconic landmarks, lies a hidden world of waiting and uncertainty. 

Home is Where You Moor It 

Manoo Sirivelu explores Ireland’s houseboat community. Building a life on water is a centuries-long practice in Ireland and offers live-aboards with a housing alternative that is economically and ecologically sustainable amid the country’s housing crisis. 
 

Dublin in Motion 

Itza Martinez, Kamryn Morales, and Noel Cantu explore how the city’s immigrants find their rhythm through community. The modern immigrant experience in Ireland is a complex, nuanced, and, usually, improvised dance.