Sirens blare from ambulances, racing through the bustling Longwood Medical Area. Doctors run from hospital to hospital, traveling to patients in need of their expertise. Bridges soar over the clogged streets, linking medical facilities. An exhausted surgeon breathes a sigh of relief after completing a thirty hour surgery. Expectant mothers gripping sonograms gleam with news of a healthy baby. Decorated patient windows indicate extended hospital stays.

In the medical world, collaboration means the ability to consult doctors for research, patient care, and new technologies. The Longwood area in Boston, Massachusetts is a central hub for hospitals. Within a twenty block radius there are five of the top hospitals in the world: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Joslin Diabetes Center. Each day more than 107,900 people commute to the Longwood Medical Area, including students, volunteers, patients, and visitors.

The doctors at Longwood rarely remain within the walls of a single institution, though, moving between cases in surrounding hospitals. The collaboration between these five hospitals offers patients access to the top specialists required for treatment.

Dr. Georgian-Smith, a radiologist in breast imaging at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, splits her time among the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, the Faulkner Hospital, and Brigham’s satellite location in Chestnut Hill. Her work exposes her to a range of cases, from standard check-ups to breast cancer treatments.  “The doctors that you are going to are up to date on the latest therapies,” Dr. Georgian- Smith states. “We get an amazing exposure.”

The relationship between Brigham’s, Beth Israel, and Children’s makes Longwood a hub for expectant mothers with high risk deliveries in particular. Dr. Steven Fishman, Co-Director of Multidisciplinary Vascular Anomalies Center at Children’s Hospital Boston, works collaboratively with the obstetricians at the Brigham’s and Beth Israel Deaconess to monitor pregnancies and decide treatment options for babies with abnormalities. The close proximity between the birth hospital and the specialists at Children’s enables life-saving collaboration for difficult cases.

In the case of unforeseen complications, the connection between hospitals is equally vital. Dr. Mark Puder, an associate in Surgery at Children’s Hospital Boston, has treated numerous cases where birth defects were discovered after delivery. “We run over to Beth Israel [or the Brigham] to see the patient, and if they need an operation they are transported right over,” Dr. Puder said.

    Yet doctors’ roles go beyond treating patients. Researching new diseases and treatments is crucial in the development of healthcare. “I might want to consult a surgeon at the Dana Farber and put that person on my grant,” Dr. Georgian-Smith said. “It makes it more apt to get the funding you need.”

The research and treatments developed in Longwood not only benefit patients at the five Longwood hospitals, but patients globally.  “People come here from all over the world to train, patients come over from everywhere to get their care,” Dr. Georgian-Smith said.  The constantly changing nature of the medical field makes innovation an imperative. Longwood prevails as an epicenter for innovative healthcare.

On the long street known as Massachusetts Avenue the color crimson meets the famous cardinal red and grey. The small stretch that separates these two hot spots is lined with stores and office buildings. The thirty minute walk through the city of Cambridge creates the only barrier between them.

With two of the world’s most prestigious universities within its city limits, Cambridge serves as a prime destination for youth around the globe. Two miles apart, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) share the same New England city feel.  

With almost 20% of Harvard’s population comprised of international students, the school has been able to attract the best and brightest on a global scale. Of the international scholars, a combined 65.83% come from Asia and Europe. Similar to Harvard, MIT has 27.7% of its population from outside the US. Of these students 73% are from Asia and Europe.

The brick buildings line Harvard’s freshly cut lawn, with students weaving through the concrete pathways and scattered on the lush green, enjoying the brisk April air. Each came to Cambridge for a different reason, “I thought it was a really good school and I [couldn’t] go wrong here since there are endless possibilities,” said Myngoc To, a psychology student at the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Having spent her childhood in a small suburb outside of Atlanta, To finds Cambridge to have more options. When asked about her interactions with MIT students, the sophomore explains how she only sees them in her classes.

“Socially we might see a few at frat parties, but academically we will mostly see them in our business classes,” MIT graduate student in computer science and electrical engineering, Matthew*, said about his experiences with Harvard students. “Harvard students don’t have access to the business school so they usually rely on MIT.”

With about 49% of the MIT population in the school of engineering and about 18% in the school of sciences, the two fields dominate the academic space. Many students opt for MIT because of its strong engineering program. “I feel like MIT has one of the best engineering programs in the country” said Matthew*.

In contrast with MIT’s population of engineers and mathematicians, Harvard students are very diverse in their majors. With 35% of the students at Harvard studying social sciences, 16% studying biology and 9% studying history, the school shows patterns of an academic diversity. “I am really interested in creative writing” said Brandon an English major at Harvard. Brandon decided to study at Harvard because he felt that it was “too much of an opportunity to pass up.”

The campuses offer public and private spaces for students to study and gather. “Usually if I am outside either [on the Harvard lawn] or Dudley garden, otherwise I am usually in my room,” said Brandon. Many Harvard students also share these favorite hangout spots. On a nice day, many Harvard students can be seen scattered across Harvard’s various green spaces. Yellow dandelions peek out from between the sharp blades of grass. A crowd of young adults spread across the area.

Two miles away, at the MIT campus, kids lounge around the student center - MITs hub for student hangouts and study sessions. “I hang out in the dorms and in the dining hall. I spend some time in the students center and I hang out in the library,” said Scarlett - an aerospace engineer at MIT.

At the end of the day, students from both schools put down their books, exit their classrooms and re-enter the community of Cambridge Each with their own destination they prepare for the next day of work.   

*Some students did not want their last names used.

On Monday and Tuesday of the first week, I sent out emails to contacts. I heard back from all but two which was great. The first interview I did was with Jim Stewart of First Church Shelter. Though I was very happy with the interview it was much different from my last one. In the first interview, I asked him a list of questions that I had prepared. I photographed the shelter and later went back to take a portrait of him. These first photos were very literal and were meant to give context for the article. While this is good, I wasn’t thinking too much about things like shapes and light when I took them. As I did more and more interviews, I was more familiar with what I wanted to know and I let the conversation flow more. I asked questions that came to me based on what we were talking about at the time. I think this is a much more effective way to interview people.

In terms of interviewing people on the street, it was scary at first but I tried to make people feel comfortable and I had some good conversations. I really enjoyed meeting strangers who I never would have come into contact with had I not been doing this project. Everyday I would write up the interviews and pick out quotes that I liked. In terms of photography, I learned to take more pictures, “work” a situation, and look for interesting shapes and nice light. I wanted the picture to tell more of a story based on how I chose to take it. Starting on Wednesday of the second week I started outlining my article and filtering through the tons of information that I had. Thursday and Friday morning was a whirlwind of writing the article. I ended up staying up really late on Thursday night to finish it.

At first, I wasn’t sure where to go with the article. I didn’t know whether to use it to simply inform people, to talk about the stereotypical image of a homeless person and what the real situation is, or to tell the individual stories of the people I had talked to. I ended up doing a combination of the three, but really focusing on the individual stories. My goal was to write about things that I had only learned from the interviews and that only I could talk about from those experiences. I didn’t want to include too many stats or things people could find out for themselves on the internet.

The studio began by practicing interviewing others and learning basic camera functions. The second day consisted of us picking topics and doing some brainstorming on projects. I chose Boston sports beccause I feel that it is a relevant topic and could have a meaningful piece. I chose to explore the relationship between Boston sports teams and their fans in the wake of tragedy like the Boston Marathon Bombings. I spent the first part of my project photographing aroiund central square. I interviewed people on the street in order to get an idea of what the general attitude in Cambridge was towards my topic. After many interviews I realized that I wanted to move towards the memorials dedicated to the attacks on Boylston Street. The first day I went to Boylston Street I was hesitant to aproach people and only knew of the small memorials at the bombing sites. After experiencing the region the first day, I wanted to return in order to improve and get some more successful photos. I found the large memorial at Copley Square and began to photograph. I kept in mind everything I have learned about taking a successful photograph and I was able to create a complete and professional collection of photos. I chose the final photos for my story and matched them up with the wirtten piece in order to show the reader and viewer my entire project's work. 

I remember the first time I took a photography class, it was the summer of 2007 and I was eleven. I don't remember much, but I do know there was something about snapping the shutter and hearing the click and the sounds and smell in the darkroom that I found to be relaxing. I know this because I still feel that way. The first time I took a digital photography class I was really skeptical that I wouldn't feel the same way that I felt towards film photography, and I was partially right. However when I learned that the NuVu studios was going to have a photography class I was really excited because I had recently been introduced to the concept of digital street photography and portraiture.

It's because of the Local Narratives studio that I had the opportunity to use a digital camera and apply what I learned in the classroom to what I was going out to shoot in the streets. I re-learned the rules of thirds and other various photography skills. Though the rules didn't change, the way I was applying them to my work did. Instead of taking more scenic photos or photos with very obivous vocal points and shallow depth of field I was taking photos of people I met on the street. At first I was really hesitant and struggled with the aspect of approaching people I didn't know and taking photos without permission (and sometimes even with their permission.) I felt intrusive and afraid of what possible reactions I might get as a result. However as I week progressed I went home and read various articles written by really great and famous photographers explaining their approach to street photography. I learned that it does no good to be nervous or timid because if someone doesn't want their picture taken, they will just say so. I also learned a few tips about approaching possible subjects and asking if it's okay to photograph them.

The following are a few tips I read about:

• Accepting that people will say no
• Remaining calm when approaching people (people tend to reflect other's emotions)
• Speaking softly and not approaching from the back

 

Unfortunately as I began to feel more and more comfortable the studio simultaneously began to wrap up. Overall I gained a greater appreciation for digital photography, street photography, street portrature, and the people that I am surrounded by daily. I wish there was more time for shooting and editing because it felt rushed towards the end but the coaches were great and really liked how my portfolio turned out.

On the first day, Biz showed us a slideshow of different photo techniques and we learned a lot about the camera. I had never worked with a camera before without putting it in auto so I had a lot to learn. We learned about the apature and shutter settings of a camera. After learning the different parts of a camera we got with a partner and took photos of each other. Biz then put the photos up on the projecture and critiqued each one. During this exercise I was able to learn a lot about taking portraits and using the light and space around me to create something amazing.

Biz then told us to go out and practice interviewing people. In groups, we all went out and asked questions to people on the street to get used to approaching people. It turned out that talking to people on the street was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Not everyone wants to give you their time and some people can be very rude. 

We then began brainstorming different things to write about. As a group we made different categories and figured out what we were all interested in. After a lot of brainstorming, I was able to come up with the idea to compare MIT and Harvard. This idea came to me when I realized that it is very unusual for one town to host two ivy league schools. I began questioning many things about the schools and immediately wanted to know their similarities and differences. 

I then went to both schools and interviewed some of their students and took pictures of the campus. When I came back Henry critiqued all of my photos and told me to go back to each school to take more pictures and get more interviews. He mainly wanted me to take more pictures of each person that I interviewed so that we could have more options. Also, he wanted me to take more candid photos. 

Once I was done getting all of my information, I began writing the final piece. With the help of Henry and Biz I was able to create a great article to go with my pictures. 

What stories lie just around the corner? What makes a story compelling? Is it the content? The medium? The storyteller? This studio will be an exploration of the various elements of visual and written documentary storytelling, in which students will venture outside the classroom to find and share stories from in and around Cambridge. By working with photography, audio, and the written word, students will discover a number of different ways to convey stories in a captivating and informative way.  Students post their work online in blog form as it progresses, allowing both them and others to track the evolution of their reporting over the course of the two weeks.

Grungy, uninviting alleyways and shop fronts bustling with people line the gum-spotted sidewalks of Massachusetts Ave. Boston’s famous Citgo sign rests between buildings, peering over the far side of the Charles. Crammed onto racks, chained to poles or just resting against walls bikes can be found everywhere. The subway rumbles beneath the streets, sending vibrations up and down pedestrians’ legs. Throngs of people erupt from the steep steps of the T to venture through the store-lined blocks of Harvard Square. Brick buildings line Harvard Yard, casting long shadows that stretch over students sprawled across the green. Named after Cambridge University in England, Cambridge, Massachusetts was christened in 1846, unifying Old Cambridge, Cambridgeport and East Cambridge. The fifth most densely populated city in the U.S. with a population of 105,162, Cambridge is often dubbed, “The City of Squares,” referencing Kendall, Central, Harvard, Porter, Inman, and Lechmere square--each unique in their own way. “Cambridge is a great place to work and play,” said Richard Rossi, Cambridge Deputy City Manager. Its close proximity to Boston and ready Subway access makes Cambridge a prime commuting city—and subsequently a prime spot for new arrivals to the Greater Boston Area. Cambridge, as one of Massachusetts’ foremost gateway communities, has a significant immigrant population. Around “29.0% of Cambridge residents are foreign born and 11.2% are naturalized citizens.” “It’s a place where all different people come together, there’s a lot of respect in Cambridge for people’s differences,” Rossi exclaimed. A wide array of communities mingle and mix each day on the streets, evidenced by its culinary diversity. “It amazes me how many different restaurants can be found just walking down one street, Indian, thai, America, I can’t even name them all off the top of my head there are so many. I’ll never get bored with the food here.” says Andrea R. when asked about the restaurant scene in Cambridge. The city’s density has other network effects, with technological growth, research, and academia thriving in Cambridge. With ten colleges scattered throughout the city, including the prestigious Harvard University and MIT, the student body constitutes a significant part of the city’s landscape. “This city has something special for anyone,” said Rossi. Like a newsfeed, the city is constantly refreshing, updating every second of the day.

On the long street known as Massachusetts Avenue the color crimson meets the famous cardinal red and grey. The small stretch that separates these two hot spots is lined with stores and office buildings. The thirty minute walk through the city of Cambridge creates the only barrier between them.

With two of the world’s most prestigious universities within its city limits, Cambridge serves as a prime destination for youth around the globe. Two miles apart, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) share the same New England city feel.  

With almost 20% of Harvard’s population comprised of international students, the school has been able to attract the best and brightest on a global scale. Of the international scholars, a combined 65.83% come from Asia and Europe. Similar to Harvard, MIT has 27.7% of its population from outside the US. Of these students 73% are from Asia and Europe.

The brick buildings line Harvard’s freshly cut lawn, with students weaving through the concrete pathways and scattered on the lush green, enjoying the brisk April air. Each came to Cambridge for a different reason, “I thought it was a really good school and I [couldn’t] go wrong here since there are endless possibilities,” said Myngoc To, a psychology student at the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Having spent her childhood in a small suburb outside of Atlanta, To finds Cambridge to have more options. When asked about her interactions with MIT students, the sophomore explains how she only sees them in her classes.

“Socially we might see a few at frat parties, but academically we will mostly see them in our business classes,” MIT graduate student in computer science and electrical engineering, Matthew*, said about his experiences with Harvard students. “Harvard students don’t have access to the business school so they usually rely on MIT.”

With about 49% of the MIT population in the school of engineering and about 18% in the school of sciences, the two fields dominate the academic space. Many students opt for MIT because of its strong engineering program. “I feel like MIT has one of the best engineering programs in the country” said Matthew*.

In contrast with MIT’s population of engineers and mathematicians, Harvard students are very diverse in their majors. With 35% of the students at Harvard studying social sciences, 16% studying biology and 9% studying history, the school shows patterns of an academic diversity. “I am really interested in creative writing” said Brandon an English major at Harvard. Brandon decided to study at Harvard because he felt that it was “too much of an opportunity to pass up.”

The campuses offer public and private spaces for students to study and gather. “Usually if I am outside either [on the Harvard lawn] or Dudley garden, otherwise I am usually in my room,” said Brandon. Many Harvard students also share these favorite hangout spots. On a nice day, many Harvard students can be seen scattered across Harvard’s various green spaces. Yellow dandelions peek out from between the sharp blades of grass. A crowd of young adults spread across the area.

Two miles away, at the MIT campus, kids lounge around the student center - MITs hub for student hangouts and study sessions. “I hang out in the dorms and in the dining hall. I spend some time in the students center and I hang out in the library,” said Scarlett - an aerospace engineer at MIT.

At the end of the day, students from both schools put down their books, exit their classrooms and re-enter the community of Cambridge Each with their own destination they prepare for the next day of work.   

*Some students did not want their last names used.