Voices of Photography
The Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, is home to the Voices of Photography, an oral history project in existence since 1975.
Mission
The purpose of the Voices project is to create, collect, and promote the use of videotaped interviews with important people in the photography world. In addition, the Voices project provides the opportunity for University of Arizona students to learn oral history techniques.
History of the project
There are over 2,000 taped interviews available for scholars to view. The first tapes were created under the direction of Harold Jones, the Center’s first director, and have been added to by tapes made by Center staff in the following years. Interview subjects include photographers, curators, darkroom assistants, scholars, and others actively involved in the archives established at the Center (see archive collections listed on the Center’s website). In 2005, the project received dedicated funding to support its activities. Emeritus Professor Harold Jones is the Project Coordinator. Amy Rule, Head of Research at the Center, is the Project Director. Student interns have included: 2005/06 - John Clarke, Zachary Cushing, and Angela Hardin Wilson; 2006/07 - Tomiko Jones and Rae Strozzo.
Use of the collection
The taped interviews constitute a non-circulating collection available for viewing on site at the Center. Users may view the tapes in the Center’s library or, by appointment, in the Research Center. The loaning or copying of individual tapes is not permitted due to copyright restrictions, but viewers may purchase written annotations to selected tapes from the Research Center. Currently, the interviews are not available online.
Project internships
Students enrolled in the University of Arizona are eligible to serve as associate directors and to earn course credits as interns on the Voices of Photography. Working with the Voices project gives students the opportunity to meet and interview people who have shaped the history of photography. In addition, students gain experience with oral history interviewing techniques and videotape equipment. Course credits of 6 to 9 units are available. Contact the School of Art, artadvis@email.arizona.edu.
Video clip sample
The video clip on this website is an excerpt of an interview with photographer and teacher Jack Welpott. In August 2005, Harold Jones went to Inverness, California, for four days to interview Welpott in his home. The resulting seven one-hour interview tapes include detailed information on Welpott’s life in photography. Through his memories, Welpott illuminates his friendships with Henry Holmes Smith, Jerry Uelsmann, John Gutmann, Brett Weston, Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Minor White, Aaron Siskind, Frederick Sommer, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, and others. The tape also includes footage of Welpott playing the piano.
Contacts
For more information about the Voices of Photography project contact oncenter@ccp.library.arizona.edu