Doing Some Good

James Estrin has a nice piece up at The New York Times’ Lens blog about the work of Mel Rosenthal who documented the South Bronx in New York from 1976 to 1982. The limited number of images here is frustrating – I really want to see more.

It’s the reasoning behind these images that has me interested:

For Mel Rosenthal, there’s no point in taking a picture if it isn’t going to do some good in this world. Photographs, he said, have to connect with the community where they’re made, not just to be exhibited there but to engage residents in discussions.

The quotes from his former students (he taught at SUNY Empire State College) are things I hope my kids take away from my classes.