Being A Man photopak (2nd edition)

It's here! The original Being A Man photopak sold out in 2006, and we've been working on the revised second edition since then. The new photopak was launched by Boys in Schools coordinator Victoria Clay at "Stories of Success", the fifth biennial Working with Boys, Building Fine Men conference in July 2007.

To initiate thoughtful conversations between boys, their peers and their teachers the Boys in Schools Program has produced the Being A Man photopak. The 52 black-and-white photos show boys, young men and older men in diverse roles and settings provoking immediate and powerful responses to what it means to ‘be a man’ in the world today.

Themes of survival, fun, freedom, power and belonging feature strongly in the photos. The photo selection was informed by William Glasser’s Choice Theory, which suggests that every action is an attempt to meet these most fundamental human needs. This second edition of the photopak incorporates feedback and advice from the many participants at staff development seminars conducted by the Boys in Schools Program.

The photos provide a visual and physical stimulus for deep, rich discussions about boys’ and young men’s sense of themselves, their views on relationships with other males and with girls and women. They also help to explore ways to create the conditions for boys and young men to flourish in life without impinging on another person’s or group’s ability to flourish.

The images that worked from the original pack were those that implied a range of possibilities, showed close-ups of men engaged in an authentic experience, and those that showed men and boys displaying their skills and competencies in a whole range of ways. The most popular images were those that spoke to people in different ways and sometimes showed contradictory or mixed messages. With this in mind, we commissioned a set of new strengths-based images of men and boys to spark new thoughts on what being a fine man might look like in 2007.

The 52 photos of men and boys of all ages and backgrounds provide powerful, sensitive and engaging images that display the many different ways that males interact. The situations range from traditional work backgrounds to outdoor activities to intimate personal interactions.

The pack includes a leader’s manual with exercises and questions to accompany each photo designed to support personal expression and interaction. The manual helps to open up discussion and conversation around male identities and what it is to be a man today. Such explorations allow for the diversity of groups with whom you might use the photos, as well as diversity in the communities within which you might be working. Remember: male identity comes in many forms and also grows and changes in individuals over time.

The Being A Man Photopak is suitable for use by teachers, parents, youth workers and health workers.

And the good news gets better: this second edition of the Being A Man photopak is actually cheaper than the first edition. At only $79.95 you receive the 52 photos, the user's notes and a sleek vinyl satchel to keep them all together.