How do we know a picture is real? And what do we mean by "real"?

This assignment asks students to create images that blur the line between reality and fiction, photographically speaking.The picture is staged by the student but it should look as “natural” as a random shot. The image should also have enough “narrative potency” by itself, as it tells a complex story beyond what meets one's eyes. In other words, the objectives are to bring fiction out of the real life and present verisimilitude in a constructed image.

Students are strongly encouraged to think about how a title can affect the viewer's understanding of an image. Instead of writing an essay to accompany her/his own picture, each student takes creative license to write a 100-word story inspired by one of the photographs here.