Recent work for The Wall Street Journal: The Lobotomy Files

Multimedia, My work, photojournalism, Published work, Still photography, Video

A month or two ago, The Wall Street Journal had me illustrate portions a very powerful story by reporter Michael M. Phillips called The Lobotomy Files, which was finally published over this past week in three different chapters. The story received great play both in print and online, with beautiful layout, design, and interactive online features. Michael did an incredible job with the reporting, too. It was an honor to be a part of this project and to help tell this important story. Please take a look at the full project online, and see my contributions below. I did the filming for two short videos in addition to doing portraiture and other relevant still photography. This was my first time on the front page of WSJ, which was great.

Video:

Photos:

Frances Malzahn sits for a portrait in her home in Granger, Washington on October 15, 2013. Malzahn’s uncle, Emil Kauzlarich, was a Coast Guard veteran and was lobotomized in 1951. CREDIT: David Ryder for The Wall Street Journal

 

Frances Malzahn is pictured in her home in Granger, Washington on October 15, 2013. Malzahn’s uncle, Emil Kauzlarich, was a Coast Guard veteran and was lobotomized in 1951. CREDIT: David Ryder for The Wall Street Journal

 

Pictured in her Granger, Washington home on October 15, 2013, Frances Malzahn holds a flag used in the 1984 funeral of her uncle, Emil Kauzlarich. Kauzlarich was a Coast Guard veteran and was lobotomized in 1951. CREDIT: David Ryder for The Wall Street Journal

 

Frances Malzahn holds an undated photograph of a young Emil Kauzlarich, a Coast Guard veteran who was her uncle. Kauzlarich, who passed away in 1984, was lobotomized in 1951. CREDIT: David Ryder for The Wall Street Journal

 

Photographs of Emil Kauzlarich (left, in both images) in his Coast Guard uniform are seen at the home of Frances Malzahn, who is his niece. Kauzlarich, a Coast Guard veteran who passed away in 1984, was lobotomized in 1951. CREDIT: David Ryder for The Wall Street Journal

 

Edna Schauer sits for a portrait in her home in Port Orchard, Washington on October 14, 2013. Schauer’s brother, Eugene Kainulainen, was a U.S. Army Air Forces veteran and was lobotomized in 1953. CREDIT: David Ryder for The Wall Street Journal

 

Edna Schauer sits for a portrait in her home in Port Orchard, Washington on October 14, 2013. Schauer’s brother, Eugene Kainulainen, was a U.S. Army Air Forces veteran and was lobotomized in 1953. CREDIT: David Ryder for The Wall Street Journal

 

Pictured in her Port Orchard, Washington home on October 14, 2013, Edna Schauer holds two mugs made by her brother, Eugene Kainulainen, after his lobotomy. He dreamt of attending art school, and these mugs are some of the only reminders Schauer still has of her brother. Kainulainen, now deceased, was a U.S. Army Air Forces veteran and was lobotomized in 1953. CREDIT: David Ryder for The Wall Street Journal

 

Edna Schauer reads a magazine about flowers and birds in her kitchen in Port Orchard, Washington on October 14, 2013. Schauer’s brother, Eugene Kainulainen, was a U.S. Army Air Forces veteran and was lobotomized in 1953. CREDIT: David Ryder for The Wall Street Journal

 

The front page of The Wall Street Journal weekend edition, Dec. 14/15:

 

Edna Schauer’s interview video as it looked on the WSJ.com home page: