Social documentary and street photography
The politics of pictures
Susan Sontag – vital critique. In ways, I do agree with Susan Sontag, I do think that it is important when undertaking a project that you know your subject/ point of interest, but I don’t believe that you have to know everything. Leaving some things a mystery can help you get good shots too.
Victorian survey – the camera is a tool of truth, authenticity. Philanthropic interest in the poor.
John Thompson. “street life in london.”
Jacob Riis, explored the poor. “How the other half lives.” Used flash powder and left subjects very stunned. Wanted the actuality, not staged images.
Documentary photography was thought of having a goal, was social change, people and circumstances.
Lewis Hine, “I wanted to show the things that should be changed, I wanted to show the things that should be appreciated.” Wanted to change child labor laws. Pretended to be a fire officer to get into the mill. Documentary is about telling how it is and he was criticised for not making it very exciting.
Political motivation, evidence. His images contributed an understanding to others.
Dorothea Lange – documentary photographer “migrant mother”
This image is proof that you only need to know the bare minimum about your sitter. When I work with unknown people, I tend to adopt this method of only finding out the essential as I prefer not to have too much contact with the sitter. I do not feel that having any kind of emotional attachment with them would benefit my work in anyway.
Roy Stryker dubbed Lange’s photo the symbol for the whole project of the ra/fsa.
Arthur Rothstein. “Fleeing a dust storm” 1936
Was meant to highlight the fact there was a drought. He recreated the circumstances of a dust storm. Was informative.
The idea that the more transformed or ‘aestheticised’ an image is the less authentic it it is. Davis Levi Strauss discusses this.
Walker Evans – Alabama tenant farmers wife, 1936.
British social documentary of the 1930’s
Humphrey Spender “mass observation.” Bolton and Blackpool.
Boltonworktown.co.uk – source.
Had to be an invisible spy, felt like he was exploiting them.
Bill Brandt, the english at home. 1936. Depicts a different type of Britain to what we usually see in documentary. He photographed the wealthy.
Robert Franks ‘The Americans’ 1958/59
“I was tired of romantisim, I wanted to present what I saw. Pure and simple.”
This quote by Frank is very relatable to me, as I am not a photographer who likes to ‘mess’ with things and show people the best in everything. I like to keep things natural and honest
William Klein, the social landscape: American photography in the 50’s and 60’s. He showed what people didn’t want to see – reacting against the romantic idea of New York.
Life is good and good for you in New York
William Kleins idea of also showing what people didn’t want to see was very striking to me, and very brave. But I respect his honestly, there is more to the world that meets the eye and just showing the good when there are also bad things that need to be known, can be so misleading.
Garry Winogrand “I photograph to find out what the world looks like photographed.”
Diane Arbus, boy with toy hand grenade, 1962
Colin wood was boy photographed. “She catches me in a moment of exasperation.”