Photographer Study- Lynsey Addario 

Lynsey Addario is an American photojournalist who has covered conflicts in Afghanistan, the Congo and Iraq. I am studying four of her photojournalist projects, War and Revolution in the Middle East, Africa- Democratic Republic of Congo, Women at war and Miss India Beauty Pageant 2001. Addario’s work primarily focuses on the position and role of women in traditional societies, however, also explores human right issues and conflicts. Addario began photographing professionally in 1996 and began freelancing with Cuba being her focus point. During 2000 Addario photographed in Afghanistan, she has also visisted Chad at least once a month since August 2004. She has photographed for for The New York Times, National Geographic and Time. Addario has a publication ‘It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War.’

Tableau Photography

Tableau photography is a form of a ‘living picture’, it is part of the genre of documentary photography however is staged therefore uses models in order to create the desired image. The picture produced it normally theatrical and has a meaningful message. Tableau photography allows photographers to experiment and develop their own individual style whilst style documenting truth concerning difficult topics. There is a level of freedom which I think can’t be accessed in documentary photography. This genre of photography explores the minds of individuals, artists are able to reflect a society which is honest and real. Photographers are able to be creative and push the boundaries in tableau photography.

David Hilliard

David Hilliard is an American photographer, he mainly produces  work focused on panoramic photographs. Most of his images have been staged, however, uses the environment and personal life as his focus. Therefore, a middle ground between fact and fiction. I think Hilliard’s work is fascinating to research, it is a perfect example of tableau photography as it’s a combination of styles. Hilliard’s are very different from other tableau photographers I have looked at as he uses this distinctive panoramic style where he splits the photograph into three sections. Although his layout out is important to mention, I think Hilliard explores a deeper meaning in his images particularly the image I have chosen to focus on.

A history of documentary photography

Early documentary photography focused primarily on urban settings and industry, photographers often used photography as a tool in order to change society’s norm. For example Walker Evans photographed famers during the time of depression in America in order to demonstrate how the depression had effected the farmer’s lives, furthermore, Lewis Hine’s images aided in passing the child labour law in America. During the 1930s the idea of a message or story being translated through a single or set of images began. The Magnum Photography Agency formed in 1947, Henri Cartier-Bresson was one of the main photographers in the group at the time. A great deal of war photography came from Magnum photographers.

The definition of documentary is ‘an actual event e.g. life story, that purports to be factually accurate and contains no fictional elements.’ Although this sums up the meaning of documentary the part which translates to the artistic side is concerned with the morality and ethos of the subject. Documentary photography has proven to be a powerful tool used and sometimes manipulated in order to change real life situations for example the most current image which has caused uproar concerning the situation is of the migrant crisis. 

Sub-genres of documentary photography

As mentioned in my first post, documentary photography has lots of various sub-genres such as photojournalism, editorial, street photography, portraiture and landscape. However, the main aspects I am focusing on researching at this stage are social documentary photography, photojournalism and street photography.

What is photojournalism?

Photojournalism is a specific form of journalism which is news material for publication. The genre uses photographs in order to relay a news story. Still image are normally the main style of image employed. Photojournalism is differentiated from documentary photography and other sub-genres as it conforms to a fixed ethos. The genre requires the images to be accurate, truthful and unbiased whilst remaining to tell the story. The images should be a representation of the event’s content, nature and manner.

What is street photography?

Street photography requires no specific subject matter and certainly does not need the presence of a street or an urban environment in the image. Street photography is about reacting to the surroundings or atmosphere the photographer finds oneself in. It aims to show ‘a pure vision of something, like holding up a mirror to society.’ Street photography tends to focus on a single human moment, providing a literal and personal image the audience may or may not relate to. Street photography and documentary photography are very similar however have distinct differences which must be made clear. Documentary photography has an objective to record an event or capture a piece of history, whereas, street photography is more subtle with un-manipulated scenes and normally unaware subjects.

International Festival of Photojournalism, Visa Pour L’Image, Article, New York Times

The highly respected World Press Photo Contest triggered outrage in March when it awarded then withdrew the top honour to Giovanni Troilo an Italian photographer who falsified the locality of a photograph. The photojournalism festival, Visa Pour L’Image, announced it would not exhibit the World Press Photo winners’ photography in protest to the controversy. The dispute continued on at a panel discussion with the director of Visa Pour L’Image Jean-Francois Leroy who supported his choice whereas, Lars Boering, the managing director of the World Press Photo Foundation attempted to re-establish the contest by ensuring a review of the rules and a written code of ethics. ‘Who sets the boundaries of what defines photojournalism?’ ‘When technology makes it so easy to manipulate images, how much manipulation is acceptable?’ The issue became even more prominent when a photograph was released revealing the true extent of the migrant crisis, the image of a dead Syrian child clearly depicts the influential control photojournalism has to expose the truth and demand the attention of the public. Mr. Boering announced that he would be reaching out to other leading award groups to discuss standards and ethics. ‘Witnessing the world’. article

Questions to consider after reading the article:

• Who sets the boundaries of what defines photojournalism?

• What technology makes it so easy to manipulate images, how much manipulation is acceptable?

• With viewers more sophisticated and sceptical than ever before, how can photojournalists preserve their integrity and maintain trust?

Standard and Ethics 

The National Press Photographers Association is a society that promotes the highest standards in visual journalism. Photographic images can inspire, expose truths, connect people and give hope to many. However, photographs have the potential to cause great harm if manipulated. A code was formed in order to attain the highest quality in forms of visual journalism as well as strengthening the public’s perception of the profession. 

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/people/donald-weber

World Press Photo Revokes Prize

Giovanni Troilo

CODE OF ETHICS

Visual journalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards in their daily work:

1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.
3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one’s own biases in the work.
4. Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see.
5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.
6. Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images’ content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.
7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.
8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.
9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.

Ideally, visual journalists should:

1. Strive to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in public. Defend the rights of access for all journalists.
2. Think proactively, as a student of psychology, sociology, politics and art to develop a unique vision and presentation. Work with a voracious appetite for current events and contemporary visual media.
3. Strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects, recommend alternatives to shallow or rushed opportunities, seek a diversity of viewpoints, and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view.
4. Avoid political, civic and business involvements or other employment that compromise or give the appearance of compromising one’s own journalistic independence.
5. Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects.
6. Respect the integrity of the photographic moment.
7. Strive by example and influence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. When confronted with situations in which the proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit the highest standards of the profession. Visual journalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it.

Documentary and Narrative- Faith, Family and Community

What is Documentary photography? What sub-genres fit into documentary photography?

Documentary photography is a medium that focuses on and explores a story in depth either over a short or extended period of time. Documentary photography is primarily concerned with photojournalism and real life reportage. The objective is to create truthful and meaningful art that visually tells a story which we can relate to or understand. Documentary photography informally show ordinary lives though story form using photographs. Simply put documentary photography is a record or document of life from the lens of a camera.

‘Time in photography isn’t only about its passage, whether measured in hours, days or months. It’s about its captured moments, be it in a second, or five hundredths of a second.’

Documentary photography includes and has sub genres such as street photography, photojournalism, portraiture, landscape, social documentary and editorial. This form of photography is considered to be a very intimate style of art, it creates a connection between the viewer and image, it shows the world as it really is. The photographer chooses a specific moment in time, framing and message in order to capture an influential and informative photograph to shock and grab the public’s attention; the aim is to change opinion and persuade people. Henri Cartier-Bresson is pictured as the father of photojournalism and street photography. Martin Parr is another powerful name, Parr’s work focuses on a negative perspective of British culture. I will look further both photographer’s work in my photographer study, however, I wanted to mention them in my introduction to the coursework as they are both pioneers of the genre.