– ̗̀THE ESSAY ̖́-

Exploring the relationship between photography and realism with reference to Theo Gosselin’s film series.

“There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment. This kind of photography is realism. But realism is not enough – there has to be vision, and the two together can make a good photograph” – Robert Frank

The concept of images being ‘deliberately cinematic’ whilst remaining within the documentary and narrative genre appears to be a juxtaposition at first glance. Looking specifically at the work of artists including Theo Gosselin and Robert Frank, it is however still arguable that whilst images may be manipulated with the use of staged framework, they can still hold an element of truth. Working on understanding the motives behind these artists and their photographic work, I aim to analyse the relationship between documentary, truth and narrative with reference to specific examples of both photographers and their projects. Reoccurring themes such as The American Road Trip depict new and enticing forms of existence that show young adults escaping the regular every day in search of a new form of freedom. It is this area in particular that will be referenced and analysed as a way to explore the relationship between photography and realism.

Unlike more figurative or abstract forms of photography, realism focuses on a literal meaning behind an image or series. Creating a new form of objective pieces, much of the premise behind straight photography and realism comes from the desire to remove any form of subjectivity and enforce a form of truth on an image. The desire to challenge the process of creating emotionally orientated artwork does not however limit the emotive capabilities of such pieces. With realism creating a recognisable genre of supposed honesty in photography, documentary pieces often rely on this theme to convey an unbiased truth to an audience. Taking a dictionary definition as another approach to understanding this photographic theme, realism is defined as ‘the attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it accordingly.’ Translating this directly into photographic work, there are close links to the main principles behind documentary pieces and the objective perspective required in order to record a situation without bias. The basis of this movement is the concept of total truth and honesty in order to remove any form of emotional prejudice or subjective meaning from a situation. Ideally being presented with minimal or no editing, these pictures would serve as an ultimate documentary showing rather than telling an audience of an event without need for excessive words which would naturally carry a level of subjection from the author. With photography becoming increasingly popular in the late 1880s, many artists chose to follow a more creative approach to their work in order to separate ‘professional’ photography from amateur documentary. An outcome from this desire to mark work as different was the creation of the surrealist movement which worked with highly abstract images often combining multiple exposures. Straight photography was another outcome of the increased popularity of photography amongst everyday people. Recognised typically by high quality images, impressive sharpness and intimate detail, these images were designed to bring professional documentary to a new level. Favoured by photojournalists, the essence of straight photography and realism combines a need for distinction between professionals and amateurs whilst creating highly objective documentary pieces.

Robert Frank’s, ‘The Americans’, is argued as one of the most influential photo books published of all time. Tough his work has inspired countless photographers across a wide variety of movements and genres, it is notable appealing to documentary and street photographers in particular. Swiss-born photographer Robert Frank published this body of work in the late 1950s with 83 carefully selected images appearing in the book itself. Analysing his thoughts when creating such a strong body of work reveals a close connection to the themes of straight photography and realism. Being Swiss himself, Frank naturally saw the American population from an outside – and more crucially, an objective – viewpoint. This project took on the heavy task of documenting all sides of a culture and it could be said that Frank’s ability to document not only the beautiful, but the sharp and ugly sections of society are what defines this photobook. Despite being clearly labeled as part of the straight photography and realism genre; it is interesting to note that Robert Frank himself accepts that his work is not an entirely honest documentary as the themes would suggest. Speaking in the U.S. Camera Annual in 1958, Frank reminds the readers that the book was “…personal and, therefore, various facets of American society and life have been ignored”. Despite this apparent conflict, Frank’s work clearly documents – and in many ways highlights – a darker narrative of America which was previously hidden.

Accepting that despite the recognised biased that comes with the exclusion of certain parts of society, straight photography and realism are still crucially linked to Robert Frank’s ‘The Americans’. Though it may not be universally inclusive of the entire culture, it is undoubtedly a documentary and an impressively honest one at that. Linking to this body of work, The American Road Trip is a theme picked up on by a growing number of artists, both by recognised professionals and up-and-coming photographers. Acting as a strong coming-of-age symbol in American culture, the excitement of discovery and escape holds a strong sense of rebellion for the population’s youth. Appearing across other creative mediums such as music, literature and film, “… the road stretching over the horizon has represented a sense of possibility and freedom” as David Campany writes. His photographic journal and analysis, ‘The Open Road’, focuses on the American Road Trip as a genre itself. Discussing the lure of such an aesthetic adventure, he recognises this continued tradition through artists such as Robert Frank and debates the importance of their images in the history of photography. Another following this figurative (and in many ways literal) path of documenting the open road is 35mm enthusiast, Theo Gosselin. Growing up in a small harbour city in Normandy, his love for the outdoors is said to come from his original home and its proximity to the ocean. The surrounding area brought him the wind, sea and forests which nurtured an adoration for the natural world which would later translate into his photographic work.

Gosselin’s imagery echoes stylistic elements of traditional film stills whilst providing a visual documentary of his nature-orientated travels. With close friends featuring in the majority of his work, there is a continued sense of escape carried through his beautifully uncensored images. Running from the typical everyday, there is a sense of natural chaos in his projects which inspire a calm sense of wellbeing. Throughout his extensive collection of photos, there is a continued search for the ever elusive atmosphere of freedom that feeds their aesthetic adventures. A mixture of traditional portraits, wide open landscapes and intimate relationships inspire a sense of youth and positivity carried by his friends and those met along their on-going journey. Rather than use models in his work and stage each frame, Gosselin shoots glimpses of a hidden world which inspires creativity and freedom in the natural world. His friends become his subjects and show an underground world of light and airy happiness – often intertwined with nature and the outside world. There is an argument to say that his work is testing the divide between public and private, showing the intimate to the world and publishing what would normally be relatively secretive events. From this side of his projects, it is relatively easy to draw parallels to the work of straight photographers who focus on documentary and realism. Despite this though, there are conflicts which debate the relationship between Gosselin’s imagery and realism as a genre; mainly from the aesthetic quality of his work which is self-labeled as “deliberately cinematic”. It is this concept of taking time to process – and debatably stage – certain frames that creates a problem with Gosselin’s projects neatly fitting into such an honest category. If there is a sense of deliberate intent across his work, can it truly be labeled as part of the realist movement? Following this, another question could then draw upon the definition of documentary itself. What makes a documentary? If Theo Gosselin is merely ignoring certain aspects of his road trip to create these cinematic images, surely that is no worse than Robert Frank’s intentional exclusion of areas of American culture within his respective work?

This stylistic approach to photography that focuses on aesthetic value above all else is an area which blurs many movements and genres in order to create space for what is potentially a new category in itself. Working in a similar style, Sian Davey undeniably creates equally as deliberate images with a focus on light and form in each frame. The process of framing a scene to appear in a certain way does not necessarily discount the overruling theme of documentary within either Davey to Gosselin’s work. It could however be said to remove a level of honesty by relying so much on visual aesthetics over a straight photography approach. The relationship between photography and realism in regards to these artists is a difficult line to draw. The scenes they capture did undoubtedly happen, but how much planning and staging went into them to create the image we are finally presented with? Looking at the use of colour and light within Sian Davey’s work, there are aesthetic parallels to be drawn to Theo Gosselin’s road trip collections. Davey’s series ‘Martha’ features her eldest daughter amongst her friends, typically depicted outdoors embracing a similar style of freedom as those appearing in Gosselin’s images. Working with a similar approach to photography, both artists also make use of 35mm film rather than shooting digitally. Tying this choice of equipment back to realism, there is certainly something to be said about the limitations of manipulation when working on film. Arguably a more honest format, film cameras restrict the number of shots available to use (typically 36 frames) and requires precision when shooting in order to capture a scene without missing the moment. At a local talk hosted by the Jersey Arts Centre in 2016, Sian Davey spoke about her image of Martha (pictured here) and how it was created. Linking to the question of authenticity within photography, Davey spoke about how she saw the pink hairdressers and had a mental image of the photo she could create. With this in mind, she then asked Martha (pictured) if she would mind having her hair cut in order to create the final photograph. With this in mind, what genre does this image now fall into? Can it be called a documentary piece if the action itself was a construction?

Moving back to focus on Theo Gosselin’s work, could it be said that he works in a similar way? Debatably, the scenery chosen for his images is selected in order to increase the chances of aesthetic images being produced.

Much of the work produced by Theo Gosselin could be said to take influence from cinematic points of reference. Wim Wender’s ‘Paris, Texas’ (1984) is a “painfully emotive” exploration of grief, love and American culture. Widely regarded as one of the most visually compelling narratives to date, the film has a focus on soft cinematography featuring desert landscapes and seedy motels. As Olivia Singer puts it for AnOther Magazine, “… there is an enduring beauty to its bleakness”. In terms of Gosselin’s inspirations from the film, there is something to be said about his method of aesthetically framing figures amongst both natural and urban landscapes. There are also similar visual qualities from the style of the images, specifically from the choice of materials and the use of 35mm film throughout his work and projects. Something about the grainy quality, the way light is captured on the negatives and the vulnerability of each image until they are processed add a sentimental atmosphere to his collection. One of the most iconic shots from the film, and perhaps the most appealing visual, features Nastassja Kinski (playing Jane) in her soft but bright pink, mohair sweater. This outfit plays a recurring role in the film creating beautiful shots at key moments such as the first time she is seen again by Travis, her lost lover. A sense of warmth radiates from her choice of bright colours and the golden glow of her features, deliberately contrasting with the look of the peep-show hostess Travis travels with in his hunt to once again find Jane. With carefully selected colour pallets reflecting a deeper narrative of the plot itself, there is a strong emotional link between the aesthetic choices made and the audience’s reaction to the piece. For Theo Gosselin, this also remains true. Through his careful framework and intimate images, a relationship Is built between those in the image and their audience. These choices are not accidental but carefully planned and in many ways designed to have such a strong effect on the audience. So continuing the debate central to this article, do these aesthetic decisions effect a photographer’s ability to create honest imagery? Could it be said that whilst small changes may be implemented, the narrative voice remains consistent enough – and honest enough – to keep the work in the genre of straight photography and realism?

Both arguments for this question are subjective and rely on the individual’s viewpoint. With no clear answer, perhaps it is instead important to remember why photography is celebrated; the ability to record a moment. Weather this means intense editing, image manipulation, multiple exposures or any other form of image control. If a photo is part of the realist movement, if it comes from straight photography, surrealism or just a stand-alone piece of work; it is still a photograph. Throughout this article, there have been examples of artists who clearly fit into a photographic category and those who blur the boundaries between multiple movements. Throughout this analysis there are still many unanswered questions relating to photography and realism. So, as a final thought to end on, is honesty really compromised with the growing collection of photographers who place a higher weight on aesthetic value?