How are archives a repository of knowledge? 

The Societe Jersiaise Photographic Archive is a key part of Jersey’s history and an indispensable tool that allows us to gain knowledge and understanding of our past, not just as an island but as individuals. This institution was founded in 1873, 33 years after photography was first introduced to the island, with the intention of collecting documentary records of the times. After 148 years, this archive has now accumulated to over 36,000 images and 100,000 items that tell a story of Jersey’s past residents, architecture, landscapes and more. With this collection we are able to view what life was like during various historical periods that were significant in shaping the Jersey we live in today. This includes the German occupation during World War Two, in which photography aided us in remembering why we celebrate our gained freedom, and the hardships others went through in order to get it. An archival image is not required to be the most impressive and aesthetically pleasing photograph ever created, but only needs to tell a story that needs to or should be remembered. That is why, we may not realise it however, even the most casual photography we do in day-to-day life, whether it be the collection of photos on a platform such as Instagram or just a single image amongst thousands of others on your phone, it could be a crucial archive of the times we live in now. It can be argued that this has become even more true during the past year, as due to Covid 19 our photographs will provide people in the future with an insight into our lives during these difficult times.

There are many photographers that played an important part in the early days of photography in Jersey, but it can be said that Emile Guiton’s work was some of the most influential and important for the island. Born in 1879, Guiton was a Jersey native credited with being one of the founding members of the Société Jersiaise, helping build up this crucial collection of images with his photographic career that spanned from 1910 up to his death in 1972. The subjects that were of interest to Guiton varied from archaeological excavations to still life images, leaving this amateur photographer with a large amount of creative freedom. This side of Guiton that was fascinated with documentary photography resulted with him being one of the few to be issued a permit, allowing him to photograph the German Occupation during the Second World War. With this record of history, we are able to gain knowledge of not only Guiton’s artistic viewpoint of everyday life during war, but the what the German army wished to be recorded. This may have included Guiton’s many different photographs of German artillery around the island, which could have been used to aid the Germans in projecting their power. As well as this, Guiton’s career also entailed some of the first experimentation with colour photography, using the method of Autochrome. This allowed a whole new perspective of life in Jersey, with colour bringing the streets of St. Helier to life, in turn resulting in viewers being able to connect and relate to these images more. 

This colour photograph taken by Emile Guiton displays a residential street located in St. Helier containing a car and two children, one in the foreground and one in the background. Here leading lines are created by the dark strip of cobblestone running through the centre of the street, resulting in the viewers eye being led deeper into the heavily housed area. Contrast in this image can be seen through the juxtaposition of the light brick houses and the dark clothing the children are wearing, as they lean against the wall. In addition, it can be said that the right half of the image contrasts with the left, due to the shadows of the houses that shed onto the street. From this it is clear that Guiton used only natural light to take this photograph, as he does with his other images. Also it can be said that it was most likely taken in the hours leading up to sunset, due to the length of the shadows and the slight golden glow. In order to produce this colour photograph, Guiton used a process named Autochrome, invented by the Lumière brothers in 1903. This method consisted of one glass plate, covered in a thin layer of potato starch grains dyed green, red and blue that acted as a filter. This would then be given a coat of varnish before and after passing through a high pressure roller, followed by a layer of emulsion. Finally this would then be flipped and placed into the camera where the light would pass through and create and image. This is said to be one of the first colour images of a street in that parish, giving us an insight into what domestic and community life was like. From this image it could be said that this part of St. Helier was once a seemingly quiet and peaceful area, contrasting to what we now consider the busiest and most lively parish on the island.

In conclusion, it is clear that the use of archives aids us in gaining knowledge of past events and past day-to-day life. Whether a photograph displays soldiers marching through the streets or a family outing, there is still information to be gained as a community. An archive such as the Societe Jersiaise allows us to view life from the perspective of hundreds of photographers from different backgrounds, all aiming to capture Jersey in a unique way. Furthermore, as this archive continues to grow so does the story of this island. With what I have learnt from this, as a photographer, I would aim to take a more documentary approach to my work, after discovering there is more value in the un-staged than I previously thought. Although the changing architecture of the island tells an interesting story of the past, I believe that the inhabitants of Jersey are clear signifiers of what makes this islands culture what it is today, which is what I would like to focus on in the future.

Sebastiao Salgado

Sebastiao Salgado, born in 1944, is a Brazilian social documentary photographer, known for taking powerful photographs that depict the lives of the suffering and oppressed. It can be said that this flare for activism originated when Salgado joined a political movement that opposed Brazil’s military government, in which he was exiled for. Salgado first started to take photographs after being sent to various African countries on business trips, whilst working as an economist. It is here that he became fascinated with the artform and as a result quit his job to pursue photography full time. This decision led to Salgado travelling to hundreds of countries for his different projects, often focusing on hardships of these places. This includes his project named ‘Workers’, published in 1993, which looked at the end of the large-scale industrial era.

Analysis

This black and white image taken by Sebastiao Salgado depicts a worn out firefighter drenched in oil walking towards the fiery landscape in the background. This high contrasting image displays a large juxtaposition between light and dark with the oil fuel inferno and the heavy dark smoke that is blackening the sky, leaving no trace of daylight. Here Salgado has confined the frame to only show one man and the impossible task he is faced with, leaving a section of empty space in the center that separates the two. This creates an ominous tone to the image that may both unnerve a viewer of this piece, and also cause them to be in awe of the worker’s bravery. In addition, it can be said that repetition is produced in this image with the round spattering of oil and the bubbled clouds of smoke rapidly emerging from the flames, that hold a similar form.

When looking at this piece technically, it is easy to see that this photograph was taken with solely natural lighting, due to the outside setting. Furthermore, Salgado’s main source of light for this image seems to be coming from the blazing flames in the background, as any sign of sun is block out by smoke. As a result of this lack of light the ISO setting used was presumably high, to create an image that would not be under exposed. The shutter speed used in order to take this photograph was most likely on a fast setting, as the clouds produced by the flames are in crisp focus but must have been forming and reforming at a rapid pace, the same can be said for the spurting oil. In addition, due to the fact that these flames are in focus, it can also be said that Salgado used a small aperture, allowing the entirety of the landscape to have the same amount of visibility.

This photograph was taken as part of Salgado’s ‘Worker’ series that was focused around oppressed manual labourers, that were considered to be over-worked and under-paid. This photograph tells the story of the environmental disaster that occurred in Kuwait in 1991. This expanse of fire and flames were a result of the Gulf War, that saw the United States pitted against Iraq in a fight over oil. With over 700 hundred oil wells alight, firefighters were given the impossible job of containing the raging flames. With this context, it is easy to understand the almost unfazed firefighter walking towards the fire, whilst being showered with oil, with his head hung low in disbelief and exhaustion. Salgado claimed that “In all my long life, I never again found this kind of light” when talking about the flames.

Percival Dunham

Percival Dunham is best known for being Jersey’s first photo journalist, taking many photographs for newspapers such as Jersey Illustrated Weekly and the Morning News from 1913 to 1914. Although little is known of his heritage, due to him having no records of family in Jersey, Dunham played a key role in the documentation of key events of Jersey’s history, contributing to the photographic archive immensely. The first records of Dunham are of his photography business, located on 57 Bath Street, in 1911. Before working as a photo journalist, Dunham was known for taking photographs of events such as the Battle of Flowers and the shipwreck of Roebuck. Dunham spent some time away from jersey when serving as a gunner during World War One, but returned soon after and married a Miss M Mourant.

Analysis

This black and white image taken by Percival Dunham displays troops packing up supplies and preparing to embark from Jersey harbour. Here a large contrast between light and dark is presented through the white uniforms of the soldiers and the darkness of the barrels, pier and the ships. Dunham has framed this image to show the military men in the foreground and the ships to the right in the background, showing the viewer what awaits them in their future. Leading lines in this photograph are created by what appears to be metallic pipes and tracks running across the ground, guiding the viewers eye down the slipway towards the ships and the sea.

From a technical viewpoint it is clear to see that this film photograph was taken with natural lighting, as a result of it being taken outside at a harbour. From the natural lighting, it could be said that this photo was taken at what seems to be midday from the brightness of the image, however this is hard to tell due to the overcast sky. With this it is probable that Dunham used a mid to low ISO setting to allow for a image that was not under exposed. In addition, it also appears that Dunham used a medium shutter speed setting, in order to capture the movement in this image clearly, but also letting enough light into the lens for the image to appear bright enough. Also, the aperture setting used was most likely low, allowing for the ships in the background to be clear and visible, as well as the soldiers at the front.

Here it is clear to see that this was a piece of Dunham’s photo-journalism, due to the candid and un-staged nature of the image. Dunham may have wanted to capture this photograph to display the serenity of the soldiers in that moment, in comparison to the harsh and violent conditions that await them. This can be related to Salgado’s ‘Workers’ image, in the sense that these men are both preparing to head into a place where their lives are being put in danger for their job.