Month: December 2017

Post Photography or Past Photography is a fragment of text written by Andreia Alives De Oliveria analysing the digitalisation and use of technological equipment within the Photography medium. The text opens with the screen being the current norm for displaying photographs with digitalisation being the instant transmission and distribution of Photography thus being a highly acceptable concept whether that would be instantly sending your peers, family or colleagues images through social media or other messaging apps, waking up to view the “Breaking News alert on your smartphone or another technological device, advertisements through social media or fellow internet-based platforms, even the images you capture on your smartphone or tablet is required by lightly tapping onto a touchscreen.  When you are living in a contemporary society addicted to the latest Apple devices it seems compatible to cooperate with high – tech consumer culture as almost every individual carries the light, compact smartphone.

The text delves more into the novelty of digital photography and the quirky enhancements/features digital manipulation can offer taking advantage of these characteristics for external agents and money making agents contributing to consumer culture within a marketing standpoint it seems logical to take advantage of the high – tech audience. The wording of this perspective seems highly shallow to an extreme standpoint that using digital advantages for marketing purposes is the equivalent of selling your artistic integrity in order to survive we must make ourselves somewhat flexible this doesn’t necessarily mean destroying any creative beliefs of passion but displaying that you can compromise.

However, the perspective that was very prominent was by Martha Roller who claimed that manipulation was a fundamental element of Photography including lighting, framing, printing and presentation whether this is a conscious decision or not as Photography experience increases it becomes a force of habit to experiment and change these factors. Nevertheless, these aspects are used more for visual and artistic purposes than ethical. Another prominent perspective was Geoffrey Batchen stating that the absence of truth is inescapable whether this is conscious or not in wishing to be reliable we might take away elements of truth through digital manipulation in order to make the photograph believable or deceiving by creating a narrative or convince viewers that something is real. We may not think with this intensity as we clone stamp one segment of our image even without realisation of doing so.

“Photography as Activism” attempts to define documentary as a Photographic form due to constant transitioning describing this concept as multi-layered, complicated, and varied. A methodology of aesthetic that is applied to a broad range of imagery from traditional, straight reported imagery to inaccurate digitally manipulated imagery making appearances upon gallery walls. Bogre goes on to quote Walker Evans explaining that all Photography is somewhat documentary as this documents something that appeared upon camera whether we document this for sentimental value or to show others who did not witness this moment whether we keep this image for eternity or as long as desired.

Edward Steichen reviews photographs from the Farm Security Administration Photography unit referring to images that held power to draw an emotional response from viewers leading to the popularity of emotionally charged images. Thus, resulting in Photojournalism becoming increasingly popular as this offers viewers an emotional response regardless of being true or accurate to the scene being represented. I personally agree that the success of Photojournalism is due to emotionally charged responses as controversy and morbidity sells sparking discussion and memorable information whether this will be slightly or heavily manipulated. Bogre claims that Documentary Photography is about the means, approach, subject and then context the image does not need to be exotic or dramatic if it is relevant, accurate and displayed within the right context the image itself almost becomes irrelevant.  Commonly I would disagree with images not being exotic as exotic and sexually charged images always carrier higher success rates alongside becoming memorable due to visual pleasure or controversy.

Bogre recognises the many valid critics of the documentary genre with so many characteristics of bias being applied to reading and creating images resulting in a photograph that cannot be true. Bias will always remain even is this out of sight of the viewers or possibly subconscious to the photographer/reader. Bogre summarises Rosler critical essays assuming that photographs capture disadvantaged people in order to boost their profiles she does make valid points that the photographers do not care about these individuals thus only caring about capturing the moment in order to gain profit. Photographers are not fighting for a greater social change however this is an unfair generalisation.

In a later chapter titled “Modern History” Bogre discusses the history of Photojournalism and documentary work within modern times as war is a great source of drama therefore media outlets can consume this. Possibly a reason that Rosler becomes critical due to being surrounded by who desire to find conflict as this situation appears photographers desperately flood this area coming home to find respect and admiration. The function of documentary and journalism is significant as this is more immersive as  photography holds the power to dramatize the most bland of scenes elevating one to much drama when taken at the right, decisive moment immersing viewers into a fictional visual scenario.