An area of consideration for the photo documentary story I will be creating, is the absence of visual stimulation that could provoke a reaction from the viewer. As my subject has no obvious signs of suffering or distress, I feel it necessary to investigate how manipulating the light, composure and direction of the subject could enhance the hidden reality of the pain and suffering felt within my images.
As the documentary will be accompanied with the subject’s explanation of her story, I do have the added impact of the viewer recognising emotion through her voice or the written words. Part of my research will look at how using the incorrect words to explain a series of photographs can have a detrimental effect on how the images are perceived.
The question to myself is this: How can I portray the hidden anxieties of someone that has kept a facade all her life? How can I expose those hidden feelings of someone who is outwardly lived with no show of these anxieties and is well balanced?
Photojournalism, Developing Style in Creative Photography, is a book full of useful information and tips from photographers on how to produce an image that creates an impact. Tom Stoddart documented the aftermath of an earthquake that struck India in 2001 (p71). One particular image captured was a portrait of a woman he found sitting in the shade, amongst the remains of her house. Stoddart discusses how the natural light played an important part in creating the image, as it gave him the opportunity to expose and draw out the textures within the frame of his image. He composed the image by placing the woman towards the bottom of the frame making her appear small, behind a large crack in a remaining wall. He composed the image this way to expose the seriousness of the damage caused by the earthquake.
“It is always important to consider the surroundings and the kind of elements that will say something about a subject’s situation. Its not always necessary to state the obvious”. - Author, Photojournalism, Developing Style in Creative Photography.
Another photographer featured in this book, David Modell (p109) worked on a project documenting a religious group. As with Stoddart, it was the light that helped in creating his dynamic image. This time the light source came from a spotlight, which allowed him to create a patterned effect casting over his subjects.
“The whole culture of being a photojournalist revolves around seeking out the decisive moment. Its all to do with what you want to say about your subject and then looking for things that will represent the way that you feel about them.” - David Modell.
Both photographers utilise of the light source available to them to create tone, texture and contrast in their images. This, in turn, forms a photograph with a powerful effect.
Internet site, Japan Camera Hunter interviewed Jim Mortram in 2012. The interview looked at his photo documentary series A Small Town Inertia, his aspirations for the project, style of photography and how he conducted his interview with his subjects. Mortram explains that although his work has been influenced other photographers such as W.Eugene Smith and Life Magazine, the biggest inspirations are from his family and the people whose story he is telling. Mortrams main style when photographing his subjects are mostly split into two. He likes to get close to the subject but also stands back, so is able to photograph the whole room.
“At its core, I just want the shots to reflect what's happening”. - Jim Mortram.
Mortram shoots in low light conditions. His interview style varies, initially he will talk to the person he is interviewing to get an understanding of how they feel that day. If it is a day where he intends to take portraits he will combine that with his conversation. If it is a day where he is producing the documentary, he will capture his images when he feels something is happening around him which is appropriate to what he is documenting.
Jen Davis is a photographer that captured a series of self portraits over an eleven year period. The project explored the emotional responses that she felt towards herself, and her interpretation of how other people perceived her based on body image.
“In my photographs I aim to raise questions regarding beauty, desire, body image and identity through a focused observation of my personal story”. - Jen Davis
The images she created are a mixture of a reconstruction from her life experiences, others were a creation of her fantasies, in which she bought to life in her photographs.
Having examined the whole series of images on her website, (jendavisphoto.com) they show the story of her life from 2002 to 2013. Each photograph is dated and some are titled. Weight loss is apparent in her images from 2012. Although there are many different aspects and meanings to the photographs, part of the series tell a story of weight loss and all the feelings, emotionally and physically that go hand in hand with that passage. She achieves a large weight loss, although most people would presume that after such an achievement this would come with the promise of guaranteed happiness, but her images highlight the negative aspect such as the damage caused to her skin by her initial weight gain.
Most of the series has been photographed in her home. She has used a selection of techniques to describe her emotions. It is apparent in most of the series that light and shadows have been manipulated in such a way that she can highlight the emotion is is trying to define.
She places men in some of her images, although it is obvious they are present, they are placed in the shadows, whereas she is positioned in light. I feel she has done this purposely to illustrate the theme of her self portraits. She creates feelings of isolation in some of the photographs, so the viewer's full attention is on exactly what she wants them to see. I believe it is this isolation that creates the impact, reducing distractions within the frame, therefore the viewer is forced to think about what she has intentionally created in the image.
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| www.jendavisphoto.com |
I feel this is an isolated image. Davis has a point to get across, and she wants the viewer to see the emotion she is trying to portray without any distractions. By composing the image so only part of the man and bed can be seen, bringing herself almost central so it is obvious this is about her. Although she is visible, the blanket that conceals her body, is in contrast to the almost naked man. The man that looks warm, inviting and healthy. The colour of his skin, suggests beauty, whereas the colour that she surrounds herself with is cold, and could be seen as unhealthy. Because of this she becomes unattractive and unapproachable, unlike the man that is portrayed lying on the bed. The colour of the blanket is almost identical to the colour of the wall. Along with her body language and where she is placed in comparison to the man, it could be that she feels isolated, maybe even invisible, blending into her surroundings and not standing out like the other slim and glamorous women that are around.
Not all of her photographs are isolated, in some she creates a busy photograph with that requires study.
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| www.jendavisphoto.com |
In the image above, Davis creates a ‘scene’. The point she is trying to make may not be obvious at first glance, but by placing herself in the middle of the picture, its not long before the viewer makes their own interpretation of what she is trying to portray. Here, she is placed in what looks like a hotel room, the lack of personal belongings, apart from a few barely visible items in the reflection of the mirror suggests she is on her own. I feel it is the ‘standard’ sized hotel room towel that Davis is attempting to cover herself with is the point she is trying to make in this photograph. Feeling fed up of society presuming that ‘standard’ caters for the majority and maybe fed up in herself for not being able to fit in with these ‘standard’ people.
Photographer Jade Beale created a series called ‘A beautiful Body Project’. Her aim was to produce images as a celebration of women's bodies after giving birth. She wanted to prove that a woman's body retained its beauty after giving birth, despite stretch marks, weight gain or saggy skin as a result of the pregnancy. - in an attempt to reduce the anxiety some women feel after having a baby.
The images were featured on Cosmopolitan’s online magazine and shared on its facebook page. The reaction to these images from the majority of people that commented were extremely dissimilar to my own. I felt confused as to why a large debate had spiralled out of control regarding body image and how ‘real women’ should look after giving birth.
“I also think this is beautiful! But just because a mom gets her old figure back the way she was before pregnancy does not make her an unreal mommy! I am a real mommy too!” - Comment taken from facebook user Joanne Vergunst.
I still felt confused by these comments and asked myself why some of these women were seeing the pictures as a personal insult to themselves. Then realising how the magazine had titled the article:
16 Real, Beautiful, Women in Every Stage of Pregnancy. (Cosmopolitan)
It was at this point I realised how powerful words can be and how one word can alter the perception of them and the photographers vision of how she wants them perceived.
Conclusion
The objective for this assignment was to investigate and study how I could create images that would have the desired effect and reflect the story relating to them.
Although Stoddart's image are those of people suffering visual trauma, I now understand that it is how he composes the image which plays just as an important part as the visual trauma itself. He, like the other photographers utilise the light so to expose textures and create shadows - therefore able to magnify what they want to expose.
Composition is key for his particular image of the woman (as discussed above). When looking at Modell's image of the religious group, without the patterned effect the light had created, his image would be nothing more than a photograph of a group of people. Jim Mortram claimed in his interview that on documentary days he shoots exactly what is happening, this relates to Modell's image, of shooting what was happening at the time. This has taught me, rather than over thinking how can I produce an image with a ‘shock factor', sometimes the best images are the ones that are captured in the very moment it happens.
What shows in Mortram’s images, is his inspiration from the people he shoots. Jen Davis’s emotions can be felt through the whole series, like Mortram her passion for what she was documenting was what created such powerful images.
Combining the awareness of composition, the ability to manipulate the light and utilising shadows along with the passion for the story you want to tell, regardless of where the images are being captured will create emotive and moving photographs.
After witnessing the debate that occurred regarding Jade Beale’s images ‘A Beautiful Body Project’ I started thinking about the importance of choosing the correct words when titling the project. I wonder if this article had been in a written magazine, if the viewers would have felt the same. When on the internet, people are usually browsing, it is the title that catches the viewers attention and quite often the introduction is skipped. Maybe it was because I read the introduction which gave more of an insight into what the images were trying to portray. When reading a magazine, people usually take their time, sitting down to relax. When on the internet, most people are using their phone on breaks, travelling etc.
This has taught me the importance of ensuring how I title the documentary and, although this was an article that the photographer may have not had any control over, to be aware where the images are being viewed as the reaction from people varies where they view the image.
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| Nicola Pass - Kim & Taylor |
Bibliography
Barker, E . (2014). 16 Real, Beautiful women in every stage of pregnancy. Available: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/news/pregnancy-photo-essay. Last accessed 12th May 2014.
Bellamy . (2012). Featured photographer – Jim Mortram. Available: http://www.japancamerahunter.com/2012/09/featured-photographer-jim-mortram/. Last accessed 11th May 2014.
Cosmopolitan. (2014). 16 Real, Beautiful Women in Every Stage of Pregnancy . Available: https://www.facebook.com/Cosmopolitan. Last accessed 11th May 2014.
Davis, J. (2002-2012). Jen Davis. Available: http://www.jendavisphoto.com/index.php?/work/self-portraits/. Last accessed 10th May 2014.
Smithson, A. (2014). BOOK WEEK: JEN DAVIS: ELEVEN YEARS. Available: http://lenscratch.com/2014/04/jen-davis-eleven-years/. Last accessed 10th May 2014.
Hope, T (2001 ). Photojournalism . Switzerland : Rotovision. 71,109.
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