LSP - Photojournalism and Street Photography - Day Three

On Day Three (26th July) (after feedback on the British Museum assignment from Day Two) we learnt about photojournalism, reportage and documentary:

• Photojournalism: witnesses and records events as they happen; images often have to be dramatic in order to be competitive
• Reportage: more in-depth story telling, picture essays, viewpoint of photographer present
• Documentary: images that document location, event, situation - insight into culture, history, society.

Notable photojournalists include:

• Arthur Fellig (Wee Gee)
• Dorothea Lange (who shot the well-known image "Migrant Mother")
• Henri Cartier-Bresson (Magnum)
• Robert Capa (Magnum)
• George Rodger (Magnum)
• David Seymour (Magnum)

For photojournalism, context is critical - photos need captions to avoid ambiguity.   For example, Molotov Man, taken in Nicaragua by Susan Meiselas, has been used for propaganda by both sides of the revolution.

Another example of narrative we discuss is the work by 2013 Deutsche Boerse nominee Cristina de Midel "Afronaughts".  This body of work challenges our perceptions of context and reality.  Photojournalists are supposed to represent the truth - and she does - but in a conceptual way.  I remember reading about this piece of work in British Journal of Photography, but can't find any notes on it in previous blogs (note-to-self to try to find it!).

In documentary photography, there is always a tension between beauty, ugliness, truth and emotion.  Also, documentary/photojournalism portraits need to imply all aspects of context - can be candid, environmental, posed (classic).  Steve McCurry is a good example: see previous notes on Afghan Girl).  See also Martin Parr for parts of a person, bright colours and funny context.

Our assignment for Day Three was to go to Camden Town and photograph portraits as follows:

1. Group scene
2. Portrait in environment/context
3. 5 aspects of the same portrait (including asking permission from someone)
4. Detail of a portrait
5. Candid portrait

This exercise went well - better than expected in fact.  Feedback took place in the moment looking at the camera screen and on the whole was great.  Only comment was to get in closer!  Here are my results (i.e. the best of - I took loads!):

1. Group scene:

2. Portrait in environment:

3.  5 aspects of same portrait (two situations):

4. Details of a portrait:

5. Candid portrait:

And as an added bonus, on the way back after the day had finished, I took this.  Really impressed with the colours with D8100 (no photoshop!):