Truth and Credibility - course work

research using web resources

The first aim of photography in the 19^th century was the truthful and accurate documentation; the emphasis was on taking photos and using them as mirrors of the world, unchanged, presented straight from the photographic device. On the contrary, as early as in 1857 Oscar Gustav Rejlander’s large scale image, ‘The Two Way of Life’, concocted out of over thirty negatives, divided the audience about photography as realistic medium. However debated since then, making, altering, enhancing photographs have been a way photojournalism, advertisement and art used the medium.

“We are being bombarded from all sides, from movies, television, advertisements, the Internet, with images that are not real, that are created in computers and documentary photojournalism is the victim.

Real photos can change the hearts and minds of the people. Real photographs can change how we view war and how we view or society.”

Long, J, NPPA. Ethics in the Age of Digital Photography

http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/self-training_resources/eadp_report/eadptxt.html

accessed on 2 March 2012

These are the words of John Long, Ethics Co-Chair and Past President of the National Press Photographers Association, USA.  In his report, ‘Ethics in the Age of Digital Photography’ he writes about recognised issues that concern, and ought to concern every responsible documentary photojournalist. Alongside many examples on how photo manipulation of published images is used and aiming to influence the public’s view, or simply targeting to sell more copies, he mentions the case of O. J. Simpson. 

The time when O. J. Simpson was arrested, the Time magazine used a version of his mug shot on their cover. In the very same time, another magazine, Newsweek used the same shot on their cover but in the form as they received it from the police.  

Time magazine altered the photo, darkened the corners and changed the brightness in different parts in order to achieve a more sinister look. The final image, and the way it was represented, suggested that O. J. Simpson is guilty. This matter caused outrage at the time and not only on one base but raising ethical, moral and legal questions.

They did not physically add to or took away anything from the original photo, but in fact, simply darkening the image added and took away from it and damaged the magazine, and once again, modern journalism’s credibility. “In other words, they changed the photo from what it was (a document) into what they wanted it to be.” 

Long, J, NPPA. Ethics in the Age of Digital Photography

http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/self-training_resources/eadp_report/eadptxt.html

accessed on 2 March 2012

While, as seen, on one hand enhanced photographs are used for displaying negative assumptions, on the other hand advertisement agencies and fashion photographers are heavily relying on photography retouching services and their limitless options for creating unreal figures, faces and looks.This is a major worldwide issue, and it should be regulated more strictly. I am wondering how we’ve got here, where everyone knows that these airbrushed images are lies, still we let ourselves to be influenced by them daily. These photos make us buy more and spend more money on products that are advertised by Photoshopped models and celebrities. We try to copy styles that have been carefully created by team of stylists and we admire altered photographs that are published in magazines and show us unrealistic images of singers, actresses, politicians and our idols from various fields.

Is there any difference in the level of responsibility between the fashion and celebrity magazines when publishing fake images and those reputable and well established magazines and newspapers where many times the editorial decisions dictate the composed images and, as many times it's been revealed, they are not documenting the truth but intend to manipulate and influence the public?

Photography and Identity - Shirin Neshat - course work

Research using web sources

Some aspects of our identity, gender, social status, appearance, religious beliefs, nationality, can be voluntary changed; some, such as race and certain disabilities, remain with us thorough our lives, however our age changes our identity involuntary. Our background, life experiences and interaction with others influence us about how we see ourselves, how we behave and whether at any point in our life we choose to change any of our personal identification.

There are many excellent photographers who deal with issues regarding identity but during my research I’ve become particularly interested in Shirin Neshat’s photography.

Shirin Neshat, Iranian visual artist, was born in 1957, and has lived in New York since the age of 17. Although she lives and works in the United States, her artwork is deeply rooted in her background, her historic culture and exploration of Islam and gender relations. Her work “addresses political, sociological, psychological and spiritual dimensions; particularly in relation to an Islamic woman's point of view and much more”.

www.heyokamagazine.com

Interview with John LeKay

accessed on 18 February 2012

Her series of ‘Women of Allah’ (1993-97) is arresting black and white pictures of armed, veiled women, their skins covered with handwritten Farsi poetry.

“The contrast between the calligraphic text on women’s bodies and the prohibition on speech is often suggested by titles. In "Speechless" the barrel of a gun peeps out from between a head-cloth and a woman’s beautiful face laced with calligraphy, and in "Rebellious Silence" the cold steel of a weapon parts a woman’s face and dark body into light and shade. The clothing and weapons suggest both women’s defence of Allah in the revolution, and their defence of privacy and chastity in daily life.”

www.culturebase.net

accessed on 18 February 2012

Looking at more of her photos from this series, there is something haunting in these women's sensually or sorrowfully gazing eyes, also mute and concealed feminity. The body languages imply power and an almost tangible energy.

A beautiful selection of Shirin Neshat's images

While Shirin Neshat’s main focuses are womanhood and Islam, looking at her photography, video installation and film, I felt her circumstances of living in a Western society has influenced her views and photography.

In an interview she said: “…my work investigates social and political issues of Iran”, “…the work is made from the perspective of an Iranian living abroad, therefore it bears an exilic point of view”.

www.heyokamagazine.com

Interview with John LeKay

accessed on 18 February 2012

Thinking more about these lines raised many questions and I am intrigued. Since also an immigrant myself, I am time to time faced with similar questions about my new identity and interest.

Would her body of work be different if she still lived in Iran?

What makes an artist's, or in fact any immigrant’s, work and views remaining this strongly influenced by her roots?

What influences us more? Our upbringing in the past or our interactions and new experiences in our new residency is what makes us focusing on certain issues in life?

Is this focus different if we move by our choice or if we are relocated involuntary and by force?

Does this strongly remained connection depend on what our country of origin is and our memories about our motherland? Similarly, does it depend on the present situation of the country we left and the country we presently are?

[location detected] for my next course project

The Mugshot - course work

weekly research using library books

While the mugshot was used for police and prison records in the 19^th century, contemporary photographers often use this portraiture style as tool for visual communication. Although its initial use is still in place and as a crucial tool of objective identification of the individual and record keeping, it is also used for creative exploration of ideas, featuring the human face.

Whether it is for record keeping or conceptual image making, the characteristics are the same. It is objective and observant; attention is often drawn to the eyes. The compositions are often repeated and controlled by the photographer according to the different concepts. Lighting and colours are standarised as well as the photographed people; in many cases their personalities are removed. Mugshots are typically studio portraits or as Alex Kayser describes his own work ‘physiognomy studies rather than portraits”.

On a classic mugshot everybody seems equal and not more than a face and its features.

Contemporary photographers have different approaches and even though their images work within the theme of mugshot, there are examples where the viewers are allowed to see behind the face and the intense gaze.

In Bettina von Zwehl’s projects sitters were directed and asked to carry out certain tasks, and the photographer captured their spontaneous feelings and emotions.

“Her subjects wear the same clothes, wearing the same faces, adopt the same poses, face the same lighting conditions. They carry out the tasks she set them; to fall asleep, sit in darkness and silence, to hold their breath, to exercise. She documents reactions.”

Leader, D. (2007) Bettina von Zwehl. Primal Scene Photography. Brighton. Photoworks. p.24

In an interview with Charlotte Cotton she says: ‘”I continue to be fascinated by what appears and disappears in people’s facial expressions if they let go of their photographic ‘mask’ .“

Cotton, C. (2007) Bettina von Zwehl. Interview. Brighton. Photoworks. p.71

In a way her balanced compositions are like experimental studies, presented by intense and aesthetic images.

Her ‘Profiles I’ series broadens the scope of the classic mugshot.

Bettina von Zwehl
Profiles I

The images are arranged in pairs, facing each other yet in separate pictures, looking at each other yet also gazing into the empty non-space between the frames. These portraits make direct reference to the wedding portraits of Frederico da Montefeltro by Piero della Francesca, a painting commissioned by the husband after the death of his wife.

Piero della Francesca

Portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino (c.1470)

Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi

In each of the pairs the profile is perfectly positioned. The absence of eye contact with the viewer, but the same time linking the two people through their eye contact between the pages is created by the photographer.

Lowry, J. (2007) Bettina von Zwehl. Symptoms, Signs and Surfaces. Brighton. Photoworks. p.41

Rineke Dijkstra’s work is another example of new interpretation of portrayal of human beings. Many of her compositions are mugshots, simply posed images. Her models are calm and reserved; young mothers posing shortly after giving birth, children and young people on the beach or standing by a tree, toreros after bullfight, legionnaire dressed in different uniform on each shot, in various stages of his military career, and a child asylum seeker photographed at irregular intervals. Some of these sitters’ portraits taken after an important event, a difficult action but the faces remain mute.

“The two closely cropped photographic busts of “Tia”, the first taken shortly after the birth of her child and the other five month later, show subtle yet impressive changes in her facial expression, a yar

dstick of the strength and energy that Tia gained in just half a year. The impression of exhaustion, of inner emaciation in the first picture gives way to that of a revitalized, restrained yet radiant woman in the second.”

Stahel, U. (2004) Portraits. Afterwords "After the climax" as a focal element in Rineke Dijkstra's portrait photography. New York. Schirmer/Mosel and D.A.P. p.150

Rineke Dijkstra

Tia

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

June 23 1994                                      14 November 1994

Suzanne Opton’s collections of soldier portraits are striking images of currently serving soldiers and veterans. These are photos of human beings whose lives have been on the line daily and they were willing to share their intimacy with the viewer. Suzanne Opton keeps the uniformity within the shots but placing the model into a different, unusual posture.

The series of American soldiers were displayed on billboards in 8 cities in the United States in 2008-2010 and caused controversy at the time. The faces are still; some stare directly at the viewer and some stare away as if they were dead.

“These American soldiers volunteered to be photographed, but had photographer Suzanne Opton posed them conventionally, or upright, their psychological defenses would have been engaged. As it is, she has successfully disarmed them. Suddenly these young men, trained to kill, seem heartbreakingly vulnerable and defenceless…”

Ewing, W.A. (2006) FACE The New Photographic Portrait. London. Thames & Hudson. p.43

Suzanne Opton
Soldier: Conklin 2005
Soldier: Claxton 2004

Suzanne Opton
Soldier: Jefferson 2005
Soldier: Birkholz 2004

In his project 'Heads', Alex Kayser photographed people from every walk of life. The portraits presented in a manner of classic mugshot, similar to classic police records using tight frames, plain background and uniformed composition. The carefully chosen 184 faces then compiled in a well-presented, black and white book, a catalogue of human physiognomy. His sitters share the same neutral expression; similar look and we look at these headshots as analytic studies.

As we turn the pages and a new face stares at us from every page, we compare different people with the same expression. We notice the differences, in the same time we sense their link to each other. They emerge into one group photo, into one face. In a way this collection reduces everyone to the same creature, a face with two eyes, a nose and a mouth. 

  

In Alex Kayser’s words: “…184 times the same picture.  Only the faces change.”

Kayser, A (1985) Heads, A Conversation with Lyn Mandelbaum and Alan Axelrod. New York. Abberville Press Inc pg.9

Alex Kayser

Stephen Jashijan

New York City:

artist and performer

Alex Kayser

Dean Johnson

New York City:

poet and performance artist;

works at various Lower-East-Side nightclubs,

including Pyramid and Save the Robots

Alex Kayser
Perri Masco,
New York City:
musician 

Alex Kayser
Eido T. Shimano (Roshi Tai San)
New York City:
Zen Buddhist priest, The Zen Studies Society

Alex Kayser
G. C. Smith
New York City:
World War II Air Corps veteran