This section has been produced to help highlight the steps taken over the last twenty-two months to produce the final essay Full Circle: The function of observer, subject and audience. Truth and order in the use of the social documentary photography. The aim of this essay was not to produce a history of social documentary photography but to highlight how the person with the camera has the power and how that power has changed.
Initial research was a continuation of my previous Level 2 Documentary course but developing the idea of mental health, rural communities, representation and voice would link the essay to my Body of Work without direct discussion of the community I was using for that part of my course. Using mind maps and written notes to explore various avenues it was easy for me to explore and read extensively but also to lose my direction. Trying to include too much and not form a clear argument was a point raised by my tutor on several occasions within his feedback reports. It wasn’t until Assignment Four that I settled on a clear title and direction.
Through research, feedback and discussion with other students on the course and the tutor led sessions I have produced an essay that explores the role photography has played in providing a voice to society and marginalised communities with the aim of making a change. Chapter 1 introduces several key aspects of documentary social practice and the use of photography, for example Stuart Franklin (2016) in what he calls the ‘documentary impulse’, how the likes of Riis and Hine used photography to highlight issues of living and working conditions. Using photography as evidence but they were only able to go so far, not prepared to unset the social norms or their own.
I also demonstrate how the photographer can manipulate images and composition to portray a completely different narrative (see pages 16-18). John Tagg also discussed this need to use photography as evidence and detailed how the populous considered photography as the ‘truth’, but as highlight – who’s truth? and under what conditions were the images taken? It was clear from the mill worker images that Hine produced how his allegiance had changed in the fourteen years between the images presented (see Figure 1 and 2 and the analysis detailed). There has been much criticism about Hine’s image by the likes of Dimmock (1993) and Tagg (2009).
Chapter 2 (page 21) discusses the importance of representation and how photography using signs and symbols has been used to represent culture, communities and both the public and social aspects of life. In this chapter I critically analyse the work of Stuart Hall (1997) and his work on constructionism. Hall’s concepts linked strongly to my argument around how the photographer uses his/her own biases in the form of these signs and symbols to represent the ‘real’ world, but as discussed through the essay and within my Research Log these are the voice of the photographer. And as I discovered David Bate (2018) addresses this when he discusses the fact that when a photographer takes that image he/she produces with an understanding of what the viewer wants to see (page 9). There is a strong belief that humans are not good at ‘confronting reality’ but still have a strong need to see it.
The final chapter provides a review and analysis of the various groups and methods implemented to highlight social issues and give a ‘voice’ to those that often don’t have one. Over the years this has resulted in varying degrees of success. The aim of giving a ‘voice to the voiceless’ was discussed by Jay Ruby (1992) (page 24) who stated that documentary of these situations was a ‘social service and a political act’. Hine realised this but also the importance of the subject helping themselves to improve.
Representation through documentary photography, and the power that offers was extensively used by the ‘Exit Photography Group’ in the 1970s, however as I highlight they struggled to find the right narrative due to their own political aims and external influences (page 25-26). I provide several images to demonstrate this along with analysis.
The work of Jo Spence and Terry Dennett (page 29) provided the skills to the subjects to help themselves have that voice and they also didn’t walk away once they had the image, they involved the subject with Spence returning to the communities on multiple occasions to help grow skills and that voice. Spence realised the power and the value of photography by also turning the camera on herself.
PhotoVoice (page 31) the technique developed by Wang and Burris (1997) saw the camera and hence the voice transferred to the subject. The results have been mixed but one example researched and analysed for this essay was the work by Julian Germain (page 32) and the street children of Brazil. This initiative has been running for over 25 years, show some success but I question the approach and how the images are disseminated.
To complete the circle my conclusion (page 38) reflects on the growth of and availability of technology and how this has meant the voice and the power has been taken back by the observer with their ability to capture, comment and post often without thought or consideration to those they are imagining. The voice of the subject has been lost.
Throughout this process I have documented my Thought and Reflections on my course blog site here. Following each feedback from my tutor I have undertaken rework and amendments. These amendments were applied to separate posts, but amendments to the initial draft and the final submission were applied to the document and produced new versions. Old versions can be found here.
Assignments
Assignment Five for Assessment
Tutor Feedback
Assignment Rework
Michele Usher 