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[brenbrenj]

[photowings-blog]

[sallycarless]

photowings: Your comment on Steve McCurry is interesting and one we’d love to hear from others on.  His words will also be in in our upcoming Ethics Session.   Photographers, particularly ones with long careers, who have covered conflict and worked in tough sensitive situations are complex people who are driven to bring back important stories.  This work takes a certain kind of personality.  It can also sometimes take a personal toll… 

Week (3): Power of Photography from brenbrenj

Steve McCurry: Am I the only one who is disturbed by the way he speaks about his image “Afghan Girl”? I can’t put my finger on what it is, but something about the way he speaks of this image makes me feel uncomfortable. I am a visual learner. Maybe it’s because this is an audio clip and I can’t see his facial expressions when he speaks? Still, there is something…

sallycarless:

I listened again after reading your comment. I, too, was disturbed by something, but didn’t have clarity about what it was the first time. For me I think what comes up is concern for her safety. They were careful to take the photo where the community probably wouldn’t know it was going on, but saying that “most” people in the community don’t watch TV or know about Nat Geo doesn’t mean that none of them do or will. With it becoming even more dangerous for women in Afghanistan, I wonder if this was too much of a risk to take, and whether it might have been better not to publish the photos of her as an adult.

I also wonder about her family’s suspension of the taboo. I admit that my understanding is extremely limited, but my perception is that violating taboos like that, especially in the past few years, can be extremely dangerous.

Another area where I don’t know how things work: Is it possible that Nat Geo might have paid the family if it would get them the photo? If so, is it possible that the men in the family got the money and she took the risk? And is still at risk?

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ashokau-photowings:

In regard to Steve McCurry’s photo of the “Afghan Girl” there were negotiations and here’s Steve’s response:

We’re continually in contact with her today and we make sure she’s taken care of and that she’s been compensated for the picture – that’s been an ongoing process since 2002.” Gula, who was orphaned during the Soviet bombing of Afghanistan, has since had four girls of her own, one of whom died in infancy.

As a documentary photographer Steve works to put a human face on tragedy.  Here’s an Oprah interview with him prior to their finding her again - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quKMuaeogys   As a result of this image people volunteered to help work in the refugee camps, send her money, and even marry her.  The image raised over a million dollars to help education in that country.   I understand your discomfort and wondered myself about her situation.

There are many ongoing questions surrounding photojournalism.  We were going to have a session on Ethics but unfortunately we’ll have to skip it for this webinar but expect to pick up on it again next year.  We will have a session on “Critical Thinking” which will address some of these issues.  It’s tricky because photojournalists work very hard to bring awareness and hopefully make a difference.  If you go to our Vimeo channel we have a number of interviews with some of the most respected ones - our PhotoWings Vimeo Channel at https://vimeo.com/channels/photowings  and go to the Foundry Workshop video portfolio at http://vimeopro.com/photowings/foundry-workshop-2011  and you can listen to them directly.  We’ll have more up soon.  I hope this helps.  It’s complicated.

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Sally’s response to Photowings: Thank you. Yes, very helpful. I’m glad to hear that she is still being cared for, and that the photograph led to so much money being raised. That’s a wonderful interview with Oprah. I’m really glad you mentioned it; it gave me a broader understanding of Steve and his work. Like she says, you can really see soul in his photographs.

Re: ethics, etc - Yes, complicated for sure. It seems that so often that’s the case; not just in photography. You start with the simple desire to have a positive impact and then run into all the different complexities of the situation. It’s rarely just black and white, right and wrong… Thanks for the other links; I’ll definitely check them out.

[brenbrenj]

Thank you. This has really helped.

[brenbrenj]

Nature. Beauty. Gratitude.

[brenbrenj]

Conscious Empathy

Conscious Empathy:

I think that the most effective quality that I see in images that have made large scale change is their ability to show empathy. It's more than empathy itself, though. It is conscious empathy. Photographers who are assigned to or volunteer to photograph dire situations have to always be fully conscious and aware of what they are photographing. They have to be fully present in the moment. They have to be constantly thinking of how these photographs may impact the rest of the world. It is their job to photograph and share with the world what they are seeing.

I did a little bit of research and in my search I found that many iconic photos are of individuals. I think that as individual people we are attracted to photos of individual people because we are able to connect and relate to these photos more so than photos of a large group of people. We are able to be empathetic, put ourselves in their shoes, and imagine their life. 

Photography as a Changemaker Tool: 

"Empathy builds advocacy." - Unknown 

Ken Light brings up photographers working directly with non-profit organizations. I think that photography has been used as a tool for advocacy in the past, and now, more than ever, it is being used as a tool for advocacy in many different forms. A few weeks ago I watched a webinar with the topic of how to create a memorable public health presentation that people will remember. The presenter said to use images because sight is our most powerful sense. She also said to tell stories of individuals because people connect to stories of individuals more so than stories of a whole community. She was using an example of a non-profit organization that is doing community development in a small village in a developing country. They saw an increase in donations when they used the personal story of a child in the community they work in that individuals could help with their donation.

As I said before, as individual people we relate and connect to stories of individual people. We are more likely to take action and donate to a cause when the story we read tells that of an individual and the photo we see is of an individual. In this way, photography is a tool for changemaking. Photographers use their photos to make people aware of issues and make changes. It is a chain reaction. Photographers use conscious empathy when photographing - Individuals connect with the photos - Empathy builds advocacy - Change is made.

Conscious: aware of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.; fully aware of or sensitive to something

Empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner

[brenbrenj]

Week (3): Power of Photography

Philip Zimbardo: I took a Photography Appreciation course in the summer of 2009. The images that Philip describes in this video are photos that I remember studying in the class I took over three years ago, yet when he started describing the image of Kim Phuc and the iconic image from Kent State I did not have to dig deep in my memory to find these images again. I did not look at the images until after he had finished describing them. And they were exactly as I had remembered. I found this very fascinating. I remembered the agony on their faces in great detail as he was speaking about them and when I looked at the photos again after all this time, it was strange and eerie that I remembered them so clearly. That is the power photography has. The two iconic images that Philip speaks about (Kim Phuc and Kent State) were images that captured moments that I tucked away in my mind, yet when prompted to remember, I did so in an almost instantaneous clarity. 

Ken Light: Social Documentary Photography - I love the way he speaks about photography and photographers. He speaks so eloquently and freely. He speaks with passion. His says, "Photographers are a part of change, they are not usually the change themselves." This is a reminder to me that change never happens by itself. Photography is a powerful tool. One of the many tools that works to create change. 

Documentary Photography and Humanistic Tradition - A deep connection between the photographer and the subject. How do you gain access? You are the only one who cares. Be a good listener. Tell their stories. Don't read about them, meet them.

Speaking of Eugene Richards' Powerful Approach - He says Eugene is a storyteller. He listens very deeply, yet is still a photographer; he's a fly on the wall. He's intense. He takes pictures for others. He has a way of allowing the voice/pain/message to come through the photographer/camera/image.

Different Voices in Photography - International language in photography is traveling around the world. Not all countries have a sense of their own photographic culture because the West has been a dominant part of the history of photography. As photography develops around the world, these countries will develop their own photographic histories and their own way of creating images. I'm intrigued!

Steve McCurry: Am I the only one who is disturbed by the way he speaks about his image "Afghan Girl"? I can't put my finger on what it is, but something about the way he speaks of this image makes me feel uncomfortable. I am a visual learner. Maybe it's because this is an audio clip and I can't see his facial expressions when he speaks? Still, there is something...

Camille Seaman: A powerful story of how she realized that photography was her destiny! Very unique. Such a gentle spirit. I would like to meet her.

Anthony Penrose: What a fantastic story. A lifelong commitment to preserve and catalogue such an expansive personal collection! I'm sure he learns something new about his mother every single day. Founder and director of an archive dedicated to his mother and her work. It's true adoration of his mother and her work. I would do the same thing if I were in his shoes.  

[brittanycorner]

My heart!

(From the National Geographic Traveler 2012 Photo Contest)

[brenbrenj]

Beautiful. I hope it wins the contest. This is what life's all about. Joy in its simplest form. Pure joy.

[brenbrenj]

Image in Imagine

Imagine

While writing, I thoughtlessly wrote the word image instead of imagine. Making this mistake, I notice that the word "image" is in the word "imagine". Imagination and images are very much so linked. We see images in our imagination. We use imagination when creating an image. It strikes me, only now, that the words are so similar. Imagine in image.  

[brenbrenj]

Palm Court Cafe: I imagine myself in that smoky nightclub, smelling booze and wine, and stale cigarettes. I hear the music coming through the photo. I love that in this photo you see no faces of the audience that frame the photo. The only face you see is the smile of the musician sitting behind the dancers with his saxophone. The woman dancer's arm movement makes you follow her hand to see his smiling face. The people in the photo are all dressed nicely. You can see their suits, and their shoes. I imagine that if the light were different in this photo you would not notice the finer details of this image that make it what it is. You would not see the shoes, the wine glasses, the smoke from the cigarette billowing across the photo. I wonder if he sat and waited for the smoke to billow so he could get this image. Smoke is so beautiful, yet at the same time, taboo. I love the way the smoke looks in this photo and all of his others, but at the same time I think of the detriment of health that smoking causes. It's beautiful and wicked at the same time.

I think that Herman's intent in this photograph is to show joy and the carefree atmosphere that was the Palm Court Cafe. You are transported back in time and to me it's a place that I would like to be. I imagine myself as a member of that audience. I also imagine myself dancing the night away.

Lester Young: I see the hat, the sheet music, the instrument case, the cigarette smoke. The smoke is what I am attracted to the most. It's beautiful. I wondered about that hat. Who does it belong to? After the video: It wasn't until I listened to Herman speak of this photo did I see the glass coke bottle. Now when I go back and look at the photo and it's hard not to look at it. I still see the smoke first, and then the hat, but now I see the curve of the bottle as well. 

Miles Davis: I notice his eyes. What's behind those eyes? What is he feeling? They are intense, dark, and deep. I also notice his skin. The way the photograph is taken with the light highlighting his skin, is beautiful. After the video: Herman talks of the fact that Miles was dying, and he knew it. Now looking back on the photo, his eyes are even more intense to me.

Duke playing piano: Where is the photographer standing to get this light? It perfectly frames the photo and allows your eyes to follow the light and go direclty to the piano. I notice his fingers. It almost looks like he is snapping. Maybe following the beat with his fingers between playing the notes on the piano. I wonder what the audience would look like if their faces were visible. After the video: Ah, backstage. What a magnificent place to photograph. Alone, in your thoughts, able to see what others never will. Even as he was taking these he didn't know that was what the light would look like. What a beautiful surprise.

Duke portrait: I love how the blackness frames his face in this photo. The light shining from above and highlighting his expression. What is he thinking? His hand in front of his face, out of focus, makes you focus directly on his facial expression. He looks tired. What is the small white dot? A button on his suit jacket?

[brenbrenj]

Week (1): Response

Visual Literacy: To me, visual literacy is truly seeing a photo and being able to connect with it and describe every aspect of what you are seeing,feeling, and thinking. It’s being able to connect with a photo on a deeper level. I recently went to an Ansel Adams photography exhibit with my mother. He is one of my favorite photographers. We spent hours looking at his photos and interpreting them. Talking about them and comparing what we were seeing. At the time, I didn’t know I was using visual inventory. It was truly amazing to hear the differences in what we were seeing and how we interpreted his photographs. Power of Photos: I love that Ken Light talks about “voice” in photos. I think the most powerful images always speak to you…but never actually speak. It’s about telling a story, getting people’s attention, eliciting emotion, and MAKING CHANGE. Educate through photography. Ruffle some feathers and let your voice be heard through photography. Inspiration: A few takeaways. Camille: See your uniqueness as a strength, gain power as an independent thinker and not a follower. I really loved when she spoke of using photography as an extension or an “expression of being”. Everything is integrated. It’s about making connections. Natalie: I found it interesting that she said that first she was there to create great photographs, second to survive. That is true dedication and passion in your work. Ethics: Once again, I loved Ken’s words and interpretation. Being true to what had evolved as you make photographs. And reference to photography as a "dance". Beautiful. Legacy: Makes me think twice…where are a my photographs? How are they stored? We rely so heavily on technology…what if the things we depend on to hold our most precious memories and our most prized photographs, our lives, are suddenly nonexistant or not able to be used? How will we preserve our memories? Critical Thinking: The one thing that struck me… How do you get people to open up their world to you. It’s a skill. It’s developed over time. I hope that one day I will perfect this skill. It’s something that I strive for. Building trust. Always thinking of values and building from a place of integrity. People will open their world to you….what a beautiful world it will be.

[brenbrenj]

"“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” - Ansel Adams (American Photographer, 1902-1984)"

[brenbrenj]

I took this photo while walking to board a plane back to Melbourne, Australia after visiting Tasmania for a weeklong camping roadtrip with 3 of my friends that I met while studying abroad. Two of us from America. Two from England. Our campsite was given the nickname "Ameriland" and we all had a blast. I smile every single time I look at this photo. We were walking out to our plane (a small one, take a look behind her) and I was snapping photos of our little travel group, reflecting on the trip that we just took. My two friends from England are walking directly ahead of my friend in this photo.

 At the exact second that I snapped this shot, my friend turned around to say that she was a little bit scared to board such a tiny plane... the wind blew at just the right second and her expression says the rest. I think this picture represents a lot of different emotions.

It's the excitement of travel. The anticipation of moving on to a new adventure after finishing one. It's also an interaction of human relationships. She is turning to me to express one of the many emotions that she is feeling at this exact moment. She is expressing fear, anticipation, happiness, sadness, and a myriad of many other emotions at this split second. She is happy to be traveling. Sad to be leaving. Fearful of the small plane that we will soon board. Anticipating the next adventure that life will take her on.

I selected this photo because it always makes me smile and brings back great memories. It speaks to me and helps me to realize that my life is full of beautiful people. I see friends in this photo, and I see strangers. I have kept in touch with 2 out of the 3 people that were in my travel group from this trip. One is still in Melbourne, Australia and I chat with her on a regular basis. One is back in England, and this photo leaves me wondering what he is doing now. One is my best friend, and I see her often.

This photo also leaves me wondering where the other strangers in this photo are now. Even though I have no idea who these people are or where they are in the world. That is something that I’ve always wondered about. When we travel, we take photos. When other people travel, they also take photos. This makes me question...in how many photos am I a stranger? Wandering in the background, checking out the sites and sounds, taking photos of my surroundings, yawning, eating, living, exploring…? In how many photos am I a stranger? 

#Photowings #PWAU12 #AshokaU

[brenbrenj]

This is a series of photos from a Service Learning Trip that I took to Ecuador in 2010. I selected these photos because they represent happiness. They also make me reflect on my trip and the strong friendships that I formed in such a short amount of time. These photos, to me, radiate happiness. I find joy in simple things. When I look at these photos I see happiness everywhere. I see it on the faces of the children. I see it in the smiles and the laughter. I see it in the learning and interaction that is going on in each and every one of these photos.

These photos are all taken in a small coastal town that we did most of our service work in while visiting Ecuador. I selected these photos, and now looking back, none of them actually show the work that was completed while we were in this community. It makes me realize that it is not necessarily the work that is completed that is the most important. It is the time spent in the community, getting to know the residents, learning of their lives. Learning from them. Listening to them. Interacting with them. These photos represent the power in human relationships and the power of human connections. When I look at these photos I see happiness. I think that a lot of us go through life searching out happiness when in reality, it is all around us.  Happiness is everywhere.

#Photowings #AshokaU #PWAU2012