OUGD401. Context of Practice. Lecture 5. Photograph as Doccument.

Docc photography is a visual report on a social event – usually bad social, political, economic. A photo is a record, a witness, window on the past, evidence. Photographer is invisible observer. Photos are a momentary glimpse that disregard social settings and lifestyle. A glimpse into another class, way of life, society. Photos of 1800s of ten re-enacted or set up/constructed. Photography helped expose poor working conditions especially for child workers in factories which helped bring about the end of child labour. Images not subjective but objective. There to expose the horrors of poverty but as they are – not to over expose it. Sometimes manipulation of viewers is apparent – photographer wants to explicitly capture poor life to move the viewer to think about it. For some, gathering of imagery more important than the context/lifestyle itself. FSA (new deal act) supported photographers in capturing plight of depression. Modernist aesthetic at time – editing and manipulation frowned upon – photo should be frowned upon – photo should be as it is but also docc. Photo often made poverty seem aesthetically beautiful – objectivication of the poor. Bill brandt was a documentary photgrapher looked at working class England. Sought to find significance in every object. Robert frank – swiss US immigrant – outsider looking in – redefined docc photography in 1950’s – looked at being more hidden in his photography. Photos a new exploration of style and subject. Another attempt to redefine docc photography – magnum group – mission to document world social problems – 1950s – cartier bresson – the decisive moment – that last point of no return to press the shutter button to get the perfect image. Was his signature, modernist – truth to materials. Photography always trying to capture final moment possible before its over. Docc photography became exhausted in 90s because objective photography photography became almost impossible – difficult to tell what was real/fake. Neidich made purposefully fake photos.