DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY RECONSIDERED – AOP WEBINAR – 30th June 2020
Michelle Bogre moderated a panel discussion by: Stephen Mayes, Nina Berman, Ed Kashi and Paul Wenham-Clarke who presented work and then discussed how we should reconsider documentary photography during a time when it is more relevant than ever but at the same time is undergoing great changes.
Stephen Mayes who has managed top level photographers teaches and writes about the ethics and practice of photography. He believes we should consider digital photography as a separate discipline to traditional photography, and we should be aware how audiences are changing as our world does.
Nina Berman, a documentary photographer, filmmaker, author and educator, gave examples of how to photograph with dignity, in particular in areas of sexual abuse.
Paul Wenham-Clarke applies previous skills in advertising photography to documentary; he gave good examples of ways to involve subjects and be truthful.
Ed Kashi, photojournalist, filmmaker, speaker and educator, has transformed his photography from a traditional approach into a more hybrid one using a variety of media.
Lots of questions were raised such as:
- Is the line between documentary and Art photography indelible?
- Can we trust the photo or has photography been transformed into something different?
- How does digital photography change the relationship between subject and presentation?
- What is digital photography proof of?
- whose truth is a photograph?
- Do we need new ethical standards?
My learning:
This talk combined with the Lumix Festival talks that I have briefly summarised below has given me a lot of food for though for my critical essay, and hence I have only given a brief outline of the content of the discussion.
It has also led me to buy Michelle Borges book “Documentary Reconsidered” (2019) which I shall now read.
Reference:
Documentary Photography Reconsidered (2020) At: https://www.the-aop.org/what-s-on/events/current-events/documentary-photography-reconsidered (Accessed 30/06/2020).
Photography 2: Documentary 