I used to work for a newspaper. Its not a super well known newspaper but Im proud of it and the people that work there. I photographed thousands of people in the the short five years I was there. I think I went through this stage of feeling like it was really mundane work and didnt matter. Because I think I felt like because I wasnt taking any mindblowing photos it wasnt important and I was super proud and arrogant about it at times. Over time as the techy stuff got easier and I was more relaxed I started connecting with people and I had so many beautiful experiences that in retrospect Im very grateful for the experience.
So today I was thinking about how the mundane becomes exotic in another culture ( Its my first time living in another culture ) . Because of a discussion on Matt Brandons blog. The idea being that a person selling fruit in Thailand is suddenly a much cooler photo to have on your website than a person selling fruit in Adelaide South Australia ( where Im from ). Why are people different to us so fascinating? Why does being in another culture imbue the everyday with this sense of importance and potentially a form of nobility.
I think I had somewhat of a revelation when I realised there are nominal Buddhists here, just like there are Nominal Catholics at home. It seems really obvious and stupid as an assumption that that wouldnt be the case. Is it what we DONT know about a culture that makes it interesting? I hope not. I hope its like an onion that has layers of understanding.The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton the British Philospher has some really interesting studies on the concept of the exotic.
So getting round to photography. Heres my point and it might be whiney and annoying but …How many “cultural images” are just Data Landfill? Why are they taken? Is it the pretty colors or the wrinkles on the mans face or the cute kids that didnt run away? Asking why someone took a good photo is potentially being a total party pooper but its where I am at so if your reading this then I assume your mildy interested in exploring this topic.
So what if someone is the most amazing cultural photographer, what if they treated people insensitively and manipulatively to obtain that imagery? And what are they going to do with them? What is the purpose of TAKING that persons photo? If it is just because you love doing it than so be it. Personally I find that a good honest answer.
I envy those people. People who have a clear conscience/vision about their images and why they took them. Being here in Thailand has really challenged my views of what using my camera for good actually means. With the power of a Western passport you can travel the world taking pictures. If you have money you can buy very excellent lenses that have very short depth of field. If you go to the right places at the right time you can see the wonders of the world and its people and make images from them. You can put this on a website and call it yours. My question is , what does that do for the world? I personally love seeing images of other cultures than my own so I know for a start it entertains me and makes me curious about the peoples lives. I guess thats a good thing.
This is an open ended question I guess. About why anyone does what they do. What are the core reasons. Job security, Family support, Career Goals. Please feel free to discuss if you want to. As you may notice this entry has a lot of questions in it. Questions not statements.
i’m personally not a fan of travel photography – much of it is cliche, repetitive and perhaps more of a trophy for the camera operator than it is a tool for communication. data landfill indeed… then again, i’d rather look at that kind of data landfill than the constant flow of erectile solutions that keep finding its way to my inbox!
its an interesting question. documentary photography, at least to me, is about caring, about responding to an internal nudge that says you need to be the storyteller for storyholders that never find a stage. sometimes it’s about finding new characters both internally and externally to that story to assist in the plot – and if you’re really lucky, finding an ending to their chapters. whats in it for the photographer? adventure, knowledge, learning and the feeling at least that you’re trying – that in a backward world of corruption and power play you’re seeing what most people refuse to see. cynical? a little. but looking will do that.
as to why does anyone do anything? because what else are you going to do..?
i have a deep internal conflict between photography and buddhism. in some ways the goal of photographs is to preserve (forever?) a moment, an experience, an object. it’s the opposite of ‘impermanence’. it may also be the opposite of ‘detachment’, because there is an element of desire or ownership with the photo itself. detachment and impermanence are so important in buddhism. but then the question is ‘why’ take the photos in the first place, and if the objective is to illuminate beauty in the world, to bring joy into the world and share images that are positive and empowering… well that fits with the ‘compassionate’ goals of buddhism.
i think the key element here is the motivation for the photo. if you shoot for your own aggrandizement then perhaps that’s not very buddhist. if your photography comes from good will and kindness then perhaps good things will come of it. i learned buddhism before i learned travel, and my time spent in asian countries has guided my photography to embrace the goals of buddhism as integral to the experience. as one person told me once, meditation is only practice for your real life, that’s where buddhism belongs.
for the photographer who ‘steals’ a moment on camera without permission of the subject, i wonder if really the act of photography is more about themselves than the people they photograph. at that point the image could be anything, it doesn’t really matter. i’ve stolen photos before and makes me feel cheap. returning to a village and sharing photos from a previous visit, handing them back to the people in the shots, feels like you’ve done something decent.
the value of an image means different things to different people. even the same image.
Really good questions nat. geoff t
Great post! I find street photography in London virtually impossible. When you are surrounded by things that you see on a day to day basis nothing feels “interesting” yet if I see street photography in lets say New York It instantly draws me in.
I take photos of people because I love it and thats good enough for me.
Because a mundane photo taken today is a cultural record in 50 years. We are intrigued by a photo of a fruit seller in Thailand because it is foreign to us , and in the same way a “mundane” photo taken today will be a foreign thing in the future.
Its a window into other peoples lives, be it their current one or one long gone.
Good question/s Nat. I’ll have to consider my answer/s before commenting!!!