One of the oldest genres of photography is photo journalism. The first "spot news" photograph was taken by George Barnard during July of 1853. Photojournalism brings us some of the most haunting images. These pictures are often unforgettable because whether they are sad, disturbing, or happy they are attached to stories and emotion. This week, we will have a guest speaker talk to us about what sets apart photojournalism from the rest of photography. Photojournalists keep their cool when they are thrust into exciting and often terrifying/heartbreaking situations.
We have 3 photographers to look at this week. First is Robert Capa, an early photographer who helped make photojournalism what it is today. We have already mentioned his quote in class "If your picture isn't good enough, you're not close enough."
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/robert-capa/in-love-and-war/47/
Another photographer we are looking at for this week is someone you may already be familiar with. James Nachtwey has photographed some of the issues and events of our lifetime.
http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/
The last photographer we will be looking at in our reading is Steve McCurry. McCurry is another photographer whose images you will most likely recognize because of their frequent appearances in National Geographic.
http://www.stevemccurry.com/main.php
Because we have 3 photographers and because they have done so much work there is more than normal for us to look at this week. Please take the time necessary to read about the photographers and look at their photos. Because of our speaker, it is important that when we meet this week we come together on the same page.
See you in class!
I couldn't get the pictures or links to show up on Robert Capa's page, but I did read over the homepage & the other photographer's as well. When I look at James Nachtwey's pictures I am just blown away. His photographs are so intense & so emotional. He really knows how to capture the moment...when I looked over his pictures I couldn't help but wonder how doing this sort of thing effects him emotionally. Sometimes it bothers me that people take pictures of such devistating situations- especially when it is a personal situation. For instance, I feel as if familes who loose loved ones in a car wrecks have enough on their shoulders & the last thing they need to do is see their loved ones totaled car wrapped around a tree again. I also see the other side of things though. Printing pictures of devistation can certainly increase awareness & perhaps prevent similar situations in the future, but I just wonder how the photographer deals with all of that & how they make those calls. Maybe the speaker on Monday will address some of these things.
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time finding much on Capa's page too. Nachtwey really captured some rough stuff on film. After looking through his photos my heart just felt heavy. He surely knows how to capture the intense emotion in tragic circumstances. I really enjoyed Steve McCurry's photos though. He has an eye for capturing a range of emotion, and I liked the quality of his photography better than Nachtwey's. McCurry uses his color photography well. All the colors are intense and the images are crisp.
ReplyDeleteCapa's pictures were very capitvating. it made me think about what he was thinking while he was taking these pictures.it really gave the true picture of war and gave a real picture of what the men in the war were going through. i think he was my favorite.
ReplyDeletei couldn't get the other two photographers pages to come up but i didn't get Steve McCurry's to and its just amazing that he could get those kind of shots
ReplyDeleteI admire Robert Capa's bravery in two ways: the fact that he was willing to risk his life to be alongside soldiers, documenting their struggle and sacrifice, as well as his bravery in confronting the sad, pessimistic idea of war and death.
ReplyDeleteIt was very difficult for me to look at James Nachtwey's photography, especially the album titled "South Africa". I greatly admire photojournalists because they have the strength to face disturbing horrors that I know I personally could never handle.
I think Steve McCurry does excellent portraits. Obviously he is amazing at everything else too, but of all his work I enjoyed his portraits the most. I like his quote describing that he attempts to capture the "human condition". I definitely recognized some of his work from National Geographic.
-Megg
the famine and aids photos really touched me. i wish i could help so much more. the way james nachtwey captured them just brings you into the moment, you truley feel like you are standing right there, seeing the pain that he is seeing.
ReplyDeleteThere is certainly a heightened level of emotion brought out in these photographs. I feel like the photographers (mainly in the cases of Nachtwey and McCurry due to the content of the web pages) are able to manipulate the photograph in order to fit the mood of whatever story is being told. Whether in the vibrancy of color photos, or in the rustic black and white, the photographers are targeting specific emotions with their pictures. I find myself questioning the integrity of this industry, though. I understand the awareness these journalists provide, but is there any sense in which the photographers are taking advantage of the subjects. I do not presume to accuse anyone, but I am curious as to whether there is an ethical question about this. I also wonder if I am saying this only because there is never this amount of graphic content in televised news (i.e. dead bodies). My question, then, is: Does this type of journalism raise an ethical question, or is that simply non existent?
ReplyDeleteI remember Robert Capa from Humanities. I always wondered how he was able to get that picture without getting shot himself, but now it makes sense. It's interesting how the were able to prove it was not faked. I found it very comical how much his rivals/contemporaries sought to discredit him. At least his reputation has been proven and protected. On a side note, if anyone has any idea why the main character of the movie Sunshine is named after this guy, please let me know!
ReplyDeleteNachtwey's photos are some of the most intense I've ever seen. The composition makes you want to call them beautiful or amazing, but the content is stomach turning and horrific. The starving man from the Sudan has to be the most pitiful human being I have ever seen. The profile of the man who survived the death camp with the four huge scars on his face was also very intense. He made the guy from Avatar look like he just has a few paper cuts. It's amazing to see how many things he has witnessed, including being on site when the Twin Towers fell, which is one of the biggest events of our time.
McCurry's photos are much easier to view. They also seem to have superior composition, no doubt due to the fact that he was probably able to take more time with them. His use of lighting in perspective in some photos is very dynamic, and his portraits are very striking. I think photojournalism is something I could do in another life. It seems like a great adventure.
Insane. Nachtwey's photos are very unreal, especially the ones in the famine category. It's one thing to hear about problems in the world but when you actually see them, even indirectly, they become infinitely more real.
ReplyDeleteCapa has a cool last name, and he had some guts being out there in war. Close enough to take a picture of a guy dead on his feet is too close for me.
McCurry's pictures are very good, and I like the layout of his site. The pictures of the Soviet/Afghani war are powerful to me. You can see stories in the faces of the soldiers. The range of age in the militia is also suprising. It's easy to stereotype enemies as enemies, people with towels wrapped up on their heads, but these people are the same as you and me with a culture and homeland to protect with the same right that we do. Very deep!