An Investigation Into Youth Culture Through Documentary Photography
Introduction
Documentary photography has been an incredible tool over the years to record history as and when it happens. It is a way of capturing a scene in the most raw and untouched way, showing us what happened at that precise moment. For example, it was documentary photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt who photographed 'V-J Day in Times Square' - the world famous image of a Navy sailor grabbing and kissing a woman in Times Square on V-J day. Although it was taken on 14th August 1945, the image is still extraordinarily famous to this day, which shows the impact that documentary photography has on society. This also shows just how important documentary photography is in society - without it, we would not be able to see these moments in history with our own eyes and so would solely rely on written documents.
Youth culture has changes drastically throughout the decades - from hippies to mods and rockers and to where we are now. It is a significant factor in defining the time we live in and will be the legacy of the generation forever. This is why it is crucial that we document it - especially in photographic form. It is so that generations from years to come will be able to look back on the years to see how times have changed and, in a way, learn from the current society. As I am part of youth culture, I want to carry out this investigation so that there is a permanent record of the time that I am a part of. I think it is interesting to see the differences and similarities between generations of youth and I feel that if I create images documenting the current youth culture, it will be easy to compare them to projects from years ago.
History
Documentary photography is a genre that has been explored since the early 1850s, with one early project being the documentary of the American Civil War of 1861 - 1865[1]. This photo series was carried out by Alexander Gardner - a photographer under the employment of Matthew Brady - and he was one of twenty photographers dispatched to take photographs of the Civil War. What establishes Gardner's work from the others is that he was the first one to take pictures of the dead. This happened two days after the Battle of Antietam - America's bloodiest battle. Brady said that his work brought home the "terrible reality and earnestness of war"[2].
Gardner's image shows a man standing above the grave of Lt. John A. Clark. Next to this grave, we see the body of a confederate soldier, unburied. It appears that the soldier's body was simply tossed aside, and due to how close his body is to the grave it could have been thrown aside in order to make room to bury Lt. John A. Clark. This image shows the harsh realities of war as it shows us clearly the death and destruction that is course in its running. This also shows us how soldiers lost in war are often thrown aside and forgotten about, whilst those higher up in ranks are honoured and their bodies are buried peacefully. You could argue that Gardner's work shows us how people are being used as disposable tools of war.
At the time this photograph was taken, it is most likely that Gardner used a wide format glass plate camera as this was the first camera to be widely used in the 1860s. These camera's required long exposure times due to the limitations of light sensitivity of wet emulsions used to create a negative image[4]. Gardner travelled to the battlegrounds with a cart that acted as a mobile darkroom so that he could begin processing his images straight away. An image of this is below[5].
Not only has this form of photography recorded events and informed us of the past and present, it is a tool that has been used to liberate people from harm. In 1900, an English woman Alice Seeley Harris travelled to the Congo Free State and documented the atrocities that were inflicted upon the citizens of the country under Leopold II of Belgium's reign[6]. When Alice revealed these images to the world, her work gained major public and political attention, which was a significant factor in changing peoples opinions and feelings towards the colonial rule in Congo[7].
Relevance of Photographer Research
The photographers that I have mentioned above have both largely influenced my personal investigation as I hope to focus more on the day-to-day activities of youth and capture the true essence of what it is to be part of the younger generation during this time. I want my images to be raw and capture candid moments of their lives as, like Bruce Davidson, I want to create a realistic and genuine document of youth today for people to look back on for years to come. I really enjoyed the overall appearance of both Davidson's and Nxumalo's work as I enjoy the use of black and white, and so this is something that I want to bring into my work. I feel that the use of black and white can really draw the viewer's attention to the subject of the image and what is happening as opposed to being drawn in by colour.
This image is from my first photoshoot, which took place at my friend's house. For this shoot, the people involved were just me and two of my friends, which meant that they felt much more relaxed in front of the camera as they know me and are aware that I would not use any images they were not comfortable with me using. After a while, it was as though they had forgotten the camera was there as I just took photographs of anything. This resulted in me getting a lot of candid and unique images. This image, in my opinion, is similar to the work of Bruce Davidson as it captures the pure emotion of the girl as we can tell that she is laughing, even though her face is covered. This photograph also captures how technology is important to youth today as the girl's phone is quite prominent in this image - it is in the centre of the fame and is in the foreground and so focus is quite easily drawn towards this.
Taken from the same shoot as the above image, this photograph features the other girl that I photographed on this day. This photo shoot captured the exact style of image I was hoping to get and I feel that it is clear how Bruce Davidson and Musa Nxumalo have influenced my work within these pictures. In this particular photograph, the girl is sat on her bedroom floor and is searching through a box which holds memories and objects from her life. The way that her head is faced down suggests that she is absorbed in what she is doing and that nothing around her exists as she is reminiscing about her past. This could suggest that youth today often miss their childhood or younger years, and look for a simpler life. This is why young people often find themselves holding on to childhood toys or mementos from years before as it brings a sense of nostalgia into their lives.
The Future
Documentary photography has a strong place in the world of photography for years to come as it is the tool we have used for years already to capture historical events as they take place, as well as the lives of people throughout different decades and eras. This style of photography is how we capture the true nature of the world as it develops and changes. In a way, this has made documentary photography a critical factor in how we view history and how those in the future will view us. Therefore, I feel that it is extremely important that this genre of photography is continued in the future as the main convention of these photographs is that they are a true representation of the subject - nothing should be set up in a documentary photograph. Otherwise, we will begin to see photographs emerging of events and people that are not real and therefore give false portrayals.
Whilst I believe that documentary photography will be widely used within the future, I do not believe that there will be much development in the field. Having been explored since before the 20th century, this photographic genre has not changed much in terms of technique. As the photographer is trying to create a narrative of a moment in time, there is less focus on building upon the skills used. The way that the photograph is taken is simply the photographers choice as they will ultimately work in whatever way they feel gets them the best results possible. I feel that the only way this genre will change and develop over time is in terms of technology - as cameras and equipment change, this will be taken on by those working in documentary photography.
Conclusion
Through researching this topic, I have come to realise just how important documentary photography is and how not only can it visually record history, but it can help change attitudes and spur social movements, for example, as with Alice Seeley Harris' work. I feel that even photographing youth it is possible to change the opinions of certain people and groups of people as it is possible to use this as a platform to challenge stereotypes and preconceived perceptions of young people, showing them in a positive light as opposed to the negative. This is something that I want to tie into my work as I want to capture the more simple aspects of the lives of youths instead of the outrageous and rebellious side that is often represented in the media.
My final aim for my project is to conduct a shoot where I follow some young people for a day and document everything they do. This is influenced by Bruce Davidson's 'Brooklyn Gang' work, but will be conducted on a much smaller time frame. This will give both myself and the audience a truthful and genuine insight into the daily lives of youth, and what the average day looks like for a young person growing up in this day and age. It may show progression throughout the day, for example it may start off as a quite day but may progress into the night to perhaps show a more fun and rebellious side of youth, so that it does portray their stereotypes.
References
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_photography#History
[2] http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/alexander-gardner.html
[3] https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=2412F92B-1DD8-B71C-0728A9DF066D2649
[4] http://www.pimall.com/nais/pivintage/durocamera.html
[5] https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/art-music-and-film/essays/photography-nineteenth-century-america
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Seeley_Harris
[7] http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/exhibitions/brutal-exposure/alice-seeley-harris.aspx
[8] http://spectrummagazine.org/article/michael-pearson/2014/02/24/when-harmony-went-hell-congo-dialogues-–-alice-seeley-harris
[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownie_(camera)#Photographs_taken_with_Brownie_cameras
[10] http://stevemccurry.com
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_Girl
[12] http://www.odedwagen.com/2013/01/masters-of-photography-interview-with-steve-mccurry/
[13] https://jazzinphoto.wordpress.com/tag/street-photography/page/7/
[14] https://pro.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_9_VForm&ERID=24KL53ZTH6
[15] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Davidson_(photographer)
[16] https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Brooklyn_Gang.html?id=fHhPAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y&hl=en
[17] https://pro.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_10_VForm&ERID=24KL53ZTH6
[18] http://www.smacgallery.com/artist/musa-n-nxumalo/
[19] http://www.dazeddigital.com/photography/article/29477/1/these-photos-are-joburg-youth-s-two-fingers-up-at-apartheid-musa-nxumalo
[20] http://www.smacgallery.com/exhibition/musa-n-nxumalo-in-search-of-05-02-15-28-02-15/
History
Documentary photography is a genre that has been explored since the early 1850s, with one early project being the documentary of the American Civil War of 1861 - 1865[1]. This photo series was carried out by Alexander Gardner - a photographer under the employment of Matthew Brady - and he was one of twenty photographers dispatched to take photographs of the Civil War. What establishes Gardner's work from the others is that he was the first one to take pictures of the dead. This happened two days after the Battle of Antietam - America's bloodiest battle. Brady said that his work brought home the "terrible reality and earnestness of war"[2].
Federal buried, Confederate unburied: Grave of Lt. John A. Clark with a dead Confederate soldier looking as if his body was just tossed aside[3].
Gardner's image shows a man standing above the grave of Lt. John A. Clark. Next to this grave, we see the body of a confederate soldier, unburied. It appears that the soldier's body was simply tossed aside, and due to how close his body is to the grave it could have been thrown aside in order to make room to bury Lt. John A. Clark. This image shows the harsh realities of war as it shows us clearly the death and destruction that is course in its running. This also shows us how soldiers lost in war are often thrown aside and forgotten about, whilst those higher up in ranks are honoured and their bodies are buried peacefully. You could argue that Gardner's work shows us how people are being used as disposable tools of war.
At the time this photograph was taken, it is most likely that Gardner used a wide format glass plate camera as this was the first camera to be widely used in the 1860s. These camera's required long exposure times due to the limitations of light sensitivity of wet emulsions used to create a negative image[4]. Gardner travelled to the battlegrounds with a cart that acted as a mobile darkroom so that he could begin processing his images straight away. An image of this is below[5].
Traveling darkroom: Famed Civil War photographer Alexander Gardner sits beside a traveling darkroom holding a camera lens, Fort Riley, Kansas c.1867[5].
Not only has this form of photography recorded events and informed us of the past and present, it is a tool that has been used to liberate people from harm. In 1900, an English woman Alice Seeley Harris travelled to the Congo Free State and documented the atrocities that were inflicted upon the citizens of the country under Leopold II of Belgium's reign[6]. When Alice revealed these images to the world, her work gained major public and political attention, which was a significant factor in changing peoples opinions and feelings towards the colonial rule in Congo[7].
Manacled Members of a Chain Gang at Bauliri: A common punishment for not paying taxes, Congo Free State c. 1904[8].
This image shows us the punishments that people faced in the Congo Free State - this particular punishment was given to those who had not paid their taxed. These people were chained up in public, with no access to food or water and had long exposure to the sun. The people in this image were chained up like animals, giving us a strong insight to how the colonial powers within Congo viewed the citizens of this country as this punishment was commonly used. Although the crime committed was tax avoidance, these men have been chained to the wall by their necks and hands, as if they needed to be controlled and restricted like violent animals. This was just one of many atrocities committed under Leopold II's reign over Congo and so gives us just the slightest insight into what happened during this time.
To capture these images, Seeley used one of the world's first portable cameras - a Kodak Brownie. This camera, introduced in February 1900, introduced the snapshot as a way of creating low cost photography. This camera has very simple controls and cost an initial price of $1, which in today's economy is the equivalent of around $30. As a result, the camera was extremely popular and around 150,000 were shipped out within the first year[9].
Over time, there has been an increased interest in documentary photography. More and more photographers are focussing their work on this genre as its long term perspective can be observed. People are using this as a way to document different lifestyles, events, cultures and more. For example, Steve McCurry uses photo documentary to capture different lives around the world, in situations like war and poverty[10]. McCurry's most famous image is 'Afghan Girl' - a portrait of a young girl wearing a red headscarf, staring into the camera. The girl was a refugee, living in a camp in Pakistan during the time of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan[11].
Afghan Girl: location portrait of a young refugee girl, Sharbat Gula, c.1984[11].
This image is arguably McCurry's most famous piece of work. At first glance, this image seems to be just a simple portrait of a young girl but the context behind the image makes it so much more. At a closer look, you can see the many holes and tears in this girls shawl and see how rundown she looks. The way that her eyes are piercing the camera is extremely captivating and completely draws the viewer in as it feel as though she is looking straight at you. The stern look on her face conveys a sense of anger, perhaps that she is angry at the world for not helping her or her country whilst she is growing up in a refugee camp. This image could be her way of pleading for help as she coldly glares into the camera, directing her feelings straight at the person viewing the image.
As Steve McCurry is a modern photographer, he uses up to date photographic equipment. In an interview with Oded Wagenstein, McCurry told that "These days I shoot primarily with a Nikon DSLR and a 24-70mm zoom lens. For certain jobs, I will shoot with my medium format digital Hasselblad"[12].
Photographer Research
Bruce Davidson, c.2007[13].
An early example of youth documentary photography is the work of Bruce Davidson, an American photographer born in Illinois on September 5th 1933. At the age of ten, he began taking photos and has since then developed his knowledge and passion through studying at Rochester Institute of Technology and Yale University and through his many experiences throughout the years[14]. Some of his main artistic influences include Robert Frank, Eugene Smith and Henri Cartier-Bresson. Davidson worked as a freelance photographer until 1958, and since then has been a member of Magnum Photos as a result of his notable documentary work. The majority of his work focuses on subcultures and communities that would usually appear hostile to outsiders[15]. For example, his 'Brooklyn Gangs' photo series focuses on a 'gang' of teenagers called 'the Jokers' around Brooklyn, New York during the summer of 1959. These images were captured during both private and public moments of their lives[16]. This body of work allowed people an insight into the reality of youth during this era, leaving a legacy of this gang forever and allowing us to transport ourselves to this time through these images.
Brooklyn Gang: a group of teenagers, relaxing in a park. NYC, c.1959[17].
This photograph shows us four teenagers - three people laying down on a blanket appearing to be asleep, and one girl sitting up, smoking a cigarette as she fixes her hair. From this image we can get a true sense of the carefree and relaxed attitude of this 'gang'. This is represented mainly through the group who are sleeping, as this is an activity that not many people would feel comfortable doing in public. It could be suggested that these young people feel comfortable doing this as they are all in it together. When we focus on the girl, we can see how appearance is important to youth - especially females - as she is styling her hair. As she appears to be looking into the distance, it can be argued that this activity is subconscious within her and so her mind is constantly stuck on her looks.
Musa N. Nxumalo is a modern photographer who uses the theme of documentary photography to capture the lives of youth today. Nxumalo was born in 1986 in Soweto, South Africa and still lives and works there to this day. He describes his work as an exploration of youth culture, identity and the journey to self-discovery. Between the years 2009 and 2016, Nxumalo created his two most famous bodies of work - Alternative Kidz and In/Glorious. These bodies of work later formed part of "In Search Of..." at SMAC gallery, Nxumalo's 2015 solo exhibition[18]. The series 'Alternative Kidz' is a mirroring of Musa's own journey through the social movements of South Africa, through the eyes of youth challenging popular culture standards. On this, Nxumalo says, “These were my twenties; a period of finding oneself; of seeing the world for what it is; hopping in and out of relationships; letting go of religion; questioning beliefs; trying to make sense of my purpose in life; learning to deal with disappointments; failures and wins whilst trying to have the best time by partying all the time.”[19].
Sihle Khambule (5): Alternative Kidz series, c.2009[20].
This image is from Musa Nxumalo's work 'Alternative Kidz'. Some images from this series, including the image above, were taken taken at a gathering of a group of friends. In this picture, we see one boy sitting on a bin, who appears to be 'air-drumming' - most likely whilst music was playing in the background. Although we cannot see this boys face, we can get a feel of his personality and who he is due to his pose in this image. The angle and distance that this photo was taken at allows us to see a majority of the room around him and he is still the only subject in the image, pulling all focus towards him. The way that his head is down and he is drumming along to a song could suggest that he has a passion for music and is indulged in whatever music was playing at the time. The fact that he is shirtless could suggest that he is comfortable around his peers and this, tied with his actions, could imply that he is completely relaxed and carefree.
Relevance of Photographer Research
The photographers that I have mentioned above have both largely influenced my personal investigation as I hope to focus more on the day-to-day activities of youth and capture the true essence of what it is to be part of the younger generation during this time. I want my images to be raw and capture candid moments of their lives as, like Bruce Davidson, I want to create a realistic and genuine document of youth today for people to look back on for years to come. I really enjoyed the overall appearance of both Davidson's and Nxumalo's work as I enjoy the use of black and white, and so this is something that I want to bring into my work. I feel that the use of black and white can really draw the viewer's attention to the subject of the image and what is happening as opposed to being drawn in by colour.
This image is from my first photoshoot, which took place at my friend's house. For this shoot, the people involved were just me and two of my friends, which meant that they felt much more relaxed in front of the camera as they know me and are aware that I would not use any images they were not comfortable with me using. After a while, it was as though they had forgotten the camera was there as I just took photographs of anything. This resulted in me getting a lot of candid and unique images. This image, in my opinion, is similar to the work of Bruce Davidson as it captures the pure emotion of the girl as we can tell that she is laughing, even though her face is covered. This photograph also captures how technology is important to youth today as the girl's phone is quite prominent in this image - it is in the centre of the fame and is in the foreground and so focus is quite easily drawn towards this.
Taken from the same shoot as the above image, this photograph features the other girl that I photographed on this day. This photo shoot captured the exact style of image I was hoping to get and I feel that it is clear how Bruce Davidson and Musa Nxumalo have influenced my work within these pictures. In this particular photograph, the girl is sat on her bedroom floor and is searching through a box which holds memories and objects from her life. The way that her head is faced down suggests that she is absorbed in what she is doing and that nothing around her exists as she is reminiscing about her past. This could suggest that youth today often miss their childhood or younger years, and look for a simpler life. This is why young people often find themselves holding on to childhood toys or mementos from years before as it brings a sense of nostalgia into their lives.
The Future
Documentary photography has a strong place in the world of photography for years to come as it is the tool we have used for years already to capture historical events as they take place, as well as the lives of people throughout different decades and eras. This style of photography is how we capture the true nature of the world as it develops and changes. In a way, this has made documentary photography a critical factor in how we view history and how those in the future will view us. Therefore, I feel that it is extremely important that this genre of photography is continued in the future as the main convention of these photographs is that they are a true representation of the subject - nothing should be set up in a documentary photograph. Otherwise, we will begin to see photographs emerging of events and people that are not real and therefore give false portrayals.
Whilst I believe that documentary photography will be widely used within the future, I do not believe that there will be much development in the field. Having been explored since before the 20th century, this photographic genre has not changed much in terms of technique. As the photographer is trying to create a narrative of a moment in time, there is less focus on building upon the skills used. The way that the photograph is taken is simply the photographers choice as they will ultimately work in whatever way they feel gets them the best results possible. I feel that the only way this genre will change and develop over time is in terms of technology - as cameras and equipment change, this will be taken on by those working in documentary photography.
Conclusion
Through researching this topic, I have come to realise just how important documentary photography is and how not only can it visually record history, but it can help change attitudes and spur social movements, for example, as with Alice Seeley Harris' work. I feel that even photographing youth it is possible to change the opinions of certain people and groups of people as it is possible to use this as a platform to challenge stereotypes and preconceived perceptions of young people, showing them in a positive light as opposed to the negative. This is something that I want to tie into my work as I want to capture the more simple aspects of the lives of youths instead of the outrageous and rebellious side that is often represented in the media.
My final aim for my project is to conduct a shoot where I follow some young people for a day and document everything they do. This is influenced by Bruce Davidson's 'Brooklyn Gang' work, but will be conducted on a much smaller time frame. This will give both myself and the audience a truthful and genuine insight into the daily lives of youth, and what the average day looks like for a young person growing up in this day and age. It may show progression throughout the day, for example it may start off as a quite day but may progress into the night to perhaps show a more fun and rebellious side of youth, so that it does portray their stereotypes.
References
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_photography#History
[2] http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/alexander-gardner.html
[3] https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=2412F92B-1DD8-B71C-0728A9DF066D2649
[4] http://www.pimall.com/nais/pivintage/durocamera.html
[5] https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/art-music-and-film/essays/photography-nineteenth-century-america
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Seeley_Harris
[7] http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/exhibitions/brutal-exposure/alice-seeley-harris.aspx
[8] http://spectrummagazine.org/article/michael-pearson/2014/02/24/when-harmony-went-hell-congo-dialogues-–-alice-seeley-harris
[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownie_(camera)#Photographs_taken_with_Brownie_cameras
[10] http://stevemccurry.com
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_Girl
[12] http://www.odedwagen.com/2013/01/masters-of-photography-interview-with-steve-mccurry/
[13] https://jazzinphoto.wordpress.com/tag/street-photography/page/7/
[14] https://pro.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_9_VForm&ERID=24KL53ZTH6
[15] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Davidson_(photographer)
[16] https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Brooklyn_Gang.html?id=fHhPAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y&hl=en
[17] https://pro.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_10_VForm&ERID=24KL53ZTH6
[18] http://www.smacgallery.com/artist/musa-n-nxumalo/
[19] http://www.dazeddigital.com/photography/article/29477/1/these-photos-are-joburg-youth-s-two-fingers-up-at-apartheid-musa-nxumalo
[20] http://www.smacgallery.com/exhibition/musa-n-nxumalo-in-search-of-05-02-15-28-02-15/
good progress however the research on photographers is not complete... remember the whole essay needs to be completed by Mock week..
ReplyDeletewell done you have completed the essay and it is of a high standard. Please check for spelling and grammar e.g. "congo" additionally revisit the bibliography and ensure that the Harvard reference system is being used.
ReplyDelete