Documentary photography

-Documentary photography came about in the 20th century.
-Documentary photographers are used as the worlds eyewitnesses; they observe situations and use hidden messages in their photographs to tell a story.

 

MOOD BOARD

I chose these images so that I would have an idea of what is expected of me in the genre, and to give me ideas of how to tell a story with images.
These photographs really inspired me to take photos that tell a story, and to take more care in how I take the image, to ensure that the viewer understands the meaning behind it. I feel that each of these photos do that well. 

STEVE McCURRY:
- American
- born in a suburb of Philadelphia in 1950
- took many trips to India
- he crossed the border into Pakistan and met a group of refugees from Afghanistan, who smuggled him across the border into their country, just as the Russian Invasion was closing the country to all western journalists. He brought the world the first images of the conflict in Afghanistan, putting a human face to the issue.
- he has gone on to create stunning images over six continents and countless countries. His work covers conflicts, vanishing cultures, ancient traditions and contemporary culture - yet always retains the human element that made his famous image of the Afghan Girl such a powerful image.

I chose to research Steve McCurry, as I like his work - Each piece he has created is powerful in the way that you only have to glance at the image to feel the emotion and story behind it. He almost makes you feel included in what is going on in the photo, which is key to documentary photography, as it ensures you grasp the meaning of the image. 

This photo is my favourite of Steves, and I can see why it was made famous.
Your eye is first drawn to her eyes, as they are big, colourful, and full of emotion. They strike you because she looks fearful, which makes the viewer feel sorry for her, as well as the number of Afghan refugees that she represents in this photo. Her eyes are also a similar colour to the background, which makes you feel drawn to them more. The contrast of the red and green also makes her stand out.
This photo is very powerful, and makes you question more about the story of this young girl.

   

ED THOMPSON:
-born 1980 in Wales
-photos often focus on fringe groups and subcultures
-developed a distinctive style from an early apprenticeship with Russian photographer Sergey Chilikov

I chose to research Ed Thompsons work, as I feel he represents well the way that people live. In most of his photos he shows how patriotism and religion can impact peoples lives. I like the way he uses depth of field to focus on what is important to the story in particular images.

This is my favourite image of Eds, as it shows the culture and story of this young girl. Your eye is drawn to her first, as she is in the centre of the image, and its almost as if theres a spotlight on her with the natural light shining through. Using the depth of field, it ensures you are focussed on her, making you question about her life.

 

 

EXPERIMENTAL SHOOT: 

I went to a year 7 enrichment afternoon, where they were Jewellery making.
They made and decorated beads out of coloured clay.
In my photographs, I tried to tell this story of what they were doing, including the detail of their facial expressions to show how they were finding the task.

I tried to respond to Steve McCurry's photography, by getting them to look into the camera, however, it was difficult, as they didn't want to be photographed.
 

In this image, I really like how the light is shining through the hole in the bead. It shows more in depth of the process they had to go through to make the beads.

Your eye goes straight to that particular bead, as the light is shining on it.
The rule of thirds is present, as it is towards the left of the photo.
The horizon line is just beneath the middle of the image, and is straight.
I think this image would be better if the girls hand was fully in shot, as it would tell more of the story.

I like the depth of field in this image, as it focusses on the task that the girl is doing.

However, I feel it would be better if the whole of her fingers were in this image.

I like the lighting in this photo, as it shows the facial expression of the girl clearly.

She is concentrating to make the bead with care.

The light helps her stand out, as it harshens the contrast with the darkness of her uniform.

 

I like the angle of which this image is taken, as it shows things from the perspective of the girl.

It also shows clearly what she is doing.

What I learnt : 

From this process I have learnt how to tell a story with photography.

I have enjoyed trying to capture someones journey and how they feel within a photo, and have learnt that taking photos from different angles show that the image is from different peoples perspective.

The main thing I have learnt is to focus in on the detail of the photograph, to ensure that there is information for the viewer to interpret the story.