This weekly post has everything you need for completing this week’s self-paced content and readings, plus an outline at the end for what’s covered during class meetings. Photojournalism is typically about what happens in public, but much of life happens out of the public eye. This week is about what makes personal spaces and issues newsworthy for visual documentation.
Putting Lives in the Spotlight
“Social issues” is a broad term often used to describe difficulties that affect many people, but that we tend to think of as private or personal decisions. This selection of photos is narrated by the photographer, Brenda Ann Kenneally, a documentary photographer who often works on the same projects for many years to build relationships with her subjects. These photos are from a project called “Upstate Girls,” which started when a pregnant teenager asked if Kenneally wanted to document the birth.
These types of long-term projects don’t fit into the standard publishing schedule of photojournalism, so they often reach the public years after the fact or in other formats like books. When a selection of these photos were published in Slate with a description of the project, Kenneally was surprised by the judgmental reaction from many viewers. From the article on this week’s reading list:
“After the Slate article’s publication, [Kenneally] said, she was soon fielding calls from Kayla and others. She was concerned for her subjects: young, vulnerable people who were reading comments on Facebook calling them ‘trash.'”
More recently, Kenneally went on a road trip around the United States to document food insecurity.
Review & Reflection
- Do you think a project like this counts as photojournalism even if it was not immediately published by a news organization?
- Photography often represents social issues, which affect many people, by choosing a few people as an example. Is this a strength or a weakness, or both?
- Is there any way for photographers to share personal stories without exposing their subjects to potential ridicule and mean comments online?
- Do you think the U.S. reaction to this photo project would have been different if the subjects were in a different country?
Violence at Home
Domestic violence is a widespread problem that affects many families, but rarely gets much media attention except in the most violent and tragic circumstances since it is difficult to document and photograph. It is also difficult to show domestic violence without potentially exposing victims to further trauma. One of the most well-known depictions of domestic violence is called “Behind Closed Doors,” taken by Donna Ferrato in 1982. It did not reach a public audience until years later, and Ferrato continued to photograph the family through many changes over the years.
This week’s reading about photos of domestic violence compares Ferrato’s photographs to ones taken by recently by Sara Naomi Lewkowic. In both cases, the photographers met the families for stories about very different topics, but then found it ethically impossible to omit the abuse or leave the project.
“In addition to educating the public about this problem, interactions between a photojournalist and trauma survivor can be productive when great care is taken to build a relationship on honesty. One of the most important things a photojournalist can do when covering a subject like domestic violence is be truthful up front that the story might be packaged and disseminated in ways that are often beyond even the control of the photographer.”
Review & Reflection
- Is it ethical to photograph children and victims in domestic violence situations? Is it ethical to ignore it?
- Ferrato’s photos include nudity and many family moments that seem private. What is the justification for making these photos public? What emotions should we feel as viewers?
- The reading contrasts photojournalists’ images with mugshots and crime scene images. How do these different types of photos affect how the public thinks about domestic violence?
- Do photographs of domestic violence counteract stereotypes or reinforce them?
Losing a Home
We previously watched a video about photojournalist John Moore as he traveled between countries covering protests and civil unrest during the Arab Spring. When he is not traveling, Moore lives in Colorado, and has been working on a long-term project about the housing crisis in the U.S. for over a decade. During the coronavirus pandemic, he has been documenting evictions and explained the project during a Q-and-A session with the Washington Post:
Q: Did you feel any bit exploitative at all, photographing such an embarrassing yet intimate moment for the family? How did they react to your presence?
A: I think that is a fair question. every time i go to a house eviction with a deputy, I always tell the owner/tennant who I am and that I am working on a long-term photo project on the housing crisis. I always ask them if it is ok for me to stay and photograph. I tell them i know it is a very difficult time, but i would appreciate it if i could stay, as lots of Americans are going through this and I think it’s important to show that the best I can. Most people, believe it or not, have said yes. Most ask me for the links so they can see the photos later. All of them have been very generous to me and I’m thankful for that. Is it hard for me to stand there and watch what happens – absolutely.
Review & Reflection
- How does the photographer get access to families being evicted?
- Why do you think people agree to be photographed?
- What makes a particular eviction newsworthy? What is the justification for publishing these images?
- Should a photographer approach this story differently if it is being published by a local news organization vs. a national or international news organization?
Monday
• Preview of week’s materials
Wednesday
• Discussion of final project
• Review student work from most recent photo assignment
Friday
• Brainstorming for assignment
• Discussion about readings