Contact & Context
Written by diederik-meijerSo here I am preparing 50pm’s second issue, due at the end of the month, working on texts for three of the four portfolios and all of a sudden I’m thinking, why am I doing this?
Don’t get me wrong, the new issue will come out and it will blow people away, trust me! (Cover preview below.)
What I mean is, why do most photographers gather so little factual information about what is in their pics? Why do so many pictures with people in them come with generic captions (“a man waiting for the ferry to Hong Kong Central,” “rebels relaxing in a makeshift camp,” etc.)
I know, it’s the shantytown criticism all over again. But really, the people depicted have names, they have stories to tell, stories that may very likely enable viewers to connect with them.
“Frank such and so waits for the ferry to take him to Hong Kong Central. Frank is 37 years old and lives in Kowloon, raising two kids in apartment block D on this and that street. Although he survived two reorganization rounds, Frank worries about the economy.”
Doesn’t that make you more interested in the guy than reading “a man waiting for the ferry to Hong Kong Central”?
Quoting Iam: photojournalists have lost the journalism. Quite simply put, talk and listen and take photographs (not necessarily in that order, but do them all).
When photographers don’t really connect to the people in their shots, than how is the public going to connect to photographers’ work? I mean, if the people in your shots are supposed to be part of the story, then let them share in telling it!
Discussion (2 Comments)
Dear Zoe,
As I wrote yesterday on your Facebook page, I did check out the suggested series ‘Two Woman on Kickstarter by Tanyth Berkely’ and although I am very much drawn to the story, the artist statement surrounding her work on that Kickstarter page leaves me with many doubts and questions.
As you know, Diederik and me have been in the process of publishing Ipad apps with high quality photography. Whilst discussing these projects and trying to answer questions on how photographers can reach an audience of their own (In our case a new audience of iPad users), an audience that fits them and their work (which is very much the philosophy behind the kickstarter idea, I believe). However the way in which she describes her project at the moment leaves me with so many unanswered questions, as to why the woman are living in the desert? What happened in their lives that they should live there. The big word Patriarch society is even mentioned on the Kicks. page, yet I see no evidence of that as of yet in the images nor in the storyline.
Overall: I am so interested in this story but what where and when and such journalistic issues are completely missing.
I want a storyline, I crave for one now!!!
Please tell me more.
Many thanks and hope to talk to you and Tanyth soon,
Margo de Beijer
@ Bite!magazine
The project by Tanyth Berkely, as mentioned in my comment above, on fundraiser Kickstarter:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1039409543/finishing-funds-for-two-women?ref=email