Great article. In my view one of the most important roles of a photographer is to bear witness. This is impossible to do properly if you spend your time holding your nose at your subject's perceive moral failings. We need to credit our audience with the intelligence to make their own moral judgements.
I find maddening, if not surprising, the judgements made about the people profiled in the space burial story. People are depressingly quick to reach conclusions even when they have little information or capacity to make those judgments, a tendency exacerbated by social media.
Thank you for the lesson on Socialist Realism, which is an apt analogy for the tendency you describe to demand that art embody and convey a particular social or political ideological message.
And for what itβs worth, I saw the pictures of Kevin Roberts in the magazine, which are striking, and still thought he was a prick.
I remember when the article came out in the NY Times. I thought it was respectful and paid deference to a group of individuals who knew what they wanted in death. I'm living in the shadow of terminal cancer, I wish in the confusion and anxiety of my disease that I could find comfort in at least knowing where my remains will end up*. Thank you for continuing to bear witness to the intricacies of life. *I've offered my body to a medical school.
I agree in principle with your premise but isnβt it also dependent on what the photograph is attached to? If the piece of writing that a portrait is attached to has a tone and judgement then no matter how objective or non- judgmental the portrait is the reader is more than likely to imbue the image through what the text is conveying.
great essay - to look for judgement in photography like yours is missing the point - those with strong opinions and blinkered views will see what they want to see (or don't want to see!), as we've seen on social media over the last few years.
Great essay, thanks. Moralism is a good single-word summary to discuss the merits of people's criticism or outrage over various modes of representation, and it really paints a lot of both artists and the moralists into untenable corners.
Agree with you 100%. Often the events were I'm the most uncomfortable produce the best shots because all of my senses are running on some sort of creative adrenaline.
This was a really good read, thank you for sharing. Youβve perfectly captured in words a feeling I have about todayβs society. People have always been the same though, it takes a long time to change culture. I guess social media now surfaces more of these thought that have always been there and hence having an impact (on content creators).
Excellent writing, Dina. In my view, what the vehement critics often overlook is the paramount importance of the creator's complete freedom and their right to interpret and present their subjects as they see fit. My own experiences with constrained freedom, such as Socialist Realismβwhich was neither truly socialist nor realisticβunderscore this point for me. However, it's an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone, valuable lesson or not.
I really really enjoyed your perspective and how you wove your personal backstory and professional experience together to explain your point of view. I worry that the moralism is another way we justify βusβ versus βthemβ, distancing ourselves from other groups of people we donβt ascribe to, when in reality we are all just people. I worry leaning into this mentality is a path only toward more controversy, violence, and polarization. I am more interested in finding ways to see compassionately from another persons point of view, to seek to understand who they are and why they believe something that may be so far from what I understand or beleive. The work you do, for me, helps to bridge the gap and bring things back to βwe are all just humans trying our bestβ.
Great article. In my view one of the most important roles of a photographer is to bear witness. This is impossible to do properly if you spend your time holding your nose at your subject's perceive moral failings. We need to credit our audience with the intelligence to make their own moral judgements.
I find maddening, if not surprising, the judgements made about the people profiled in the space burial story. People are depressingly quick to reach conclusions even when they have little information or capacity to make those judgments, a tendency exacerbated by social media.
Thank you for the lesson on Socialist Realism, which is an apt analogy for the tendency you describe to demand that art embody and convey a particular social or political ideological message.
And for what itβs worth, I saw the pictures of Kevin Roberts in the magazine, which are striking, and still thought he was a prick.
This is the article I am sharing with friends. (Also, I disliked the Barbie movie, too. I thought I was the only one until now ;-)
I remember when the article came out in the NY Times. I thought it was respectful and paid deference to a group of individuals who knew what they wanted in death. I'm living in the shadow of terminal cancer, I wish in the confusion and anxiety of my disease that I could find comfort in at least knowing where my remains will end up*. Thank you for continuing to bear witness to the intricacies of life. *I've offered my body to a medical school.
I agree in principle with your premise but isnβt it also dependent on what the photograph is attached to? If the piece of writing that a portrait is attached to has a tone and judgement then no matter how objective or non- judgmental the portrait is the reader is more than likely to imbue the image through what the text is conveying.
great essay - to look for judgement in photography like yours is missing the point - those with strong opinions and blinkered views will see what they want to see (or don't want to see!), as we've seen on social media over the last few years.
Great essay, thanks. Moralism is a good single-word summary to discuss the merits of people's criticism or outrage over various modes of representation, and it really paints a lot of both artists and the moralists into untenable corners.
Agree with you 100%. Often the events were I'm the most uncomfortable produce the best shots because all of my senses are running on some sort of creative adrenaline.
Love this and share many of the same concerns.
Loved reading this! Photographers are the conduits of stories, events, and world issues. Doing a job doesn't always mean a personal endorsement.
Super interesting perspective, and fantastic photos!
This was a really good read, thank you for sharing. Youβve perfectly captured in words a feeling I have about todayβs society. People have always been the same though, it takes a long time to change culture. I guess social media now surfaces more of these thought that have always been there and hence having an impact (on content creators).
This article reminds me of any why I wanted to be a documentary photographerβa witness. Thank you, Dina
Excellent writing, Dina. In my view, what the vehement critics often overlook is the paramount importance of the creator's complete freedom and their right to interpret and present their subjects as they see fit. My own experiences with constrained freedom, such as Socialist Realismβwhich was neither truly socialist nor realisticβunderscore this point for me. However, it's an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone, valuable lesson or not.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, they had a positive impact on mine.
I really really enjoyed your perspective and how you wove your personal backstory and professional experience together to explain your point of view. I worry that the moralism is another way we justify βusβ versus βthemβ, distancing ourselves from other groups of people we donβt ascribe to, when in reality we are all just people. I worry leaning into this mentality is a path only toward more controversy, violence, and polarization. I am more interested in finding ways to see compassionately from another persons point of view, to seek to understand who they are and why they believe something that may be so far from what I understand or beleive. The work you do, for me, helps to bridge the gap and bring things back to βwe are all just humans trying our bestβ.
Dina, this is a fascinating article. I'll definitely be sharing it with my readers.