Great Depression

The project has significant impact on the society because it truthfully reflects the living condition in the Great Depression. At that time, photography become a tool to expose society’s evils such as “the degrading conditions of workers in big-city slums, the barbarism of child labor, the terrorism of lynching, the devastation of war.”That means documentary Photography is flourishing during 1929-1933, the Great Depression.

The Migrant Mother photograph is an epitome of the Great Depression. It also exist in nowadays at some part of this world. Migrant Mother photograph let us remember this history, and don’t make it happen again. Also, it remind us there is a lot of people still have the same living condition like this photograph, they need help.

Work Citeds:

Early Documentary Photography.The Metropolitan Museum Of Art.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/edph/hd_edph.htm

Stones,Michael.The Other Mirgrant Mother.openphotographyforums.com

Gutierrez,Thelma and Wayne Drash CNN.Girl from iconic Great Depression photo: 'We were ashamed". CNN Living,December 02, 2008.

Visble versus Invisble

The similarity between these photographers is they are great photo journalists who deliver messages to audience. They all capture events around the world and portray the story as storytellers.

The main difference between is they have different approaches to capture events. Kertesz and Cartier-Bresson believe photojournalist needs to be invisible when taking photos. For example, Kertesz was depicted as the "unknown soldier" who worked behind the scenes of photography(Borhan). On other hand, Smith and Salgado believe they should be visible when taking photo such as blend in the event. Another difference is postproduction in their works. Cartier-Bresson believe the decisive moment decide a photo’s total that means he don’t want to change anything in the photo. However, Smith refused to compromise with so-called professional standard. Smith alter photos in his own opinion, and salgado also includes a lot of postproduction work in his photos (Course notes)

Personally, I prefer to be visible when I taking photo but I admire people who are invisible when taking photos. I don’t think there has a better journalistic approach. I always take photos when party or vacation for my friends or kinsfolk. When I take photo for them, I should to tell them like “Hey! I’m taking photos.” So they will show their best in the photo such as a smile. Human like to remember good memories. The role of photography for vacation or parties is kept the beautiful moments, so postproduction may be necessary for me. Being invisible to take photos need wait for the decisive moment patiently and skillful camera work, so I admire people who are invisible when taking photos.


Works cited:

Borhan, Pierre(2000). André Kertész: His Life and Work. Boston: Bulfinch Press.

Icevska, Gordana. Course notes. Week 11.

Can art be mechanically reproduced?

I think when a thing is reproduced for so many times, it can’t be called as an art. “Art works produced by human creative skill and imagination ”(Oxford Dictionaries). Art can be mechanical reproducibility, but mechanical reproducibility is just a copy of an art.

Although Mechanical reproducibility could making an art more accessibility, it also making an art more utilitarian and onefold . The impact on mechanical reproducibility in society is making more and more people to own a copy of an art or at another point of view to appreciate that art. “The greater the decrease in the social significance of an art form, the sharper the distinction between criticism and enjoyment by the public.”(Benjamin,1935)

I believe that photography is art because it made by human creative skill and includes personal opinion, emotion.“Henry's ‘Fading Away’ depicts the peaceful death of a young girl due to tuberculosis. Her grieving family, her sister, mother, and fiancé precisely, are shown surrounding her.”(Labedzki ) The photograph was the product of Robinson's imagination. Also, It’s a realistic portrayal of a grieving family.

Digitalization is revolution of photography, it has been made photography easier and popular. For example,in modern society, most of photography developed by computer instead of darkroom. Old schools may think digital photography is not professional,but art is for everybody. Accessibility is the way that art needs to be.

Assignment 6 Virtual essay

In this assignment, I choose to take five photos as a photojournalist, some of them I have taken at last year. 

 The first photograph I was shooting at the beginning of spring, 2011 in High Park. Spring has come back to the earth, and the color of the sky deepened as the sun went down. Spring is fresh and youthful, and the tree bears its hundreds years as one large majestic moment; Also, the setting sun still vigorous and forceful. People are leisurely in the park and enjoy nightfall.

This second photograph I was shooting at Parliament Hill, Ottawa. As far as I can see, this is the most magnificent Gothic architecture in Canada. The Chateau Laurier in the distance, and my friends was walking to me. Distinctly, the Chateau Laurier is setoff of this magnificent Gothic architecture and made audience feel the Gothic architecture more grandiose.

The third photograph I was shooting at Varadero beach, Cuba. The resort has one of the most beautiful sea beaches in the world. I like the blue sky and ocean, so I like and enjoy the floating clouds in the blue sky and the golden sand beach beside the ocean. In this picture, I was trying to make the sea melted into the sky, so I choose to stand in shallow water and make the picture show blue sky, white clouds, and the sea into the corresponding items of the natural scenery.

The fourth photograph I was shooting in Biodome de Montreal. The ecosystem museum has 4,000 animals and 5,000 plants. I was very interesting about these penguins, they seems have a lot of conversations there. I had caught this decisive movement. One penguin turn back at highest stone, she seems like a leader and tells other penguins: hey, visitors are taking picture for us. Other two penguins at the right side seems wondering, and turn back to their leader. The three penguins in the middle are ready for photograph! Two of these three penguins are showing off their happiness, and other one is looking at me. I think I was visible when taking this photojournalism; the only deficiency is a glass which at my front space has reflected light.the only deficiency is a glass which at my front space has reflected light.

The last photograph I was shooting in High Park at night. My friend found a lovely chair when we getting tired of saunter. He puts his shoulder bag on the chair, and I bend down for taking this picture. A nameplate set on the chair says:“ In loving memory of Margaret and Clare Perry Wonderful parents and friends.” the faint light of street lamp has shine obliquely the scene. This photograph always reminds I had the best time with this friend even we have lost touch with each other.

Explaining:

The similarities between these photos is I have used a Nikon D3100 with my friend when we taking trips. The photos document my infatuation for landscape, scenery and friendship. In the modern society, the record is taken a documentary photography because it is objectivity and authenticity. 

Photo manipulation has already raised profound questions of authenticity for the journalistic world. In week 9, Prof. Icevska narrated a controversial story about Allan Detrich.In this real story, I think Allan is not intentional to cover the truth of that event; he just want to make his photo looks better. It has been becoming a controversial issue when photojournalists are manipulating their photos. 

I respect the NAAP code of ethic and I didn’t make any change to these photographs. I believe the best way to do photojournalism is no any post production. In my opinion, the best method to avoid photo manipulation is taking more photos at different angle when shooting the same event. These five photos are my favorite works. I hope you can enjoy my photography.