It was a great one-week to witness all the great works done by college level students from all over the world. During the judging process, I could easily notice that those college photographers’ angles to the subjects were very unique and fresh. Their stories dealt with some undercovered aspects of the society. And their unique thoughts and angles were professionally portrayed on their frames. Those images were depressing me and motivating me at the same time. It was good opportunity to think about myself as a photographer. I regretted the fact that I was pressing a shutter release without having personal philosophy on my subject. I didn’t interact with my subject as intimate as awards winning photographers did. I learned again from this year’s COPY that I need to build up an intimate relationship first in order to carry out the story successfully. Subjects in those winning stories were acting naturally as if photographers were not with them. During a Domestic Picture Story, again, I realized that finding right subjects that reflect current social issues/conflicts is the most important part of the project. Winning photographers all dealt with current social issues: deviating teens, living under poverty and gay marriage. From their stories, I was able to know what conflicts those subjects are confronting and threatening their lives. Among the winning stories, August Kryger’s story on Potter is my favorite. I can easily notice what August was trying to say from the story, solitary. As a photographer, it is important to visualize the story by not relying on captions, and August did a great job telling the story with his compelling images. His story captured Potter’s abandoned life. While Domestic Picture Story and Document categories dealt with in-depth coverage with compelling images and appealing stories, a large number stories from International Picture Story didn’t show a close relationship with the subject. Most of them did not show beyond what the subjects were doing. (Some stories did a great job portraying local conflicts while the subject is involved into that conflict.) Many photographers ended up showing just outer aspect of their (subjects) lives. For example, Jana Asenbrennerova’s story on ‘Eye Bank’ in Nepal explored mostly showed the process of the surgery. The photographer didn’t capture the life change of Sabitri (main character in the story) after the surgery. This story is nothing but showing what’s happening at the clinic. It drew the attention since it was done in Nepal, but it failed to explore the inner conflicts of Sabitri.
During a multimedia session, I was wondering about the judging standard. I sometimes felt that it was not enough time to make IN/OUT decisions in 3 secs. I know an inverted pyramid type structure is critical, especially for web-oriented contents such as slideshow and multimedia, but I felt like some multimedia pieces were omitted too early before it started to show its visual lede. It was hard for them judging a couple hundred pieces within limited time, but it would have been better if they were more reasonable for their callings, because for some photographer, it might take more time to take the story to the climax. Let’s give more room for those photographers. It is equivalent to say that judges for Nobel Prize in Literature fail the piece even before they finish reading the introduction of the literature. In terms of contents, I was glad to see some pieces that reflected current social and environmental issues. I especially like “Spilling Over” and “Splitting Main Street” both done by a group of students from University of North Carolina. These two pieces dealt with the subjects that are already covered by other major news outlets, but rather than focusing on the core of the problem, both pieces focus on showing people’s lives that are heavily affected by their environment. UNC students used an audio, still image and video as devices to tell the story of people and it was very effective and well applied. And their web page ‘Powering a Nation’ worked great as a platform of the works. It bring synergy as the multimedia pieces are collaborated with other graphics and other related information regarding a main theme ‘energy.’ I liked to call it a real convergent journalism in this era.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Reading Reaction #4
In Chapnick's reading, Once again I realize that a good photo essay/story comes from the intimacy with the subject and photographer's efforts are key ingredients for the success. During the reading, I could tell that Eugene W. Smith, a great American photojournalist, was a photo essay frontier from that era and his 'country doctor' series are well known as the first photo essay/story of the modern photojournalism age. Country doctor was about Dr. Ernest Ceriani in the small town in Colorado. His work on Ceriani triggered new photojournalism era in the U.S. German immigrants photojournalists set the new stage for modern U.S. photojournalism in 30's and Eugene Smith took it from there. His works/styles also contributed to the success of MOMA exhibition in New York and FSA project as well. The U.S. government started to think about photography as a efficient tool for their propaganda.
Eugene Smith images were about truthfulness about the subject. His works would have not been achieved without it. I especially like his works from Okinawa in 1945. Those images are the fruits of his truthfulness and efforts from the war. His images are not as modern as Margaret Burke White's images (architectural and commercial stuff). He had many powerful 'everyday story' like Minamata story from Japan. bathtub picture from Minamata is remembered as the most compelling image by me. This was all possible he had an intimate relationship with the subject. I would like to say that the great photo essay comes from the relationship.
Bill Eppridge had a great coverage on Bobby Kennedy and it was all possible because he had an intimate relationship with the subject. He was able to cover from the election campaign to the funeral of Bobby.
It's been fewer than 100 years since George Eastman had developed brownie camera, 35mm film in his kitchen in Rochester, NY. The development of photojournalism was always somewhat related with the wars: WWI, WW2, Korean War. During WW1, most photographers used speed graphics. they continued to use medium format. During WW2 and Korean War, Japanese camera industry boomed during these two wars. Photographers needed a handy and portable camera. A life photographer Douglas Duncan mounted Nikorr lens with his leica body. And results were incredible. According to the modern history literature, Life editors did not notice the quality difference compare to speed graphics. After that, 35mm became popular among the war photographers. Leica introduced a camera 'M3D' named after his initial after it got fame for its compactness and durability proven during the wars.
New technology allowed more technical freedom to photographers. I always appreciate that. Photographers wouldn't need to worry about carrying chemicals and other equipments for developing process.
Although the recent technology brought us great benefits, the fundamental of photojournalism hasn't changed. I still believe that photographers' efforts and truthfulness are key ingredients making good photo. Technology is secondary.
One day project
Jake Hackmann, 12, of Ashland demonstrates the trick to cattle roping during a youth rodeo lesson session at Cattlemen Days Rodeo in Ashland, Missouri on Aug 28, 2010. Hackmann was the youngest demonstrator at the event and has been participating in the event since he was 8.
As one of the events in the Great Lakes Circuit of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Ashland’s 34th annual rodeo drew competitors from all over the central United States and thoundsands were in the audience on Saturday night on August 28, 2010. The Great Lakes Circuit is composed of nine states and stretches from Minnesota to Ohio.
Thousands of people gathered at Cattlemen Rodeo to participate in Ashland’s biggest annual event on August 28, 2010. Celebrating its 34th year, the rodeo attracts nearly 3,000 visitors over the course of the two day event. Mason Sapp of Ashalnd said he dressed like a cowboy to be part of the event even though he is not “physically” allowed to ride a wild horse.
Friday, September 10, 2010
reading #2,3
I often encounter the problems finding out where my next destination would be whenever I got off from the plane. Then I start to worry about the situation. This is kind of my fear of new place and unexperienced situation. I am not used to handle unexpected situations. I am even reluctant to overcome the situation unless someone give me some advises. I usually don't talk to people first (my bad habit) and I wait until someone actually come talk to me. As a photographer, it is the one thing that I really need to get rid of. This bad habit also applies to my best interest, photography. I always struggle to find a subject after I finished one assignment. Ironically, I always have an excuse. My language barrier always has been my excuse for a couple years. It took my confidence away since I landed this country 2 years ago. In order to overcome this situation, I needed to go out to the street and meet people. Sitting in a room and blaming myself never can help with my visual creation activity. Planning and imagining about the subject in front of a desk are necessary, but I recommend not doing this no longer than taking photos and meeting people. I always feel staring is harder than finishing. But it was always easy to finish if I start the right way.
In order to execute the situation successfully, we always need to be ready for the chance, which is coming to us without notice. As Lamott insists in her book, photographers need to be trained, and taking photos regularly should be a part of their lives. Like LensWork's editor, Brooks Jensen, mentioned, Success happens when opportunity meets preparation. It seems Lamott also agree with this cliched but true fact. In order to be a so called good photographer, Ansel Adams' "10,000" theory might work in different way. For example, spending 10,000 hours to learn about mentor photographers' concepts, perspective and style. It is different from copying or imitating their works. It is always good to try how different photographers see the same world/subject differently. It helps to extend our perspectives, which might have remained hidden. We can build something our own based on what I learned from our mentor photographers. I guess it will bring some synergy when the talent and hard working attitude meet together. This "talented man vs hard working man" issue has been bothering some famous people too such as Mozart and Salieri. However, most photographers that I have known for years are talented and passionate about what they are doing, photography. I like to say that don't afraid to make mistakes as Lamott insists us to make more messes to know about ourselves more. I would never forget how many rolls of film I wasted in order to know the concept of ASA.
Lamott's "School Lunches and Polaroids" tells us more specifically about the steps in order to be a patient photographer. This part of reading helps us to move further from the messes we made from out first assignment. During the reading, I often see that Lamott believes that the entire concept of the subject might be so broad and it is best to focus on one small part of the lunch itself. I guess this helps us to narrow down the subject to the specific points. And it really helps us to begin the actual process of shooting. Narrowing down what we know about the subject is a good way to start the story. As I said above, I recommend not doing this no longer that spending time or taking pictures of the subject. You will never know what will happen unless you go out to the street. I guess that starting/planing is harder than finishing, but it is easier to finish when i start the right way with a big picture. So, Lamott's point, narrowing down the subject, helps photographers to understand their concept/purpose of the shooting.
In her book, she compares writing to developing a Polaroid. She said that the writing develops over time. Photographers' patience is required when photographers might feel slow or tedious when they wait their essays/stories to get completed. Photographers' impatient act might ruin the whole work, especially when the film is still wet.We can't repeat the chance that we missed just like a polaroid. We only have a single chance to make the moment memorable. Once we miss it? that's it. Like Lamott says that God can help us when we deal with the perfectionism and the pressure, we might also need to rely on God to get the next chance.
As a photographer, Choosing a subject is the hardest part of the whole work. It determines, in my case, nearly 50% of my work. Photographers always look for something new, something not covered by others. Honestly, it is hard to find the content, which never have been covered by any media. But we can approach the subject differently with the clear message than others'. In order to do that, photographers' passion is essential building an intimate relation with the subject.
Once we start to take pictures, we continue to keep asking questions to ourselves until the end to make sure the purpose of shooting, the visual effect of the subject and etc. We are not only shooting for ourselves, but also for other such as readers. We also need to compromise to find a subject to fulfill readers' interests. If you find something that really interesting, you need to make that subject interesting to others as well. That's photographer's ability to see the world differently.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Choosing Thomas (Dallas Morning News)
From this story, I realized again that storytelling lies at the heart of most good documentaries — strong characters, compelling tension, and a credible resolution. I also think that storytelling must be done without sacrificing journalistic integrity. I guess it might not easy for the photographer sharing all the crucial moments with the family. And Sonya Hebert carried out the story really nicely while maintaining an intimate relationship with the family. I guess this was the key to success for Sonya. "having an intimate relationship with the subject"
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)