Documentary Photography

What is Documentary Photography?

On the post it notes write down what you think documentary photography is• What are the key skills that it uses?

• Name as many photographers you know of that you think fit into this genre

• When you’re done, stick it onto the end of your table

Learning Objectives

• Explain what documentary photography is and what makes a good documentary project

• You will identify the various types of sub genres

• You will identify the types of images used to create a narrative

What is Documentary Photography?

• What is it?

Documentary Photography is a narrative or story being told through photographs that involves real events to provide a factual record or report (and sometimes this is complimented with text).

Documentary Photography

Name different sub genre’s of Documentary

Sub Genres Task

• On your table is a series of photographs.

• Around the room is different headings for sub genre’s.

• In your groups use the blu tack provided to put one image into each category

• In your groups select an image to discuss looking at the technical, lighting, compositional and contextual information behind the image.

Key Points

• ‘Document’ means evidence = official, to be trusted, not to be questioned…

• Documentary as signifier of truth but what of re-presentation??

• Documentary is intimate – it assumes a bond between viewer and image and it is charged with showing the world as it really is

Documentary photography has always had the power to shock, to inform, to change opinion and to persuade yet the very term can be ambiguous and the photographer always chooses a particular frame

and moment in time

Early documentary was often for identification – documenting criminals

Or racial types

Henri Cartier-Bresson like Doisneau is seen as a father of

photojournalism and also street photography. His style is

often decisive and always candid

Martin Parr: Part of the British new wave whose focus was on the everyday from a critical perspective

Simon Norfolk’s work crosses the line between fine art and photo journalism, often shooting locations that are war torn or where

atrocities were commited

Documentary Landscape

Annie Leibovitz - Pilgrimage• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/opinion/sunday/annie-leibovitzs-pilgrimage.html?pagewanted=all

Richard Billingham - Zoo

Photojournalism

Robert Capa

Anastasia Taylor-Lind English/Swedish photographer

Street Photography

Beat Strueli - Bangkok 02

Kate Hooper – night

Social Documentary

Nan Goldin Photographs her friends and family. A lot of her work is about gender

politics. Insiders view – as she knows who she photographs

Bullfighter, Portugal. 1994Julie, Netherlands, 1994. One hour after giving birth.Video: http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/cruelandtender/interviews.htm

Rineke Djikstra – Mothers & Bullfighters

James Russell Cant - Family

Brother Alone

Identification

Marc Garanger – Femmes Algeriennes 1960

What makes a Good documentary project?

2 minutes task: • Think – individually of one thing you think

makes a good documentary project

• Pair - up with person next to you and list more ideas.

• Share – with the rest of the group.Countdown clock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9MytO0O_q0

What makes a Good documentary project?

TYPES OF IMAGES

• narratives :– a story or an account of a sequence of events in the order in which

they happened.– the art or process of telling a story or giving an account of

something.

Compositionally you can use the following types of shots to create a story:

• Establishing • Detailed, • Main and • Concluding shots.

Establishing

• Is the beginning of a narrative – sets the scene.

And’Art, 2009. All images © Jaskirt Dhaliwal.

For more info go to: http://www.jaskirtdhaliwal.co.uk/gallery_296587.html

Detailed

• Looks at specific detail of an item that is part of the narrative. Close up, detailed.

MainShows the main part of the story. Could be portraits of people involved or a shot of the main part of the event.

Main

ConcludingCompletes the story

Tell a story

College Poster – your narrative

student example using different types of images

Establishing

Main shots

Detailed

Back to Learning Objective

• Explain what documentary photography is.

• List the different types of sub genre’s of documentary photography

• You will identify the various types of sub genres

• You will identify the types of images used to create a narrative

Back to Learning Objectives

• On your new post it note write down the following:

• What is documentary and what makes a good documentary project?

• List the various sub genres• Identify the types of images used to create a narrative• Any photographers you could name

• Once complete - stick it next to your original post it note onto the wall

Practical Task – Birmingham Trip

You have to document a short story, your narrative, on Birmingham using one of the following styles of documentary:

• Portraits of people at work• Street photography• Street portraits• Documentary landscape

RESEARCH a photographer that shoots in one of these styles of documentary photography for your artist comparison.