Tuesday, November 10, 2009

PH15

In one of my courses we were asked to present an image that inspired us along the way. I presented the following images that were taken by Eugenio Alfonso, a native Bolivian now living in Ciudad Oculta, Argentina. The images are the remains of Eugenio's mother. When Eugenio and his family could no longer afford the rent-price of the grave-site they were forced to dig up the coffin and transplant it to a communal grave site. He took these images out of love and admiration for his mom. 






Eugenio is part of a photography group, PH15, which is led by Martin Rosenthal. The objective of the group is to inspire teenagers growing up in working class neighborhoods that surround Buenos Aires to empower themselves through the use of photography. The class is taught on weekends in Ciudad Oculta, translating to Forbidden City. It is the poorest and most dangerous neighborhood and also coined as an Emergency Town. The neighborhood was given its name, Ciudad Oculta, resulting from the late 1950s when the Argentinean government constructed a wall bordering the city and hiding it from those driving past the city when heading to Buenos Aires from the airport.

I had the privilege of passing a summer with those involved with PH15. If you would like to explore more of the work taken by other students as part of this group please visit their website: http://www.ph15.org.ar/

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Who is on the other line?

One of the overarching questions I've had over the last few weeks has been who (my) photographs speak to.  Three weeks ago I came across a story at a nearby laundromat. Donna, who works at the place many evenings, had always been in abusive relationships with men until one day (several years ago) a very persistent man cared for her enough to treat her with respect. Though she’s had some love interest, she has been single since this man died of cancer five years ago. Today, she works two jobs to make ends meet. She donates unclaimed clothing, and left-over food to her friends that visit her in the laundromat. One evening a guy from the area came in to do his laundry. I photographed him and we spoke. A week later I brought Donna some Wal-Mart-made prints. One was an image with this particular guy. Donna later saw him at the laundromat and gave it to him. He found my email and wrote, “I don't think she appreciated it [because it] is intended to be artistic. She thought it had just come out wrong”.

This makes me question who my images are for if they can’t speak to the people they are taken from? 



I guess I can't show something in a photograph that isn't already inside of me. The photograph says something about the relationship I have with my subject. In this respect, I can't communicate with everyone. What I hope to achieve is raised discussion, thoughts and provoked interest. 


I see Donna as a noble woman working two jobs to make ends meet. She has the courage to works hard to give something for this country. I'd like to show her with the dignity and respect she deserves. 













Thursday, October 15, 2009

Digital Communications

Instead of our normal photo-crit in class today, we had a digitally mediated conversation with Marcus Bleasedale, Gary Knight and Adam Ferguson.

Marcus spoke mostly about his work which covers mining gold in eastern Congo.

If you're interested you can see the work here: http://marcusbleasdale.com/newbook/

He spoke in a broader context about how a photographer's work isn't done until the work is seen. Our job as a photographer must also be one of an informer. I didn't agree however with his belief that changes will occur once the work seen by the "right people" (Obama and people of his sort of power). Time has proven that changes are never made by those on the top.

It makes me wonder about a journalists push for certain changes that really aren't made better within "this" context. More specifically, when Marcus's images were seen and the book was published the mining fields in the Congo were shut down. What happens to the working people who held those jobs?

Gary Knight, who coins himself as an "advocacy photographer", did a large body of work covering poverty.

Links to his images: http://www.viiphoto.com/more-feature.php?photographer=Gary%20Knight

His subjects for most of these images are from third world countries. When speaking about the ubiquity of people with cameras he said that there is still a place for journalists (like himself) because of his "perspective", "experience", and "knowledge". He highlighted the importance of having an outsiders perspective. I totally disagree with this approach. I think one must be both an outsider AND an insider of a story. If you're working as an outsider you are an average better than thou journalist. How will he communicate their story this way?

It's interesting to compare his images abroad to his images in Youngstown, Ohio (just miles from Athens). In his own country* he photographs poverty and there is an absence of people. Why? Maybe because it's easier for a white male to photograph poverty abroad than it is in our homeland. Anyone have thoughts on this?

The third photographer, Adam Ferguson, shared some compelling images he took while imbedded in Afghanistan.

http://www.time.com/time/audioslide/0,32187,1927405,00.html

He wanted to deconstruct the "Black Hawk Down" false reality that is pushed into our conceptions of war. I was most impressed by Adam's vision, as well as verbal merit.

Technology is pretty amazing. It allowed for me to have a digital lecture with questions and answers
with people living across the globe. Here is the view from my seat this afternoon (my instructor's silhouette is seen crossing the screen):




















*Gary Knight is from England. I would like to make the correction that he photographs Youngstown, an impoverished city within the first-world, and he comes from the first-world environment of England.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Sports Feature

Spoke to my teacher today and this image gets me my very first A on a photograph assignment. Phew!

 I was driving back last Friday from a day shooting a woman named Rushie (who I'm sure I'll post images of) and came drove by the Alexander High School Stadium in Albany (a few miles from home).

Two things made me stop. One, the umbrellas that blanketed the stands. And two, the lingering average grade I received for my sports assignment two weeks ago.

Then, the rain came....



Alexander High School won Nelsonville High School marking the first time in over thirty years. You can imagine that the players were quite happy.


And the coach yelled, "Just don't do anything stupid" when speaking to his team in a huddle after the game.

This guy seemed pretty happy too....

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Girls Win

Seaira Williamson outside of The Plains Laundry Mat where she and her mother are cleaning their clothing.

Monday, October 05, 2009

Futbol

A smorgasbord of soccer (and soccer related activities)
that I've been shooting. I'm still working on it 'cause it's quite the skill that I've never acquired. Most of these are taken at Rio Grande. The college there has a pretty stellar soccer team.


Saturday, October 03, 2009

"Memo"

I spent the morning and afternoon with "Memo" yesterday. On his break from work he spent time time lifting weights at his home.

Feedback/thoughts on this image are more than welcome.