Inspiration

Reportage Photographers

I had a bit of a wander around the internet the other day, looking for a number of things, inspiration for my own pictures being one but also some real life photographers practising reportage.  I came upon a website called FiftyCrows.  The site was devoted to the promotion of photographers that had been given grants to cover specifically agreed social topics.  One of the things I found interesting was that they didn’t just submit hundreds of pictures around a central theme but they had their own mechanic or device to enable the viewer to focus on what was important.

Darcy Padilla, chose to follow the struggle of people living with the complexities of poverty and AIDS.  In particular JULIE BAIRD, an aids afflicted woman whose life she has documented over 16 years.

What I particularly like about her work is how she embraces the gritty reality of the locations of the photographs, there is no sugar-coating, no cropping out the bits that jar the eye.  Just like life, the detail is there to be dealt with.  In 7 images she portrays a womans life, her pain, her grudging acceptance of what she has been dealt and the little ray of light she finds in her children.

Donna DeCesare, in 1 image is succinct in her portrayal of tough love.  A small child lovingly clutches a pigeon to her chest in the kind of act of love one would associate a child having for a doll or a teddy bear.  Beside her in her grubby room lies a handgun.  In her world childish playthings take on a new meaning. Her ‘toys’ are a sinister reminder of her innocence

Ed Kashi

I like his thinking.  The relationship between photographs is explored using triptychs, rather than relying on one isolated image.  They have a storytelling quality, that either shows comparisons or contrasts between landscapes or subtly highlights the gestures that we universally take for granted.

I haven't yet decided on a mechanic for my own storytelling but there are some interesting ideas here.