Comments on: Famine photographs and the need for careful critique http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/ Photography, Multimedia, Politics Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:50:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Famine coverage, from Malawi to East Africa « Thebronxpapers's Blog http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-30483 Famine coverage, from Malawi to East Africa « Thebronxpapers's Blog Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:40:04 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-30483 [...] that Move: in a forthcoming essay on the iconography of famine (which prompted my earlier post on famine photographs and the need for careful critique, and is attached to this post on stereotypes) I have examined the portraits of atrocity that [...] [...] that Move: in a forthcoming essay on the iconography of famine (which prompted my earlier post on famine photographs and the need for careful critique, and is attached to this post on stereotypes) I have examined the portraits of atrocity that [...]

]]> By: Famine coverage, from Malawi to East Africa | Imaging Famine blog http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-29953 Famine coverage, from Malawi to East Africa | Imaging Famine blog Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:02:40 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-29953 [...] that Move: in a forthcoming essay on the iconography of famine (which prompted my earlier post on famine photographs and the need for careful critique, and is attached to this post on stereotypes) I have examined the portraits of atrocity that [...] [...] that Move: in a forthcoming essay on the iconography of famine (which prompted my earlier post on famine photographs and the need for careful critique, and is attached to this post on stereotypes) I have examined the portraits of atrocity that [...]

]]> By: The Back Catalogue: Representing ‘Africa’ | David Campbell http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-28185 The Back Catalogue: Representing ‘Africa’ | David Campbell Mon, 13 Jun 2011 08:46:01 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-28185 [...] Famine photographs and the need for careful critique [...] [...] Famine photographs and the need for careful critique [...]

]]> By: The problem with regarding the photography of suffering as ‘pornography’ | David Campbell http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-20832 The problem with regarding the photography of suffering as ‘pornography’ | David Campbell Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:54:26 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-20832 [...] stereotypes, among many other problems, has to be addressed (see my earlier posts on famine icons here and here for how this argument can proceed). It’s just that labelling these concerns [...] [...] stereotypes, among many other problems, has to be addressed (see my earlier posts on famine icons here and here for how this argument can proceed). It’s just that labelling these concerns [...]

]]> By: Stereotypes that move: the iconography of famine | David Campbell http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-12956 Stereotypes that move: the iconography of famine | David Campbell Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:11:45 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-12956 [...] a forthcoming essay on the iconography of famine (which prompted my earlier post on famine photographs and the need for careful critique) I have examined the portraits of atrocity that represented the 2002 Malawi famine and which later [...] [...] a forthcoming essay on the iconography of famine (which prompted my earlier post on famine photographs and the need for careful critique) I have examined the portraits of atrocity that represented the 2002 Malawi famine and which later [...]

]]> By: Mike http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-10646 Mike Thu, 30 Sep 2010 04:26:24 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-10646 Thoughtful. Porn is considered degrading and exploitive. i am less concerned about using the word than I am how these photo opportunities are staged and the increasing digital manipulation of images which I am seeing more and more of. By the way, this is like the over use of the word Nazi. Great web site. Thoughtful.

Porn is considered degrading and exploitive. i am less concerned about using the word than I am how these photo opportunities are staged and the increasing digital manipulation of images which I am seeing more and more of.

By the way, this is like the over use of the word Nazi.

Great web site.

]]> By: Famine photographs and the need for careful critique /  Imaging Famine blog http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-6250 Famine photographs and the need for careful critique /  Imaging Famine blog Tue, 04 May 2010 15:46:38 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-6250 [...] participation. Photographer: Pete Muller/AP [This post originally appeared on 13 April 2010 at www.david-campbell.org/blog] Share | Tags: Akobo, Andrew Sullivan, Associated Press, famine, Jason Straziuso, [...] [...] participation. Photographer: Pete Muller/AP [This post originally appeared on 13 April 2010 at http://www.david-campbell.org/blog Share | Tags: Akobo, Andrew Sullivan, Associated Press, famine, Jason Straziuso, [...]

]]> By: jj http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-6049 jj Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:39:26 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-6049 This is from the point of view of a random reader, being neither a photographer nor journalist, but having read all comments. I think that a layman's answer to David's question, "but what form would and should the depiction take?", can be answered by the stating "any and all." By that I mean that in addition to battling the divided time of the average western reader journalism and supporting photography must include as complete a picture or foreign circumstance as possible for specific plights to be put into context that the reader can relate. Those of you who have been to regions of the world that scarcely resemble, lets say New York, in all observable aspects might state that there are no grounds upon which non-participants can truly relate. I would counter that this is the arduous task of journalism both in writing and recording of images. It is the choice of the media makers to decide that certain regional issues deserve greater importance and need to make a specific impact to prod distracted mind of readers into becoming involved or worse, buying media. The conceit that the thrust of journalistic education encourages pursuing the "hard angles" implies a biased filter whose purpose is to gather stories and images that have visceral impact but leave little in the way of building a complete picture. What seems lacking is any interest from media companies in building broad and accurate views over years of related subject matter. This would be something for a reader such as my self to develop sympathetic reactions to. For a westerner to have that reaction there must be more context to humanize the subjects and show that they are more like the reader than the reader has previously been led to believe. If the brave aid workers and journalists often accompanying them have any interest in engaging more passive counterparts in developed nations they need to understand that stating the bad without the good or neutral and foisting tightly cropped images of the worst sufferers to the forefront is not an effective tactic for anything other than selling copy. For me these images seem, however unintentionally, designed to invoke shame in the viewer and that unfortunately seems like a surefire way to file the related content to the short-term memory bank. You've got to show the reader/viewer in every way possible how their situation is similar to those suffering and how it's not impossible for them to find themselves in equal need. The only way I see to do this is to show the humanity and truth of life rather than otherness. Once you show the like aspects alongside the unlike aspects the needs will show true contrast to something relative to their own experience. This is from the point of view of a random reader, being neither a photographer nor journalist, but having read all comments. I think that a layman’s answer to David’s question, “but what form would and should the depiction take?”, can be answered by the stating “any and all.” By that I mean that in addition to battling the divided time of the average western reader journalism and supporting photography must include as complete a picture or foreign circumstance as possible for specific plights to be put into context that the reader can relate. Those of you who have been to regions of the world that scarcely resemble, lets say New York, in all observable aspects might state that there are no grounds upon which non-participants can truly relate. I would counter that this is the arduous task of journalism both in writing and recording of images. It is the choice of the media makers to decide that certain regional issues deserve greater importance and need to make a specific impact to prod distracted mind of readers into becoming involved or worse, buying media. The conceit that the thrust of journalistic education encourages pursuing the “hard angles” implies a biased filter whose purpose is to gather stories and images that have visceral impact but leave little in the way of building a complete picture. What seems lacking is any interest from media companies in building broad and accurate views over years of related subject matter. This would be something for a reader such as my self to develop sympathetic reactions to. For a westerner to have that reaction there must be more context to humanize the subjects and show that they are more like the reader than the reader has previously been led to believe. If the brave aid workers and journalists often accompanying them have any interest in engaging more passive counterparts in developed nations they need to understand that stating the bad without the good or neutral and foisting tightly cropped images of the worst sufferers to the forefront is not an effective tactic for anything other than selling copy. For me these images seem, however unintentionally, designed to invoke shame in the viewer and that unfortunately seems like a surefire way to file the related content to the short-term memory bank. You’ve got to show the reader/viewer in every way possible how their situation is similar to those suffering and how it’s not impossible for them to find themselves in equal need. The only way I see to do this is to show the humanity and truth of life rather than otherness. Once you show the like aspects alongside the unlike aspects the needs will show true contrast to something relative to their own experience.

]]> By: Not this, but that « Banjaxed http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-5841 Not this, but that « Banjaxed Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:46:43 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-5841 [...] is why I particularly appreciate this post by David Campbell on famine photography, which avoids the usual simplistic complaints (and strikes a blow for [...] [...] is why I particularly appreciate this post by David Campbell on famine photography, which avoids the usual simplistic complaints (and strikes a blow for [...]

]]> By: David Campbell http://www.david-campbell.org/2010/04/13/famine-photographs-critique/#comment-5824 David Campbell Thu, 15 Apr 2010 07:59:28 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?p=1130#comment-5824 Tobie -- an excellent contrast that makes an effective point. It leaves another question unanswered though - the statistics indicate the urgency of depiction, but what form would and should the depiction take? Tobie — an excellent contrast that makes an effective point. It leaves another question unanswered though – the statistics indicate the urgency of depiction, but what form would and should the depiction take?

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