Assignmnet 3; The Issue Of Girl Models [Bill Henson & Vogue]

This issue has become far more scrutinized over recent years. One of the main issues that has been raised and quite successfully I may add, was by David Marr's speech on Slow Tv.

Some of the points/ quotes he used were understanding on how the media and public feel towards the circumstances and intentions towards the photographs.

"Indication of the mad times we are living, how hypercharged these issues have become and how to my mind, entirely unfairly the figure of Bill Henson has been demonized with in the last four months."

"Let the children be children, but they really want the children to be adults"

"The innocence of children is at stake, [though the innocence is seen as armor]"

These quotes made my David Marr in his speech was implying how the media and the public has made this spin out of control, and how the demonizing of Bill Henson has brought up the ethics of photography involving children.

I believe his argument of normalizing was a stong and fair point to make about the intent of viewing of particular photographs.

"To allow photographs of children being sexualized, and matured far beyond their years. Is therefore society to allow publication of such photography means a kind of wink to pedofiles. This is known as the argument of normalizing. The backers of the argument say that allowing the publication of such photographs we are normalizing pedofelia."

This said I wanted to have an understanding of my peers opinions to figure out their opions on this resque topic. I believe that the images by Bill Henson wasn't offensive as he didn't sexualize the children in any way. He may have used dramatic lighting to get his concept and ideas across. For example he didn't dress them up in any way like the photographers from Vogue did (clothing wise, make up and the posing of the girls). My examples below show what I am trying to convey is that the images taken from the December - January issue of Vogue is sexualising and in a way maturing the children far beyond their years. Though their images are to try and presen a shock and horror reaction to their audience. The reason for these images is to show the fashions obsession with young girls

"But it’s also obvious from the over-the-top styling and the overall lurid quality that this story is a parody and a critique of the fashion industry’s unhealthy interest in young girls, not an endorsement or a glamourization of it"

I realise this is a touchy subject and that many people have different opinions to what they personally feel. Though these image can be percieved in both positive and negative ways. As thaey say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Assignmnet 2; Ethical Photojournalism

"By creating artificial realities in highly paid commercial work, the photographer should also be
sure that it does not bleed away authenticity, Kennedy says."

With the new era of digital photography it has become more accessable to easily manipulate photographs than it was to alter film images. Though saying that altering a image was able to be obtain when film was in it's prime. For example Frank Hurley manipulated his images during the war to create a more intense atmosphere. The ethics involved in crossing the line from taking a good photograph and altering it to achieve a perfect image is where the line between a artificial reality and the true reality. The image below is an example of how photographers tend to alter their image to obtain that 'perfect shot', the image on the left is the image the photographer captured whilst the image on the right is the image the photographer altered to create a more dramatic shot.
It is a know fact that photography has been manipulate since the beginning. Since the early photographs of war (mentioned above), another example is when the photographers arranged dead bodies of dead soldiers for aestheics. Another example (mentioned in the 'Contemporary Issues' reading on "Ethical Photojournalism: It's Authenticity and Impact', is where a production artist decided to rearrange the Pyramids of Egypt emabelling them to fit them onto the front cover. As it become more frequent for manipulation to create a aesthically pleasing image, people are led to believe that this is the reality around us. A prime exapmle is within the fashion industry where celebrities are photoshopped with the intention to create a flawless perfection, which people believe are real and try to live up to the standards we photographers present. Altering images within photography (either photojournalism - fashion photography) does has it's dire consequences, which can result in injury and even death. Clear example are it a photographer asks their subject to swing a little bit higher, the boy could have fallen off and possibly injuring himeslef. As mentioned in the article about Ethics in Photojournalism.
Everyone is presented with a oppitunity of documenting what is actually there or creating a artificial reality. We all know of the consequences, even if the image that has been manipulated and the photographer doesn't get caught out there is always the fact reality the the subject or even photographer wont look at a photograph and truly see the reality in another photograph.


Reference;

http://www.snorrigunnarsson.com/2007/09/04/photojournalism-on-steroids/

Assignment 1 ; Inspirational Photograph.

Moon Waves.

In reflection to this topic there is one photograph that clearly stands out. The photograph was taken by an Australian freelance photographer that is based in Bali, Indonesia over 14 years. I discovered the photograph in a surfing book that was given to me as a Christmas present.
The image is of a 5cm wave taken at Keramas river mouth, Bail.

The quote that the photographer used to define the image completely sums up what I love about the image.
" The way the light bounces off them (talking about the 5 cm waves crashing up on the shore) contrasted against the black volcanic sand, the whole thing sparkled and the sun lit up the barrel. They just seemed alive. If the moon had waves the might look something like this."
Jason Childs.

The thing that makes this image powerful is that the entire focus is on the waves it self, whilst having everything out of focus. I find myself being drawn to the break of the wave where the wave it's self is reflecting off the sand which makes it the main part of focus in the photograph.

As the photographer mentioned in the book;

"It wasn't until I got home and greyscaled them to black and white (talking about the waves) that their majic started shining through"
Jason Childs.

I agree with this statement as I find that balck and white (if done completely) seems to emphaisie and even intensify the beauty in our landscapes.


References;

The Moment ; Timeless, sublime, life-changing, fun
100 of surfing's most compelling images and the true stories behind them, Sean Doherty.
Published in Australia and New Zealand 2008.

Photographer ; Jason Childs (photojournalist, historian, surf photographer)

Title ; Moon Waves

Taken At ; Keramas, Bali

http://boardersplace.wordpress.com/