So here's the deal. In photo the other day, this girl Catlin and I had to watch this profusely long video on the history of the image. It was a struggle. First and and foremost, the producers of the video decided that it would be a good idea to have a very old lady in the video for an interview. Yet the only credentials this women had was that she was one hundred and one years all. Why does her opinion matter? I don't know. But apparently it does. And how the hell did they find her? In the classifieds of the local newspaper, "need a one hundred year old woman willing to talk about pictures?" Sorry, just wondered.
In the video they talked about one photographer that I really enjoyed. Not so much enjoyed listening about, but looking at his pictures. Paul Strand became one of the photographers to use strait photographer and nearly revolutionized photography in the 1910's.
The camera, now more available to the public through the invention of the Brownie Box, had become overused in a way. Any working class citizen could now afford to have a camera and the professional craftsmanship of photography had nearly vanished. People began to say that there is no way to make photography grow out of the Victorian era when so many people where abusing their cameras for simple devices instead of a tool for art. But Paul Strand stepped in and showed that he could make lines and shapes become something new. People didn't have to be ordinary and buildings could be so much more.
Paul Strand, Untitled, 1916
Lewis Hine was a photographer who tried to bring attention to child labor in the early 1900's through photo's. Images depicting young children, dirty in work clothes, by the masses or all alone. When the pictures went nationwide, anger grew in the minds of Americans. When America said that they were sick of looking at such depressing photos. Hine replied by saying that he hoped that by showing so many photos, when the time for action came, America would be sick of child labor.
Lewis Hine, Girl Worker in Carolina Cotton Mill, 1908
1 comment:
This is cool, Ryan. I didn't know you were this into your photography, I'm glad you are.
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