Jocelyn Wong: Participant vs. Professional Photography

Participant vs. Professional Photography by Jocelyn Wong

Each photo has its own specific meanings and reflects the photographer’s point of views. “Photography As a Charitable Weapon” by Julia Ballerini was rather a radical analysis to pinpoint the motivation of the charity projects.

People in the professional photojournalism fields are those who have been trained to take photos for their jobs and have a deeper knowledge of how a photo should be taken. According to Image Ethics in the Digital Age, “the privileged status of news photographs has endured intact until recently”(Gross & Katz &Ruby, 2003). They are called as “professional” and influential as they would use their specialized skills to take photos in order to provide the best quality of photos in the audience’s eyes. Unlike the professional photographer, people in the participatory photography who might not have any specialized background, may mean that anyone can use his or her simple cameras to capture the moments that they want.

Though professional photographers are much more influential, they carry other external pressures, such as pleasing the advertisers or the government. Their freedoms are being minimized, so there will be biases. While participatory photography projects, give opportunities to people to take photos in different charity projects. They can bring out their own insights and values through the photos they have taken and educate the public about the social problems. The photos that are taken by the participatory photographers are not that public. Yet, the photos that they have taken speak for their communities. Through participating in the project, photographers would uncover local views and become active to social problems. Also, they would be able to recognize the social problems deeply and report another side of the world.

Brianna Vogelzang: Participant vs. Professional Photography

Participant vs. Professional Photography by Brianna Vogelzang

In recent years, ‘professional journalism’ has provided us with photographs that leave us speechless. They are the visual aid to the stories of war, famine, genocide and violence. Professional photographers are sent all over the world to document real happenings and not only visually report but educate the public about what is happening in faraway countries. It takes a lot of time, effort and courage to willingly put oneself out of their element in order to capture a photograph, however, the majority of the time photojournalism is responsible in providing the more serious or negative reports. For example, some of the most memorable photographs come from the moments directly following 9/11. They are important because 9/11 is important – not because of who took them.

As stated earlier, the technology of today has drastically changed who is able to be a photographer. Jim Hubbard, in his piece, “Everyone is a Photographer,” states “Anyone can take a picture – all they have to do is press a button.” Arguably, it takes more to make a picture great, but the mechanics and methods remain at a constant. Citizen journalism, a term used to describe individuals who, whether using cell phone or consumer pro cameras, record events that they consider newsworthy, shows us that the availability and ease that technology of today provides means to capture moments that are not necessarily images that show up on the news but instead are hung on the walls of our homes (Hubbard 1).

The figure behind the camera is not as important as the one in it. Though there is a talent and great photography is a true art form there are and will continue to be photographs taken by amateurs that still captivate and convey meaning. A picture is not worth a 1000 words, it is worth the explanation of its context.

Jane Pang: Participant vs. Professional Photography

Participant vs. Professional Photography by Jane Pang

In recent years, a number of debates have argued against the benefits and effectiveness of participatory photography. In “Photography as a Charitable Weapon: Poor Kids and Self-Representation,” Julia Ballerini expresses her doubts about the efficacy of participatory photography and argues that this field of photography tends to “reinforce the status quo rather than question it” (169). She also states that participatory photography has appeared to serve donors more than impoverished children (Ballerini 162).

Although there are many critiques about participatory photography, I disagree with Ballerini and view professional photography and participatory photography as equally important. The two different approaches present significantly different insights. People should not focus only on the outcome of participatory photography; its importance as a two-way learning process should be acknowledged. Participatory photography is not only a platform for the disadvantaged to narrate their own stories but also allows the viewers to gain first-person insight into the lives and living conditions of the poor, and that is a viewpoint that outsiders such as professional photographers may not be able to offer. Participatory photography also depicts reality from a genuine and comprehensive perspective, while many professional photographers tend to focus solely on the negative side of the underprivileged to get the attention of viewers.

Although participatory photography reflects some of the downside of professional photography, demand for professional photography still exists in today’s society in many fields, such as journalism and advertising. Also, we would not be able to expand our horizons and gain deeper knowledge of new things without professional photography. Therefore, both professional and participatory photography have advantages and disadvantages, viewers should keep their minds and eyes open and not underestimate the power of photography, an art form that can widen our perspective and encourage us to view the world from different angles.

Tiffany Lee: Participant vs. Professional Photography

Participant vs. Professional Photography by Tiffany Lee

Participatory photography and professional photography are two very different ways that people can capture what they interpret is reality onto photographs. What ultimately sets the two apart are the photographers’ motives and goals behind their photographs. Professional photographers take a picture with the ultimate goal of evoking a response from his viewers. Whether it is taking a photograph to make an artistic statement, taking a photograph of a significant event to give the viewer visual information on a subject, or simply taking a photo of a crying baby to evoke the emotion of sadness in its viewers; the drive of the professional photographer is always the viewer. This is different in participatory photography because these photographers don’t necessarily have concrete motives for shooting certain subjects. Often, participatory photographers are people that are disadvantaged as a result of social problems; photographs that they take of their daily lives are often used to shed light on these particular issues to the general audience. However, just because advocating is what participatory photography is often used for, this doesn’t necessarily mean that participatory photographers shoot their picture with such intent. What they are really doing is merely sharing to the public what their life is like; taking pictures of their friends, their family, and their home is not so much a political statement as it is just shooting pictures of how they live their life. Viewers are the ones who ultimately attach another meaning to these photographs because they look at the exposed social issues through their own political and ideological lens. The juxtaposition between professional and participatory photographers can be seen in photo projects such as Shooting Back. Participating children were given cameras to take pictures of their daily lives in poverty, as a result they took pictures of them on the school bus, at the playground or eating with their family; in other words, pictures that we, the viewers, would take of our daily lives as well. Later, when the professional photographer (Hubbard) who was involved collected these photos and made them part of the project, he changes the meaning of the photos from being family photos that children have shared, into photos that viewers see with ideological lens towards the social issue that is being exposed. This example shows how often time, participatory photography will have the motive to share, while professional photography shoot with its viewers in mind.

Lionel Batoba: Participant vs. Professional Photography

Participant vs. Professional Photography by Lionel Batoba

Participatory Photography projects such as those by Shooting Back and Venice Arts have demonstrated the incredible insight gained by providing members of certain communities the means of documenting their lives. The greatest benefit of participatory photography seems to be the authenticity of emotions people are able to capture when their subject are familiar to them rather than strangers. With this type of photography it seems to be a bit of a gamble, that hopefully these novice photographers will be able to capture something that is interesting and visually relevant; of course this depends on who is viewing the photographs. Professional photography while it may not always get the raw emotions, it has a better understanding of what it is looking for, of the message it is trying to convey with certain photographs.

A big difference that I have noticed between the two types of photography is that participatory photography is not as one sided as professional photography can sometimes be. By that I mean, the participatory photographs we have seen depicts people in all sorts of different states, and a lot of them are happy and smiling. This is a different aspect of certain communities that professional photography does not always capture; it seems that professional photographers feel that they can obtain a stronger response to their work by pulling at our heartstrings in a melancholic manner. I feel in the world of photography there is room for both and that should always be the case, with the ubiquitousness of cameras lately, it seems that everyone is photographer, but a lot of them don’t really have anything interesting to say. I think participatory photography is most beneficial when it demonstrates a community where photography is perhaps a novelty, where certain people need a voice and a real accurate representation of the good as well the bad.

What I See, Who I Am!

Disabled children explore their world through photography, with help from College of Art and Design students at Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University, in Saudi Arabia.

This article is a guest feature by Janice Levy, a professor in the Department of Cinema, Photography, and Media Arts at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. Professor Levy spent ten months of her 2010-2011 sabbatical in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, teaching photography to young women at the newly established College of Fine Art and Design at Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University in Riyadh.

Using her stronger left hand to hold the camera, Azziza takes a picture of Professor Levy, who is taking a picture of her. Photo by Janice Levy.

When you learn the most from those you think know the least, the lesson will transform you. This is what happened when fifteen photography students from Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University (PNU) participated in a unique collaboration with children at the Disabled Children’s Association (DCA) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

My PNU students were new to photography, and they were struggling with what it meant to photograph in a culture where representations of living things are considered haraam (against Islam). By using photography as a tool for personal expression and social change, I wanted to engage them in community service, a new concept in the Kingdom.

I had previous experience bringing together photography students and the disabled. In January 2005, while I was teaching a two-week photojournalism course in Antigua, W.I., my students and I visited the Amazing Grace Foundation, a home for the severely physically and developmentally disabled in St. Johns, the capital of Antigua & Barbuda. That encounter, although difficult for the students, was life-altering. At Amazing Grace, the disabled were passive subjects for the photography students, who struggled to overcome their own discomfort yet represent the disabled in meaningful ways. I wanted the KSA project to be more significant, so I added a component that intensified the collaboration and greatly enriched the results.

I proposed a multi-faceted project to three dynamic and visionary Saudi women directors at the DCA and to administrators at PNU. As part of their Advanced Photography coursework during spring 2011, PNU students would both photograph at the DCA and teach a select group of disabled children how to take photographs.

Ashwag examines her phographs while a PNU student displays a picture of Ashwag taken by another DCA student, all of this on the first day using the cameras. Photo by Janice Levy.

The goals of the project were myriad. Exposure to disabled children would help PNU students overcome significant fears, prejudices, and misconceptions they had about disabilities. Because of religious and cultural restrictions, most of the PNU students led very sheltered lives. They had few, if any, opportunities to observe the work of physical or occupational therapists, for example, let alone imagine themselves in those careers. In addition, the students would refine their photographic skills, develop social awareness, and, in all likelihood, access a dormant part of their humanity.

The disabled children would learn the art and skill of photography. In addition to being fun, taking pictures could become an important means of expression, especially for children who have difficulty with verbal communication.

The DCA students would gain a sense of dignity and have the opportunity to show the world that disabilities do not indicate a lack of emotions, thoughts, hopes, and dreams. The project would culminate in a photography exhibition featuring work produced by both the DCA and the PNU students.

Taif took this photograph of a minaret near her home. Photo by Taif Al-Quhtany.

The idea of using cameras as a tool for empowerment is not new. Based on this concept, photojournalist Jim Hubbard created “Shooting Back” in the 1980s, and others have used this technique with a variety of populations in different nations. But our project would mark the first time in Saudi Arabia that education, the arts, and community service were combined into one project. It was one of the few times photography was treated as a legitimate vehicle for meaningful expression in KSA, not just superficial description — such as photographs of sand dunes and sunsets.

The DCA directors and PNU administrators realized the proposed collaboration had the potential to impact Saudi society in very far-reaching and long-lasting ways. Approval to proceed was granted in record time.

I consulted with two DCA art teachers and an occupational therapist to select children to participate. In selecting participants, we took into account availability (each needed permission of his or her family), level of interest, cognitive ability, and dexterity.

After much research, I decided that the Canon S-95 compact digital camera would be best for the DCA students. It was sturdy but lightweight, easy to use, and had RAW image capture, a feature that allows the camera to take the best quality images. The DCA purchased five cameras that were rotated among the eight DCA students who participated in the program. Each student, ranging in age from six to ten, kept a camera for three days at time.

Abdullah learns camera controls with the assistance of a PNU student. Photo by Janice Levy.

We arranged eight, four-hour visits to the DCA during the fourteen-week semester. PNU students met with the DCA participants and taught them to use the cameras, reviewed their pictures, encouraged them to talk about their work, and photographed activities at the school.

The outcome of “What I See, Who I Am!” was remarkable. The DCA students photographed both outside and inside the privacy of their homes, creating a rare and insightful documentation of their lives. Despite lack of experience with the medium, the photographs taken by DCA students revealed a sophistication of vision and a sensitivity usually seen only in the work of highly accomplished photographers.

Azziza took this photograph of her father while he was napping on the floor of their home. Photo by Azziza.

For the PNU students, the experience was transformative. At an end-of-semester gathering, they reported learning more than they had ever imagined just by being with the disabled students. One woman, humbled by the experience, said, “I watched so many times while they tried to do something, and they wouldn’t stop until they had done it, no matter how difficult. Me, I give up after one try, and I am able-bodied. I will never give up again.” Another student was surprised by how the disabled children viewed themselves. “They have more ambition than me. I asked ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ and he said a pilot or a doctor.’ They don’t even think these things are not possible. I don’t even think about doing these thing in my life.” Yet another said she never thought she could teach, but this experience made her more confident and proud.

I told the young women how proud I was of them. They had moved far outside their comfort zones and had trusted each other – and trusted me – enough to take a journey that forever changed the way they thought about themselves, disabilities, and their role in the world.

Although they didn’t need to be reminded of how far they had come, or how much they had learned, I asked them to recall their first visit to the DCA. The women laughed. In retrospect, they couldn’t believe how nervous they were about meeting the children. Some said they were so sure that being around disabled kids would make them sad. After all, the DCA children were “less fortunate” than them. But being around the kids didn’t make them sad. For the first time in their lives, these PNU students were “giving back.” And that felt really good.

Using digital cameras allowed students to review their images instantaneously. Here, Professor Levy and Taif share excitement over the photographs she took. Photo by Janice Levy using self timer.

Venice Arts Hiring in Merced County

Venice Arts is looking to hire a project manager/teaching artist in Merced County.

The organization is facilitating a two-year program in photography and multimedia for youth that will support The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities youth initiative in Merced. Priorities for this initiative include supporting healthy development of youth, and keeping families safe from violence.

Working in alignment with the curricular programs of other youth service providers in Merced County, Venice Arts’ role is to build local partners’ capacities to sustain the Venice Arts model through professional development trainings for local teaching photographers/media-makers, to deliver workshops to 15 youth in South Merced/Beachwood Franklin and 15 youth in Le Grand/Planada, and to train youth on how to use their multi-media/photo essays to support advocacy efforts, policy and system change.

If you’re interested in the job, please have a look at the job description posted on Venice Arts’ website.

Venice Arts’ Mentoring Program a Finalist for Presidential Award

Venice Arts’ Art Mentoring Program has been recognized as one of the top programs of its kind in the country by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the White House announced Thursday.

Venice Arts is one of only 50 organizations nationwide to be honored as a finalist for the National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Awards, which promote the creativity of America’s young people, celebrating the learning opportunities and chance to contribute to their communities that these arts programs provide.

BagNewsSalon on the Visual Framing of the Great Recession

On Sunday, October 16, our friends at BagNews will host a BagNewsSalon webinar discussing the visual framing of “The Great Recession.” The Salon will include photographers who have been covering the recession as well as visual academics who specialize in the visual rhetoric of poverty and social welfare.

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

Webinar details: 

Participants Scheduled to Appear:

How to join the live webinar:

Ian Rowe: Participant vs. Professional Photography

Participant vs. Professional Photography by Ian Rowe

In the author’s view, photography as a medium for political activism has not been very effective due to a lack of authenticity. She also criticized the photographers mentioned in her paper as maintaining the status quo rather than countering it. I argue that there is no magic bullet to solve a given social or political issue but rather the solution comes from a persistence stemming from artists, activists, community members, and those who consider themselves all of the above. Photography is a medium that can report, express, and contribute to social change. Professional photography and citizen journalism are both necessary and can provide differing advantages in expression, reporting, and political contribution.

Professional photography brings with it people who have mastered their craft of capturing images of high quality in an artistic, functional, and expressive way but may succumb to bias of experience and being an outsider to the issue at hand. This may result in only capturing certain issues without having the knowledge to capture others. The opposite is true of citizen journalism in that the ones with the camera photograph what they know. Though this may not be representative, it is much more authentic in that given situation. In addition, they are not likely to be experienced photographers and thus may be less able to capture a candid, authentic, quality moment and more likely to capture a staged photograph of those close to the photographer.

I think it is a great advantage to have the ones personally involved express themselves through photography because of the authenticity involved, but we must realize that regardless of who holds the camera a creative or political bias will always exist.

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