Alex Harris “The Idea of Cuba”

I have always been a quiet person and because of that I have been inherently drawn to documentary photography, in that, the technique is used to discover and tell a story. Without the use of words, a photographer can use the nature of a photograph to narrate the story that exists without it being influenced by our own oral interpretation; the photographer is in search for a visual representation of truth, as we tend to trust our eyes more than our ears. This search drives the need to find truth in the nuanced details that make life and culture so fascinating; the stories themselves. That being said, I have found Alex Harris’ documentary photography collection, “The Idea of Cuba”, to be the most adherent to my own interests and reasons for creating a documentary body of work.

What first drew me to Harris’ work was the way he handled the presentation of a common idea by use of three different subject matters; each being photographed respectively in their own aesthetic and technique. Alex Harris’ goal was to depict the essence of the modern Cuba. He did so through the means of reversing the obsolete attitude and viewpoint the West, essentially, America, has towards Cuba. His book was divided into three sections: photos of Cuban landscapes through the lens of classic American car windshields, photos of Jose Martin statues in public spaces, and portraits of Cuban prostitutes. By choosing these three subject matters, Harris was able to juxtapose America’s idealization of Cuba, as well  to show the self-reflection of Cuba’s current social-economic status  in comparison to its own idealized view. The simple, yet genius technique worked to show various parts of the whole, each section being an individual aspect, whilst still tying this overbearing concept all together. I find myself constantly struggling to go beyond the surface of concept while still being able to convey my ideas to the public. In my beginnings, my work was often individual photos that stood on their own. But, translation and communication were lacking. With my educational experience, I have and still am evolvehving into building bodies of work, yet I still struggle as I find myself focusing on a single aspect of a concept. Harris avoids this problem completely by providing a broader context, relating the specific concept to a broader audience. This method, I feel, works especially well when dealing with a culture and its experience, often multi-layered, which I often find myself photographing, as I am doing so for this semester.

In his interview on CNN, when talking about this body of work, Alex Harris says he went to Cuba as a photographer not trying to say anything, but trying to see what the pictures would tell people. I found this hypocritical as all photographers have intentions when taking photographs. He wanted to show the public the real Cuba. He did not necessarily know at the beginning what stories to tell, but he knew what he wanted as the outcome.  In cultural documentary photography, I find there being a natural sense of justice attached and I found this in Harris’ work. He is showing a struggling people who want the freedoms that Western societies have. Whether he intended this to be the case or not, by choosing such a subject matter, this sense of justice does come through and he is responsible because he is the photographer. I personally don’t mind if my work has this attached feeling to it. I am a fighter for equality and justice. It is part of who I am and it is bound to come out through my photography; through choice of concept, and subject matter. By denying what naturally exists, you deny documentary photography itself. Also, all media influences thought, whether we like it or not. Sadly, there is no true objective viewpoint when it comes to sharing. We are beings of developed influence and perspective; we are opinionated by nature. As individuals and documentary photographers, we choose what to photograph and these photographs tell the story as we see it, stemming from our eye and cognitive thought.

But that aside, the deepest connection I felt with Harris’ work was this search for cultural truth. For some reason we have this need as photographers to share with the world our interest in this. Why must we take pictures? Why must we explore other cultures? I personally use culture and society in my search for the tragedy and beauty of what it means to be human and I can see this in his work as well. By doing so, we are constantly asking why. Why are things the way they are? Why do we have these different and shared perspectives and experiences? Why do we choose to do the things we do? And what causes these choices? Through documentary photography, I am able to explore these questions, asking them to the world, attempting to answer them for myself. This drive to tell stories and truths relieve some sort of burden we have on our minds. Maybe it is because we are naturally so judgmental and we are trying to justify our own perception. I am not sure, but I do know that it is necessary to look at others in order to view ourselves.

Photography has allowed for visualization of thought;  a communicative means besides that of spoken and written word. And as I stated earlier, we trust our eyes more than we do our ears. What we see is and by exploring ideas visually, new perspectives are to be had that were once not there. We as photographers choose not to write or to speak. We choose to show and as documentary photographers, we choose to show what is.

500 word critique of famous documentary photograph: Jacob Riis "Bandits Roost" (1888)

Jacob Riis "Bandits Roost" (1888)

Assignment 3

War Photographer

"If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough"
-Robert Capa

A film portraying all that is beautiful and all that is hellish pertaining to that of documentary photography. First off, I must say it is ridiculous I have never seen this film in my life, as I feel “War Photographer” is pertinent and integral for all photographers. The mannerisms and photographs of James Nachtwey are that of elegance, class, and wonder; with them is an important timelessness taken with so much care.
Right off the bat, I found an instant connection with James and his words. “You have to be single minded.” My jaw dropped and a sense of relief overwhelmed me when this was said. I consider myself to be a lonely observer in this social world, as is James Nachtwey. Being so, one is able to not be responsible for that of others, allowing for a beaming focus opening one’s eyes and mind to the world around you. Doing so, one is able to transcend relative reality, making all matters yours. You become unemotional and distant as a human being, but regain these as a photographer through the lens. The documentary photographer must be invisible yet so involved. Having a single mind, one is able to do so. The reason I felt so relieved was that fact that I have been battling being a loner rather than embracing it. It finally clicked that this is not such a bad thing when there are others who accept this and use it to their advantage.
I love the fact that James is so reserved, holding so much respect for those around him, yet he still manages to become so involved in the events. His actions and photographs speak for him, again, allowing for his eyes to take in the environment; to do the work; to see what needs to be seen. This is very difficult to achieve as documentary photography can feel so invasive and voyeuristic. Lately, I have found myself lacking in the confidence to do so, stopping me from capturing what I observe, having almost too much respect for the world around me.
Why are people so interested in the loss of others? The celebrations of others? The emotions of others? What do we as documentarians get out of capturing what it means to be human? Well, the answer is just that. As being observers by nature, and documentarians specifically, we are in search of what it means to be human. It allows us to witness history from what happens to ordinary people, not the academic world, as said in the film. Personally, it helps answer my question of purpose. When you observe others in situations, you can picture yourself having these experiences. But then ask the question, why them and not me? Through photography, I am able to appease that questioning by not only sharing these experiences with myself but those who see the photograph.
As far as picking a favorite photo of James’, it is impossible. Because of how astounding of a photographer he is, his photos are all that of amazing, breathtaking and real. I cannot relate to any of the situations he photographs because I am a middleclass White American who is not brave enough to go around the world experiencing these events for myself. That is my situation. I have not experienced famine, war, epidemic, etc. I can only imagine and sympathize through his depictions of these situations. It is also hard to choose a favorite due to the subject matter, in that, even though the photograph may be well done, the subject matter is so devastating making it almost disrespectful to say that is my favorite. I do not think James would want us to choose a favorite; he wants us to react with human emotion and action.

Mr. K's Shoot 1

A successful meeting with Mr. K allowed for an all-access initial tour of the facilities.

Assignment 2

Final Project Proposal 2: Food 622

Orange Curry Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon and Mexican Naan (tortilla)

My interest in culture and tradition has led me in the direction of food. Inspired by the experiences of famous chef's Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern, and Paula Deen, I and those around me, have become enthralled with the art of cooking. Multiple times a week, the roommates and I journey to grocers and markets around Tucson to purchase ingredients for the dish of the night. The total experience, that of planning, shopping, preparing, cooking, and eating, has become a tradition and a time of bonding for the three of us; allowing for conversations of life, philosophy, comedy, etc... The art of cooking has become therapeutic and meditative.  Our passion is so infused in us that it has led to talk of dropping out of school, saying fuck it, and opening some sort of food stand or restaurant.

I want to document the surface, as well as the personal experiences that we have; the laughter, the enjoyment and the result: the food itself. Having many steps in the process, each being an experience of its own, I feel there will be much to document.

I foresee the fact that I am often very involved in the process of cooking being a problem. It will be hard to document as well as cook at the same time, especially in the confined space of our kitchen. I am not sure that a tripod'd and timer'd setup would do the job as I want the camera to be just as involved in the experience as the cooks.

Final Project Proposal 1: Low 'n' Slow - Mr K's Barbecue

(Above image of Mr. K's Food courtesy of TucsonCitizen.com)

Classic American tradition is dying as our society globalizes. Brought up to embrace what once was, it has been infused into my blood to support and save the dying institutions of American society. I have always felt that losing sight of the elements that formed this society could have very detrimental effects; a complete loss of culture.

I bleed bourbon, blues, baseball, and barbecue. Having traveled across the country with my dad, I have experienced them in almost every state of the US. And being in Tucson for 4 years, it went without question to continue my quest for the ultimate exemplification of American tradition. This lifelong journey has led me at this point in time to Mr. K's Barbecue.

For this project, I want to capture and share the aspects of American barbecue culture that I feel are most important; family, tradition, history, emotion, food, music, people and love. I feel Mr K's is the perfect establishment in order to do so as it will illuminate this greater connection. The restaurant looks as old as barbecue itself and within, it houses a very personal and prideful African-American history museum, constructed by Mr. K himself.

I would love to be able to interview Mr. K and ask him many questions; racial, historical, personal; what are his motivations, where did this pride derive, what he has been through, and what does he want to share with the world and why in Tucson of all places; essentially, what barbecue means to Mr. K. I would also love to get the perspective of the two men who run the counter; why they are drawn to continuing the tradition, the passion and what they have learned from Mr. K.

I see access being a problem. The restaurant is open a majority of the week, but, I am going to have to request permission. Also, Mr. K is not around all the time, so getting a picture and an interview with the man who birthed this establishment could possibly be an issue. Other than that, I don't want to sound overconfident, but I feel my passion will drive my photography and I will be successful in capturing what I want for this project.

Assignment 1

Without routine, I am nothing. My existence becomes meaningless and I become lost. Within my routine, there are experiences that I can't live without; as I am nothing without them. Leaving the life I once lived, I must bring pieces with me that remind me of what once was. In space, I would be competing with insanity on the daily; what once was, my routine, will help maintain my sanity as long as possible. I must be grounded.

For Memories Sake Response

All artists contain within them a certain insanity that eventually evolves into what becomes personal method. Angela Singer is a victim of this evolution whether she likes to think so or not. Being an artist and a photographer myself, I can appreciate Angela’s obsession of capturing what she simplifies as memories. Obliviously, these moments are more than just a memory as they hold enough value to be documented. This method of documentation allows oneself to introspectively review one’s life, one’s surroundings, and one’s thoughts. This process then allows for contemplation, review, and organization which leads to a greater grasping of one’s existence; a common attribute in that of the work of an artist, and even deeper, in that of the human condition.

There are extremes exemplified in this type of self exploration and I find Angela Singer’s search to be included. I find her method to be excessive in that, because of the quantity of images she has captured, she has removed herself from what she finds worthy of capturing. I say this for the simple fact that she does not have time to go through each picture for its individuality, rediscovering its importance; what I feel to be pertinent in the process that is art. I personally can relate to the love of capturing a moment in time, a situation I find worthy. I personally can relate to the expression of oneself through photo. But, I ask for whom were all these photos taken?

I find perspective in life and art to be a key component in understanding what is presented to us. The question is asked: What makes Angela’s collection important rather than just someone’s personal archive? My answer to that is perspective. What one finds interesting or important is defined by ones viewpoint of which is developed by one’s life experience. Angela felt the need to capture all of these memories in order to fulfill a need in her own experience; explained in the video, the fact that she was subjected to Southern societal order. People closer to her, i.e. her granddaughter, have a greater understanding of who Angela is, what she was capturing and why. Her granddaughter saw something special in Angela’s actions and felt a need to share her work with the world; an act Angela herself was afraid of but, later thanked her granddaughter for doing so. I feel this was a freeing experience for Angela; a relief of the obsessive insanity mentioned previously. This freeing legitimizes a gained personal experience for Angela, morphing her collection from a personal archive into a work of art. The story that is contained within is now able to be shared.

Angela’s images were nowhere near being technically perfect or formally correct. There was no predetermined conceptual element; no professional equipment being used. They are uninfluenced and untouched by a third party. The images are as raw as images can get. They are truly of Angela; her experience and her perspective. The compelling story is that of the untrained southern grandma reacting to the world, unknowingly, as an artist; capturing the human experience in the simplest way of doing so; achieving what all artists are striving to do.

What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann Response

Sally Mann is what I like to call a lucky artist. By no means am I saying she does not work hard at what she does, or that she is undeserving of her acknowledgement and praise in the art world. I believe she is lucky due to the fact that she has the ability to take a simple love for something and then has the ability to capture this love and translate it into art, or in this specific case, photography. She understands her interests and passions well enough that the world then is able to embrace them with her and the world is able to share with her in this love. I am truly envious of Sally Mann does as an artist and as an interpreter. I believe she has a grasp on the human experience; the pain and the fears; the love and the hope.

With that being said, I can relate to Sally in her wanting to share her own experience of life. Existing in all of us is the need to tell our own personalized story. I often find myself, in a way, documenting my own life; the people I know, the people I love, and the experiences we share; going beyond that of point-and-shoot MySpace pictures of course. I have always been an avid observer and collector, of which I assume stems from my lack of ability to communicate through my own words. My introversion and distrust for the world has allowed me to embrace this “flaw” and use it to my advantage. With my mouth shut, and my ears and eyes open, I observe the world. Or as I like to say, you have two ears, two eyes, yet only one mouth. My photography has allowed me to share my own experience with the world.

Throughout my years of photographing, I have produced work that holds the same meaning to me, as Sally’s images do to her. I have always embraced my surroundings and have always made an effort to observe every nuance happening in front of me; the moments that affirm what it means to be human and alive. My friends and family will tell you that my camera is an extension of my existence. I never really minded the invasive and voyeuristic aspects of documentation. Unhindered, I was able to and am still able to capture all the moments I felt and feel to be important. These moments birthed my fiery passion for photography and even life itself. And until recently, I was only able to achieve this with a camera. This past summer, I decided to take a leap and I chose to invest in a digital voice recording device. Enthralled with my new purchase, I essentially left the thing on from the point I woke up, until I was fast asleep. This resulted in recording hours and hours of conversation with my friends, my family, the public, and sometimes my own self. I found most of the recordings to be useless and insignificant. Yet, there were moments I did record that happen to envelope my soul with emotion and memory every time I replay them. The struggle as an artist is then to take these findings and have an understanding of them, then being able to share them universally.

Documentation of personal experience can be seen as sacrificial. Often instead of living the moment and sharing in it, I find myself too focused on capturing it. The struggle is to find the balance, allowing the ability to observe as well as live. I am sure Sally, and all documentarians and artists alike, can relate to this conundrum. I often find myself lost in the third person perspective, detaching myself from reality. I take too much interest in what is happening environmentally and not enough interest in my own experience. Though, this sacrifice does have its benefits. By removing oneself from direct emotional involvement, one is able to capture emotion and experience in its rawest form, through use of a tool or my own mind. The risk of missing out is there, but the results yielded are that much more magnificent. Distance allows for complete absorption and a truer point of view, an idea I have come to terms with.
The observer has a love for life that I feel no one else can understand.

Why we have this need within ourselves to create our own testament, I am not certain. What I am certain of is the need. What is life without observation? Again, I am not certain because I have the need; the need to capture, the need to document, the need to observe; the need to share with the world my thoughts and experiences, my point of view.