The week started with a Wedding to photograph. Weddings make me kind of nervous, I always say I would never do weddings, such is the huge responsibility, but I caved in as this was a wedding of a client I have worked with for a while on his urban sportswear brand.
I actually secretly quite like photographing weddings because I love the cuteness of the children and their smart attire, the amazing opulence of the hand beaded dresses that would have taken a very long time to make. I also love the atmosphere at weddings, the joy and upbeat emotions swirling around with people hugging and the pure love that can be felt all around.
I have done a lot of research lately for my essays, looking at documentary photographers, I came across Leni Riefenstahl, best known for her German propaganda films during WW2, Triumph of the Will being one she was most famous for and Olympia Festival of Nations (1936).
Leni was primarily a filmmaker and due to her association with Hitler became a controversial figure. Her imagery is beautiful and feels quite haunting, especially her images of the Olympic athletes.
Leni Riefenstahl – Olympia
Leni Riefenstahl – Olympia
Politics within photography is a longstanding debate and one I have heard a number of times due to my documentation of protests. The particular question of 'can photographer’s influence politics' arises. It appears apparent to me that Photography is political and can be political even if not intending it to be.
I have heard in interviews with photographers saying they are not political. Mishka Henner a Dutch artist living in Manchester being one such photographer.
I went to see Misjka's exhibition of his Feedlots work, he stated that he is not an activist similar to Leni Riefenstahl who stated that there was no explicitly stated political agenda in her work. Leni was never an official member of the Nazi party but she was the subject of four denazification proceedings and although she was never prosecuted she was branded a Nazi sympathizer and was always seen in association with the propaganda films she made during the Third Reich which had a profound effect on her career. (Wikipedia)
While Both Leni and Mishka claim to not have any political aims with their work, it is clear that their work has ended up being political in some way, it leads me onto thinking more about what exactly is political imagery? What makes an image political in nature? What responsibilities (if any) do I have as a documentary photographer?
I also attended a Palestine action protest this week which I regularly attend as one of my ongoing projects. Lokey the British rapper and activist from London attended and was performing when one of the Palestine Action Activists known as Joe Wilks (@joewilkesmusic) gained entry to the roof of the Elbit factory and fell through the roof and broke his ankle, which I caught on camera.
I was quite apprehensive about posting the video and only posted it once I knew the activist was safe and he had come to relatively little harm. I had to consider what the ramifications where or could be of posting the video. I find this something I am increasingly aware of when it comes to protests, what you post can shape peoples views, is this a moral issue or a political one, or both, I am not sure at this point.
On that harrowing note of politics it brings me onto Halloween. To finish off on a positive note we always go to Muncaster Castle for Halloween and this year was no different, I usually take this moment to capture one or two images of course and I wasn't disappointed.
Shoots Photographs 