Documentary

Photography
Patrick Boland & Ellie McCarthy

Documentary
Photography

A factual image of a story being told, by the

photographer, thats purpose is to evoke
feeling within us as the viewers.

There are 3 types of documentary

photography:
-social
-photo journalism
-street

Influential Documentary
Photographers

Walker Evans Social documentary photographer. He was

an American photographer best known for his work for the
Farm Security Administration (FSA) documenting the
effects of the Great depression

Steve McCurry Photo journalism photographer. His career

emerged when he crossed the Pakistan border into rebelcontrolled areas of Afghanistan just before the soviet
invasion

Tim Hetherington Photo journalism photographer. He was

British, and his photographs brought you right into the
trenches. On 20th April 2011, while covering the conflict in
Libya, he was killed in a mortar attack

Social Documentary
Photography

Our chosen sub-genre is social documentary

photography or culturally concerned
photography, where the photographer is
trying to explore our society, showing the
viewer through either posed, or natural
photographs. It photographs intention is to
provide a certain insight into different cultures
and environments.

Social documentary
photographers

Milton Rogovin he dedicated his lifetime to creating

photographs that speak of the humanity of working people,
the poor and the forgotten ones.

Martin Parr he looks at the aspects of modern life, and his

photographs offer us the opportunity to see the world from
his unique perspective

Robert Frank is an American photographer and

documentary filmmaker. He captures staged images, showing
fractured America.

Milton Rogovin

He has been likened to the great social documentary photographers of the

19th and 20th centuries. He dedicated his lifetime to creating photographs
that speak of the humanity of working people, the poor and the forgotten
ones.

In 1957, he was declared The top Communist in Buffalo. However, he was

really registering Black voters. He refused to be silenced, and discovered
that his camera would now be his voice. He started documenting Buffalos
poorest and working classes, and eventually the whole worlds. He uses his
photos as his protests, and his only concern was to fight for social justice.

On January 18th, 2011, he died at the age of 101, when his passing was
noted across the country, as fans of Rogovins unflinching portraits of
working-class people around the world remembered his skill, passion and
dedication to the less fortunate members of society.

Milton Rogovin East

Side

Analysis of Rogovins
Photo from East
Side

In regard to content
structure Rogovin has
specifically
positioned
himself in a location
where he is able to
capture the locks on the
door as well as the
discoloured wall paper
and slanted photo frames
on the wall. The locks on
the door express a sense
of insecurity and chaos
which is further supported
by the slanted photo
frames. The discoloured
wallpaper is
highlighted by Rogovins
use of black and white in
the photograph and adds
the sense of it being
taken in a poor area.

With regard to process

Rogovin has the entire of
the photograph in focus
and in black and white.
This allows us to notice
all the details in the
photo
as
the
main
distraction, being colour,
has been stripped away.
This
therefore helps Rogovin
to express the society of
the east side as is his
intention
as
a
socialdocumentary
In
terms of form the
photographer.
photo
is almost two
dimensional if it were
not for the slight
shadows which can be
seen coming of of the
door handle and photo
frames. This is because
the photo has been
taken of an almost

Intention of the
Photograph

The intention of the photo is to provide a documentation of

the society in the east side in 1964. I think that the Rogovin
has managed to accomplish this as the photo which was
analysed in the previous slide, despite not viewing any actual
people, clearly portrays a level of poverty and roughness
where robbery is common.

One way in which i think the photo may be able to express

the intentions of the photographer better if were it were
taken from a position further back in the room to perhaps
show the emptiness of the room, so viewers can understand
how little these people actually had.

/business workers

nd

lower/labour workers

Different types of class

Construction sites

Typical w

Potential Practical Respones

buildings

ng for
rs

Typical hou
labour wor