Evidence photobook
"A poetic exploration upon the restructuring of imagery"
- Mike Mandel and Larry Sultan, 1977
- Mike Mandel and Larry Sultan, 1977
In todays task we experimented with not only instructions, but the concept of evidence. We began the lesson by looking through a photobook called 'Evidence' by Mike Mandel and Larry Sultan. Incorporated in this book is a series of appropriated images from files and archives, displaying documentary evidence on each page. This initial introduction to evidence encouraged me to consider the concept of the term itself.
Personally, I would describe evidence as the proof of something. While further exploring 'evidence', I found various synonyms, including confirmation and verification. However, one synonym in particular that stood out to me was 'documentation'. Immediately, I associate documentation with photography, therefore somewhat displaying the strong link between evidence and photography, initially presented to me in Mandel and Sultan's book.
Personally, I would describe evidence as the proof of something. While further exploring 'evidence', I found various synonyms, including confirmation and verification. However, one synonym in particular that stood out to me was 'documentation'. Immediately, I associate documentation with photography, therefore somewhat displaying the strong link between evidence and photography, initially presented to me in Mandel and Sultan's book.
In the photobook the images are not supplied with captions. I think this may be for the benefit of the reader, but also to further enhance the concept of evidence as a whole. Often in photography we are given context regarding what the image shows. However, the removal of this context makes a viewer more critical when considering the images, as we are not immediately given answers in regards to the photographs themselves. Some of the time, applying a caption fixes a meaning, rather then leaving it up to interpretation and therefore closer, perhaps more thoughtful consideration. Moreover, getting rid of a caption perhaps enhances the idea of evidence as we are almost using the images themselves as 'evidence' in order to get information about what we believe to be the meaning of the photos. Therefore, in my view, if there were captions explaining the context of each picture, the purpose of the book would to an extent be defeated, as instead of using the images as evidence to confirm or deny a certain belief or idea about the photograph, we are simply given the answer, so evidence is no longer required.
Thinking about context reminds me of threshold concept 7. Though this removal of context in 'Evidence' leaves room for interpretation, it also encourages a sense of ambiguity and perhaps confusion. Photographs rely almost entirely on context to become more meaningful as context can explain almost everyone in regards to our understanding of the image. Therefore displaying my point that, to avoid confusion, we must use the evidence of details in the images in Mandel and Sultans book to attempt to provide our own context. Consequently, encouraging more rigorous examination of each photo. |
Response to evidence #1
I rephotographed an image from the book following a set of instructions:
- photograph the photograph so that light is reflected on its surface, partly obscuring the subject
- photograph the photograph with someone else's hand (pointing, holding etc)
- photograph the photograph inside a book. Consider the relationship between the photograph and adjacent text / images.
- photocopy the photograph. Photograph the photocopy.
- Damage / disrupt the photograph in some way. Photograph the damaged / disrupted photograph.
My favourite image is probably the bottom right. On initial glance, a viewer may not notice the relationship between the book and the photo. However, after some examination you may see the deliberate detail where the legs of the man pictured seamlessly continue on the front cover of the book.
In conclusion, I would say that photographs have a strong link with evidence, and to an extent are reliable as a form of it. Though, through the use of editing and obstructions the photographs can be manipulated, it is inevitable that a trace of reality will always be found in a photograph. A photograph starts with everything, and it is up to the photographer to make choices to narrow this down.
Therefore, I believe, though I have altered the original photograph in various ways, I would still argue that they are somewhat still reliable as a form of evidence for the reason that I think photographs will always represent a version of reality.
Therefore, I believe, though I have altered the original photograph in various ways, I would still argue that they are somewhat still reliable as a form of evidence for the reason that I think photographs will always represent a version of reality.
Experiment #2
In Mandel and Sultans photo book, each page contains two images, with a gap in between each. For example:
The method of putting two pictures on a page encourages viewers to consider the relationship between the photographs, something I enjoy doing as I feel it causes me to carefully consider the images more, therefore noticing more details and consequently creating my own interpretations and opinions about the photographs. Moreover, Mandel and Sultans decision of adding multiple of these double spread pages creates a subsequent sequence or perhaps narrative, causing me to then see if I can notice more relationships between each page.
Additionally, the gap in between each photo could have been included for multiple reasons. In a YouTube video by Alec Soth titled 'Mind The Gap', he mentions these spaces. He compares these gaps to music, and the silence between two notes. He explains how these two notes are blended together by the listener, creating a single sound. This relates to photography as art mimics this theory, with the viewer almost removing the gap and blending the images on either side of this gap, like a listener blends the two notes, despite the silence in between them. I think t
Additionally, the gap in between each photo could have been included for multiple reasons. In a YouTube video by Alec Soth titled 'Mind The Gap', he mentions these spaces. He compares these gaps to music, and the silence between two notes. He explains how these two notes are blended together by the listener, creating a single sound. This relates to photography as art mimics this theory, with the viewer almost removing the gap and blending the images on either side of this gap, like a listener blends the two notes, despite the silence in between them. I think t
Experiment #2 - Images
Every class members photographs taken in experiment #1 got printed out, and after getting into groups, these photos were evenly distributed between each group. We were then tasked to imagine that these photos were pictured in a photo book, and how, if double spread pages were utilised, we would place each image. My group and I focused on the relationships we noticed between each image we placed next to one another. We payed attention to specific aspects such as shapes, objects and composition.
I was happy with our final result. The pairing I like the most is probably the fourth one. Initially, we decided to put these two pictures together because we noticed that both photos captured in the prints had been physically manipulated. For instance, the one on the left seems to be folded, whereas the one on the right looks as though parts of the image have been cut and redistributed in different places. However, upon further examination, I noticed that the objects in the photograph on the left seem to mimic the people pictured in the in right photo. I like this aspect because it varies from the other pictures we placed together.
Class photobook
Evidence from Jon Nicholls on Vimeo.
Beyond Evidence
- Explored some of the issues that visual artists had when dealing with storytelling
- The show displayed work that questioned / tested how narratives are created
- A photographs ability to deliver a meaningful narrative
- Context is everything in photography
- Mandel and Sultan used double page spreads to tell a story through visual language
- image becomes an actor within political movement
- things you cant show in pictures
- telling layered stories through photo narratives can be a problem
- Artist Sara-Lena describes photography as a "conman element"
- show reflects on our ability to trust
- when the image is taken out of context what should we believe
- artists in the show "play with what we consider the truth"
- show explores multiple narrative as singular narrative can be limiting
- we wish for truth, photography will never give us the full truth
- first filter on a photograph preventing a full representation of the truth is the photographer (makes series of choices before and during process of taking the image)
- second filter after the photographer is the presentation of the work
- third filter is the viewer (how individuals perceive / interpret the image differently)
- viewer must make up their mind on if image reaches its purpose
- artist has no control over how the viewer perceives their work
- Mandel and Sultan used ambiguous photographs to leave narrative up for interpretation
Photo story : The note
In this task we were instructed to create a fictional story using only photographs. A narrative had to be clear through the use of only images. Initially, as I am aware of the importance of context, I wasn't sure if I could produce a story without any text explaining the narrative. However, I tried to make my pictures as easily understood as possible.
Overall, I would argue that what my story is trying to show is somewhat clear. The narrative consists of somebody searching through a coat and finding a mysterious note. My final photograph shows the finder of the note leaving the location where most of the story is set, while wearing the coat. I think the sequence would likely leave a viewer with questions - What was on the note? Where did the person go? Who is the person shown in the images? Subsequently, I believe the final arrangement of photos creates a kind of cliffhanger.
Though I liked the final story, upon further evaluation, I believe that the storyline seems almost incomplete, or unfinished. With the cliffhanger present, the story seems to represent more of a chapter out of a story, rather than a finished plot, almost as if it is missing a solid ending. Moreover, I am unsure about the exposure of my images, specifically the final two photographs. Though I made the decision to use a darker exposure on these images in order to fit the mysterious feel, and perhaps further enhance this idea of not revealing much to add to the ambiguity of the story, I personally feel that perhaps these images are too dark. A viewer almost has to strain to fully comprehend what the picture displays, and therefore if I were to use a dark exposure again, I would ensure it does not limit the clarity of the image, unless this was necessary to achieve my aim.
Photo story experiment #2
We started the lesson with twelve images, and we were instructed to create a narrative using twelve random images. Here is my final result:
The escape
Initially when I saw these twelve images spread out on my desk it was almost overwhelming. At first glance, I struggled to see links between a lot of the photographs, and, seeing so many images in front of me, I didn't know where to start. I began by just scanning over each image, and considering ways I could group the photographs together.
I started by placing a photograph of a man at the start of my sequence, I thought this was a good starting point as I believed that perhaps I could use other images to display things about things about the man. Then, I chose a desk to depict his location. To me, I feel the desk seems to portray the space of somebody creative - it is not entirely neat and it seems well used, and the artworks that hang above the desk may belong to an artistic person. This idea to me clearly fit well with the photograph of a pen, I feel the man has sat down at his desk, perhaps he is an artist, and began drawing. The next photograph in the sequence displays the result of artists drawing - another person. I used the next photograph to represent the idea of this man escaping into his imagination. The image displays an open hatch, and the darkness that lies beneath this open hatch almost seems endless, therefore to me this could depict the entry to ones imagination which, once engrossed in, can at times feel endless. While slipping into his imagination and thoughts, I imagined that the artist envisions the life of the person he has drawn. He begins by visualising how the sketch would look if he was a real person. I took the photograph of the man standing in the snow to depict the artists assumption of the visual reality of his artwork. At this point, I had already noticed a clear similarity between four of the images: they are all in black and white. I subsequently knew that I wanted to place these photographs together in my sequence in order to either emphasise an idea, or to overall just avoid confusion, as perhaps it would be puzzling for a viewer if the coloured and black and white images were mixed up without an obvious reason. I decided to use these images to show the artist almost delving deeper into his imagination, picturing the life of his drawing, if it were a living human. He almost seems to become fascinated with this fictional life, envisioning aspects of this made up characters surroundings, his home and the town he lives in. With the drastic change back to coloured image I aimed to illustrate a sudden, grounding snap back to reality, reminding the artist of his own perhaps dull, mundane lifestyle. He is reminded of his own actuality - his own home and surroundings.
I started by placing a photograph of a man at the start of my sequence, I thought this was a good starting point as I believed that perhaps I could use other images to display things about things about the man. Then, I chose a desk to depict his location. To me, I feel the desk seems to portray the space of somebody creative - it is not entirely neat and it seems well used, and the artworks that hang above the desk may belong to an artistic person. This idea to me clearly fit well with the photograph of a pen, I feel the man has sat down at his desk, perhaps he is an artist, and began drawing. The next photograph in the sequence displays the result of artists drawing - another person. I used the next photograph to represent the idea of this man escaping into his imagination. The image displays an open hatch, and the darkness that lies beneath this open hatch almost seems endless, therefore to me this could depict the entry to ones imagination which, once engrossed in, can at times feel endless. While slipping into his imagination and thoughts, I imagined that the artist envisions the life of the person he has drawn. He begins by visualising how the sketch would look if he was a real person. I took the photograph of the man standing in the snow to depict the artists assumption of the visual reality of his artwork. At this point, I had already noticed a clear similarity between four of the images: they are all in black and white. I subsequently knew that I wanted to place these photographs together in my sequence in order to either emphasise an idea, or to overall just avoid confusion, as perhaps it would be puzzling for a viewer if the coloured and black and white images were mixed up without an obvious reason. I decided to use these images to show the artist almost delving deeper into his imagination, picturing the life of his drawing, if it were a living human. He almost seems to become fascinated with this fictional life, envisioning aspects of this made up characters surroundings, his home and the town he lives in. With the drastic change back to coloured image I aimed to illustrate a sudden, grounding snap back to reality, reminding the artist of his own perhaps dull, mundane lifestyle. He is reminded of his own actuality - his own home and surroundings.
A true story: The fall
In order to further explore the concept of images telling stories, I created a sequence of images based on a true story my dad has told me.
The story is from when my dad was a teenager, and decided to climb a tree as he thought it would be funny. However, as hopefully clear in the images below, he ended up losing his grip and falling, and as a result getting knocked out. Due to this incident, an ambulance was eventually called.
I decided to put these pictures in black and white as, not only does it create a more perhaps ominous tone, a reflection of the unfortunate event, but often, in film, a black and white filter may be used to evoke a sense of the past, something I aimed to portray as this series is the recalling of a memory.
I asked my friend how she would interpret this sequence and these were her main ideas.
- A man goes on a walk
- He decides to climb a tree
- He falls badly shown by the ambulance
- Black and white could show the mans emotions as upset and empty
- Black and white represents the melancholy atmosphere
- Perhaps represents a series of emotions (up hill and up a tree at the beginning showing increasingly lifting spirits, and abrupt fall to ground could represent a switch to feeling downtrodden, upset etc)
Image annotations - Jack Latham
In todays lesson, we were given the photograph below, and asked to annotate it. Any context to the image was deliberately removed in order to encourage us to carefully consider the photo, as lack of explanation meant we were forced to concentrate in order to make sense of the image . When annotating, I tried not to make lots of assumptions and interpretations, as I wanted to ensure I could firstly start by simply noticing the surface level things in the image, specifically what I could clearly see. Once I had pointed out everything I could see, it was then easier to perhaps consider alternative interpretations and analyses regarding the bigger ideas about this photograph.
I also focused on composition, splitting the image into what I believe to be its main sections.
I also focused on composition, splitting the image into what I believe to be its main sections.
Sugar Paper Theories
My response to Sugar Paper Theories
Sugar Paper Theories, a book by Jack Latham, includes a series of images functioning as a photographic documentation of a true crime case: The Guðmundur and Geirfinnur case. In 1974, two men went missing in Southwest Iceland on separate occasions. Details surrounding the case were scarce, however, despite this, confessions were extracted from six people. Though confessions were made, resulting in convictions, none of these people actually had clear memory of what occurred on the night of the disappearances, and it was ultimately discovered that they were wrongfully convicted due to a number of factors, such as police manipulation techniques and episodes of memory distrust syndrome. In his work, Jack Latham retells the case, retracing files to create a series of documentary images. However, Lathams' book is not a completely accurate depiction of reality, an aspect he has added deliberately in order to explore an "interdisciplinary storytelling", with photography being deliberately, yet also perhaps subtly, a misleading, perhaps due to its subjective nature, tool of storytelling.
Latham employs different photographic genres to inform viewers about the case, such as still life, landscapes, portraiture, and archival images. I believe genres are significant in photography, and also the narrative Latham outlines due to their perhaps versatile nature. The story Latham retells is one of complexity, but through his use of different genres, the case is, I believe, made clearer. I was inspired by Latham to create a response to Sugar Paper Theories, in order to further enhance my research. I also utilised different genres and types of images in order to display a depiction of halloween through the years, with a brief investigation regarding a pumpkin incorporated within the main body of images. I believe the use of different genres allows for different perspectives. I would argue that both Latham and I use genres in our narratives as a tool to draw upon different perspectives, as opposing genres can, while commenting on a concrete concept, invite different interpretations and perceptions about the same thing as a result of their versatility.
Another aspect of Sugar Paper Theories that interested me, and influenced my own response, was the significance of the "the grey area", within Latham's project. Latham describes his process as operating within, "the grey area between fact and fiction". The whole concept of a book, and actually documentary photography in general represents this idea in my view, however specific examples can be drawn upon to. For instance, one image is titled 'Conspiracy Theorist's Desk'. The image consists of a fairly ordinary looking desk, piles of paper and books scatter the table, and a few pieces of artwork are displayed on the wall. However, despite the somewhat believable scene, aspects of the image and the photograph as a whole lead me to believe that the desk pictured does not, in reality, actually belong to the conspiracy theorist Latham refers to. Therefore, this is a depiction of "the grey area", because we are suspended in this region between fact and fiction - fact in this case functioning as the truth that conspiracy theorists likely were involved in this investigation, and fiction functioning as the uncertainty that perhaps this desk doesn't belong to the conspiracy theorist and could be a reconstruction. I wanted to reiterate this idea in my own series of photographs. The first image in my series is a found image, a 1950s halloween celebration. I was unsure of the location of the image, but in the brief context I paired with each photograph, I claimed it was taken in Illinois. I utilised this element of fiction in order to further enhance my investigation of pumpkins, and the consequent flow of the photographs, as Illinois is the highest pumpkin producing state in the USA. I added this element of fiction to enhance, and in my opinion, perhaps improve my story, but does this change the story I have displayed in any way? Does this take away from the truth my images possess?
This is a springboard into my next point that Sugar Paper Theories encouraged me to consider. I think the concept of the "grey area" invites us to question our established definition of documentary photography. Throughout my research, I found myself considering how many of these photographs are constructed by Jack Latham, and how many represent full reality, and I feel this book invites us to consider if this really matters regardless. Is it always important that documentary is a certain depiction of the truth? Is this grey area in photography inevitable, so therefore we must accept it as we have no choice not to? Personally, I believe the idea of documentary possessing elements of fiction, or not being a reflection of the undoubtable truth, is disconcerting to many. This is because, I feel often we as humans strive for a definitive answer, and it is more comfortable to get a black and white response, a simple yes or no. However, Latham almost both resists this idea, deliberately showing us that photographs will never give us a definitive answer, a black or white meaning, and therefore we are always working in this grey area of photography.
Why do we accept fiction in some cases, often if we are told beforehand, but sometimes we find fiction disconcerting when we have initially assumed it to be an accurate depiction of reality.
Is Jack Latham making a point about law - they were convicted guilty, the law is seen as the truth, but in this case this wasn't the truth
In some areas eg law and documentary photography it is sometimes more comfortable to believe that the answer is yes or no.
Latham employs different photographic genres to inform viewers about the case, such as still life, landscapes, portraiture, and archival images. I believe genres are significant in photography, and also the narrative Latham outlines due to their perhaps versatile nature. The story Latham retells is one of complexity, but through his use of different genres, the case is, I believe, made clearer. I was inspired by Latham to create a response to Sugar Paper Theories, in order to further enhance my research. I also utilised different genres and types of images in order to display a depiction of halloween through the years, with a brief investigation regarding a pumpkin incorporated within the main body of images. I believe the use of different genres allows for different perspectives. I would argue that both Latham and I use genres in our narratives as a tool to draw upon different perspectives, as opposing genres can, while commenting on a concrete concept, invite different interpretations and perceptions about the same thing as a result of their versatility.
Another aspect of Sugar Paper Theories that interested me, and influenced my own response, was the significance of the "the grey area", within Latham's project. Latham describes his process as operating within, "the grey area between fact and fiction". The whole concept of a book, and actually documentary photography in general represents this idea in my view, however specific examples can be drawn upon to. For instance, one image is titled 'Conspiracy Theorist's Desk'. The image consists of a fairly ordinary looking desk, piles of paper and books scatter the table, and a few pieces of artwork are displayed on the wall. However, despite the somewhat believable scene, aspects of the image and the photograph as a whole lead me to believe that the desk pictured does not, in reality, actually belong to the conspiracy theorist Latham refers to. Therefore, this is a depiction of "the grey area", because we are suspended in this region between fact and fiction - fact in this case functioning as the truth that conspiracy theorists likely were involved in this investigation, and fiction functioning as the uncertainty that perhaps this desk doesn't belong to the conspiracy theorist and could be a reconstruction. I wanted to reiterate this idea in my own series of photographs. The first image in my series is a found image, a 1950s halloween celebration. I was unsure of the location of the image, but in the brief context I paired with each photograph, I claimed it was taken in Illinois. I utilised this element of fiction in order to further enhance my investigation of pumpkins, and the consequent flow of the photographs, as Illinois is the highest pumpkin producing state in the USA. I added this element of fiction to enhance, and in my opinion, perhaps improve my story, but does this change the story I have displayed in any way? Does this take away from the truth my images possess?
This is a springboard into my next point that Sugar Paper Theories encouraged me to consider. I think the concept of the "grey area" invites us to question our established definition of documentary photography. Throughout my research, I found myself considering how many of these photographs are constructed by Jack Latham, and how many represent full reality, and I feel this book invites us to consider if this really matters regardless. Is it always important that documentary is a certain depiction of the truth? Is this grey area in photography inevitable, so therefore we must accept it as we have no choice not to? Personally, I believe the idea of documentary possessing elements of fiction, or not being a reflection of the undoubtable truth, is disconcerting to many. This is because, I feel often we as humans strive for a definitive answer, and it is more comfortable to get a black and white response, a simple yes or no. However, Latham almost both resists this idea, deliberately showing us that photographs will never give us a definitive answer, a black or white meaning, and therefore we are always working in this grey area of photography.
Why do we accept fiction in some cases, often if we are told beforehand, but sometimes we find fiction disconcerting when we have initially assumed it to be an accurate depiction of reality.
Is Jack Latham making a point about law - they were convicted guilty, the law is seen as the truth, but in this case this wasn't the truth
In some areas eg law and documentary photography it is sometimes more comfortable to believe that the answer is yes or no.