Book Reviews Book us viewer, inviting voice to we Michelle Bogre’s Michelle Publishing, Plc, 2019,Publishing, pages. 264 of Bloomsbury an imprint Arts, Visual Bloomsbury Practice, and History, Theory Bogre: Michelle Photography TransitionThe of Documentary Then, Now, Later and featured photographers that are also available to available also are that photographers featured range of range political meanings that construct our collective memory and views of views and memory collective our construct that meanings political in participate by practices tronic culture enables us enables culture tronic of history the rewrites Bogre tices. to tunity discussion on discussion in listed as changing of transformation current of of own narrative by narrative own shatter the rigid distinction between the analogue and digital age and reveal how reveal and age digital and analogue the between distinction rigid the shatter list. resource sive and historical reality. At reality. historical and and photographer perspectives: two photography from documentary approaches reader. of the experiences and on depending interpretations for fluid therefore, allows, to readers allow that processes reading non-linear and

a At viewing. The rich textual analysis of analysis textual rich The viewing. “Documentary Photography Reconsidered” “Documentary are invited by invited are

foreword written by foreword written the linear level, Bogre reconsiders how documentary photography has been been photography has how reconsiders documentary Bogre level, linear the the ongoing debate on debate ongoing the In section. resource the us allow images reflect upon early documentary work and contemporary documentary documentary andcontemporary work documentary early upon reflect making creative connections between past, present, and future that that future and present, past, between connections creative making memory, evidence, narrative, and a and narrative, memory, evidence,

the discourse. This active engagement reflects what the current elec current the what engagement reflects active This discourse. the the transformation of transformation the Bogre to Bogre completing assignments and exploring other documentary works works documentary other exploring and assignments completing “Documentary Photography Reconsidered” offers a offers Photography Reconsidered” “Documentary Documentary Photography Reconsidered: Photography Reconsidered: Documentary to consider both the ethics of ethics the both consider

Stephen Mayes, an Stephen Mayes,

to to us encourages Bogre level, non-linear the

both learn about documentary photography and add our our add photography and about documentary learn both documentary photography is documentary

do. examine how form and content how to and form work together examine

We its transformation. The open structure of structure The open transformation. its addition to addition : : London New and York:

documentary photography offering both linear linear both photography offering documentary both consume and create content, and similarly similarly content, create and and consume both documentary photography. consists book The documentary photographs accompanied by accompanied photographs

introduction, five chapters and an and chapters five introduction, Zeszyty this, Bogre includes interviews with the the with interviews includes Bogre this, www.ejournals.eu/Zeszyty-Prasoznawcze/

s. 2(246), nr 64, 2021, t. Kraków provides readers with the oppor the with readers provides DOI: 10.4467/22996362PZ.21.014.13479 DOI: watch on watch tool for social activism. Bogre Bogre activism. fortool social photographing and the ethics ethics the and photographing

interlinked with past prac past with interlinked PRASOZNAWCZE both follow and actively actively and follow both the culture, knowledge, knowledge, culture, the book’s the sociocultural sociocultural to companion companion fascinating fascinating create our our create a the book book the diverse diverse 119

create create exten – 122 - - - -

Book Reviews Book Reviews As 19th century (p. century 19th Truth that offer an offer Truth that viewers must thoroughly analyse the images (p. images the analyse thoroughly must viewers website. The reader can discover documentary photography at documentary discover can The website. reader Eddie Adams’s Eddie Bogre argues that photographing people and events imposes on imposes events and people photographing that argues Bogre in trust our impacted has technology how digital examines further Borge 120 multidimensional discourse that combines both theory and practical suggestions. practical and theory both combines that discourse multidimensional is for a misunderstood remained As memories. false correct and implant both can images to has photographer the While responsibility. now?” (p. however, how has, we nology changed photograph and discusses how photography has been used since the 19th century century 19th the since used how been photography has discusses and photograph photography in at together images same the viewed people past of impact the analyses and perspective photography on to the of portraitures documentary century 19th the to in trust our impacted has technology digital that at virtually images same the to of status problematic the question (p.question photography’s documentary on not impose does contribution to contribution is authenticity their context, without Internet the around circulating of on of of analysis the Through hand. other be must but they ant role in ant played an photography has documentary that argues memory.and Bogre a provides and

a

the scholar, early documentary photographs remain important historical records, records, historical important remain photographs documentary early scholar, the The third chapter is chapter third The an early mugshots that were used by were used that mugshots early people not knowing its real context (p. context real its notpeople knowing document and provide proofs. The author starts her analysis with a with analysis her starts The proofs. author provide and document the photograph’s the In In opposed to opposed

in observation intriguing particularly marginalised groups, Bogre gives a gives Bogre groups, marginalised

the first chapter Bogre introduces the conceptthe of introduces Bogre chapter first the the second chapter Bogre examines the relationship between photography between relationship the examines Bogre chapter second the outsider that produces distorted representations of representations distorted produces outsider that us 119), inviting asks Bogre

preserving the memory of memory the preserving 118). we “How will

modern mugshots, they possessed creative qualities (p. qualities creative possessed they mugshots, modern iconic Vietnam War execution photo which was misunderstood due misunderstood was War photo which execution Vietnam iconic solid basis for further discussion about the relationship between between relationship about the discussion for further basis solid the current debates on debates current the creating memory. Within the chapter Bogre also discusses how discusses also Bogre chapter the memory. Within creating the one hand, and history, truth, authenticity, and reality on reality and authenticity, truth, history, and one hand, the By 84–85). in analysed alternative narrative to narrative alternative authenticity. us devoted to devoted a

documentary photography as photography documentary fixed point point of fixed including images that counter visual stereotyping of stereotyping visual counter that images including

the context of context the transformation from practical and philosophical philosophical and practical from transformation different times (p.times different the analysis of analysis the number of number know which images we images which know early documentary photographs Bogre reveals reveals Bogre photographs documentary early police departments to departments police to

race, history, and visual misrepresentation. visual and history, race, people and cultures (p. cultures people and form the collective memory. While in memory. While collective the form an but creates view reflect on reflect

digital manipulation and social media media social and manipulation digital 79–80). The counterexample constitutes constitutes counterexample The 79–80). symbolic voice to symbolic in how were slaves former portrayed view of view an book the making years the Western colonial gaze – the gaze gaze –the gaze Western colonial the photography as documentary Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Sojourner and Douglass Frederick almost the same time, now we time, same the almost represent their subjects ethically, ethically, subjects represent their 60). Further, Bogre discusses the the discusses Bogre 60). Further, the fact that the shots were used were shots used the that fact the 78). Moreover, observes Bogre the future role of future the the photograph: with images images with photograph: the TH

documentary photography documentary historical proof. According According proof. historical

an other cultures (p. cultures other E 50 trust can N, NOWN, photograph criminals. criminals. photograph example, she provides provides she example, interdisciplinary and and interdisciplinary their own pace. Bogre Bogre pace. own their those whose history history whose those

118). tech Digital us , AND LAT , AND all a all documentary documentary

years from from years called into into called

discussion discussion important important 125). This collective collective evidence. evidence.

import 40–41). E

R the the the the the the the the see see … - - As Rendition Rendition valuable discussion of discussion valuable we we Further, Bogre analyses how digital technology has impacted the status of status the impacted has technology how digital analyses Bogre Further, is witnessing that observation the with her discussion begins Bogre TH us for administrative purposes. What is What purposes. for administrative in meaningfully could that point The art. and documentary between distinction rigid us invites discussing chapter the with memory. ends book The collective the within icance by taken images rapher (p. we whether issue the raises rightly it as used been photography has photographers whose reputation is reputation whose photographers as used photographs early that ten intriguing documentary photography projects that create narratives by narratives create that photography projects documentary intriguing ten power of not the contravene does tion deepens our understanding of understanding our deepens evidence questionable? Answers to Answers questionable? evidence to contribute of signif and meaning its consider photography and amateur engagement with our of ethics. of visual discussion the enrich could ideas of these oration of be strictly documentary. strictly in sibility (p.scene be always could manipulation digital whether the question raises This subjects. as shots creative use should an to photographs believe always of agency as of risks any as

is The fourth chapter focuses on chapter focuses The fourth Edmund Clark and Crofton Black CroftonBlack and Clark Edmund a traditional narrative conventions or narrative traditional established reputation of reputation established the redacted photograph impact our engagement with the image? Further elab Further image? the engagement with our impact photograph redacted the it to Summing up, Summing interesting bridge between the theoretical approach and the practical one allowing one allowing practical the approach and theoretical the between bridge interesting nowadays, everyone can use their mobile phones to mobile their use can everyone nowadays, as E can go can have never heard of have heard never

way of even more important now for documentary photographers to photographers now for documentary moreeven important N, NOWN, depends, among other things, on things, other among depends, reconsider documentary photography from multiple perspectives and actively actively and perspectives multiple photography from documentary reconsider as powerful 158). a Being to the digital age. According to According age. digital the the subjects and monitor how their photographs are being used (p. used being are photographs monitor how and their subjects the about navigating the issue of issue the about navigating is

as 179). suggestions, any not give does Bogre Unfortunately, telling the truth, regardless of regardless truth, the telling as technique this using , AND LAT , AND read images with a with images read a the ongoing debates over whether or over debates whether ongoing the particularly interesting example of example interesting particularly

the photographers whose career has just started? Does the lack lack the Does started? just has career whose photographers the “Documentary Photography Reconsidered” Photography “Documentary what wewhat us brings witness E documentary photography. The analysis of photography.analysis The documentary (p. R … 172). on The goes author can see (p. see can

evidence. Further, Bogre explores how documentary how documentary explores Bogre Further, evidence. the photographer always render their photographic photographic their render always photographer the a

be the role we the starting point to point starting the role of the new awareness and consciousness. The book offers offers book The consciousness. and awareness new evidence by evidence

true representations, we representations, true can trust the images taken by taken images the trust can

a not established. How should we How should established. not help us could questions these method of method Negative Publicity: Artefacts of Artefacts Negative Publicity:

photography to how the photographer decides to decides photographer how the photographs taken by taken photographs more, their “artistic flair” (p. flair” “artistic more, their Bogre, with the wide reach of reach wide the with Bogre, 139) is what and use new forms of forms new use

back to back the represented issue or represented issue the as photographer documentary the play as the State were unburdened from the the from were State unburdened the discuss political issues. The project The project issues. political discuss creating evidence? Does our trust trust our Does evidence? creating the question of question the not documentary photographers photographers not documentary viewers and photographers and and photographers and viewers how a to reveal politically important important politically reveal as conclude that take pictures, the author author the pictures, take

more, how image redac more, how image lack of lack storytelling that are not are that storytelling need to need amateurs or amateurs

the photographers photographers the ethics and respon and ethics

is subject. Are there there Are subject.

visual proof can proof can visual always subjective subjective always trust the photog the trust an both evaluate evaluate both Extraordinary Extraordinary

ethical issues issues ethical approach the the approach exceedingly exceedingly

consider the the consider social media, media, social 125) reveals 125) reveals we shoot the the shoot beginner beginner witness. witness. witness. witness. to cannot cannot means means used used 158). how 121 - - - - -

Book Reviews 122 THEN, NOW, AND LATER… participate in the discourse. The book also raises a plethora of other interesting issues which, due to the limited scope of my review, would be worth discussing separately. While I would greatly appreciate a bit more elaboration on the issue of using digital manipulation as a way of telling the truth and the engagement with the photograph-evidence taken by amateur photographers, I am also aware of the author’s intention which as mentioned in the introduction is to leave us with ques- tions. “Documentary Photography Reconsidered” will definitely benefit readers who wish to be more aware of the meanings constructed by images. It is an intriguing and thought-provoking work so much needed in times in which we are exposed to more images than ever before.

Weronika Saran B orcid.org/0000-0003-2430-0510