Laurence Misdate 'Circus Travelling* - July Half Moon Exhibition
Victor Burgin Robert Golden Ralph Gibson Terry Dennett Manuel Alvarez Bravo
No 3 Half Moon Photography Workshop 25p
Art, Common Sense and Photography
BY VICTOR BURGIN cisely for making such a (mystificatory) actual state of affairs. In photojournalism, a political statement. particular moment may somehow come to The main thrust of photographic criticism A photograph of a baby at the breast of a signify a general truth. This ‘somehow’ is these days is towards the consideration of woman in a private nursing home in Switzer generally considered to be unaccountable photography as Art. CAMERAWORK, on land may be placed alongside a photograph except in terms of such things as ‘luck,’ the other hand, has raised the issue of pho of a similarly-composed mother and child ‘talent’ or a combination of the two. Cer tography as an instrument of ideology. group in a village in rural India. Assuming tainly the photographer of George V was Many people believe that these two appro that there are no obvious signs of depriva lucky, and he may very well have been aches are incompatible. Art is thought to tion on the one hand, or of privilege on the ‘talented’ (whatever that means), but while have nothing to do with politics, 'political’ other, the two images together will pro the picture before us may have depended on art is thought to be irretrievably compromis nounce: “Mothers and their babies are the luck for its existence, it does not depend ed as Art. But the two may not be quite as same everywhere.” Such a smugly reassuring upon luck or ‘talent’ for its meaning — its mutually exclusive as these people like to message was indeed communicated by The meaning is something we can account for. think. Family o f Man exhibition. The caption, the All com m unication takes place on the Work with an obvious ideological slant is title of the exhibition, served mainly to un basis of signs, most predominately on the often condemned as ‘manipulative’; that is derline what had already been said. In this basis of visible and audible signs. To say to say, first, that the photographer manipu case, the text served the photographs. that one person has communicated with lates what comes over in the image; second, Here, an ideological content is produced another is to say that each of them has un that as a result his or her audiences be by a formal device. The message: “The con derstood how to use and interpret the signs liefs about the world are manipulated. Not dition of motherhood is the same all over which made up the message between them. much is known about how the media influ the world,” would not have been conveyed If you speak to me in Greek, 1 have no prob ence opinions, although we can be fairly sure so readily by either of the photographs lem hearing the noises you are making, but if that people aren’t simply led by the nose by alone. Only the juxtaposition of the two I do not ‘know Greek’ in common with you, photographs. Whatever the case, both creates such a content, in such clarity, and then 1 cannot understand what you are charges can be similarly answered; manipul with all the immediacy of an observed natur saying. ation is of the essence of photography; al truth. (The message is ideological not photography would not exist without it. simply because it is wrong in what it says — In photography, certain physical mater Fig. 1 simply to be mistaken is not necessarily to ials are technically handled so that meanings fairly be bought for wages is a mystification be in a state of false-consciousness — it is are produced. Photographers are people which conceals the fact that, as the value of ideological because it misrepresents the who manipulate the physical means of pro a commodity depends on the labour invested actual material condition of the world in the duction of photography; cameras, film, light in it, the owner is appropriating as profit service o f specific vested interests.) ing, objects, people. Using the productive what belongs by right to the labourer: pro Because we have separate words for capabilities of photography to reproduce the fits are unpaid wages. The idea of false ‘form’ and ‘content’, we are easily misled in world as an object of aesthetic contempla consciousness is another important aspect to believing that they stand for totally dis tion, and nothing else, is no less ‘m anipula of the meaning of the term, ‘ideology.’ tinct areas of experience. But there is no tive’ than is any other use of photograph: The politically ‘Left’ photographer wants content without a form, and no form .which to turn away is an act, to turn away from sit to help correct society’s false picture of its does not shape a content. In that they both uations of immediate social relevance is a po actual conditions of existence, to raise such have been misled by a picture of the world litical act, and to perform such acts in every questions as: Why this practice? What does given to us by language, ‘artists’ and ‘acti working moment adds up to a political it mean? What interests does it serve? vists’ alike tend to inhabit the same aesthetic policy. Such a photographer wants to help people ideology. Artists believe that they can pre The only imaginable non-political being is become conscious of the forces which shape sent a totally content-free world of pure a totally self-sufficient hermit. The photo their day-to-day lives; to realise that the forms. Activists believe in the autonomous grapher who has chosen to live in a society social order is not a natural order, and thus power of ‘the truth’ which will impose itself Fig. 3 and enjoy its benefits, even though he also beyond all change, but is made by people regardless of formal considerations. It will The photograph is a sign, or more correct chooses to put on blinkers when he squints and can be changed by them. The political pay us, if we arc concerned with what ly speaking, a complex of signs, used to com into a viewfinder, is willy-nilly an actor in a ly dissident photographer however is involv photographers ‘say,’ to examine the devices municate a message. If you show me a pho political situation. So how is it that so many ed in an apparent paradox, that of seeking to which enable photography to say things, de tograph of a pile of stones then, at an im people can genuinely believe that they lead penetrate appearances with an instrument vices so familiar to us they may pass mediate level, my eye receives visual a-political lives and that it is others designed specifically to record appearances unnoticed. ‘noise’ just as my car received verbal noise ‘militants’ and ‘extremists’ — who ‘have’ and appearances alone. Popular photography magazines periodi when you spoke to me in Greek. We can ideology, not themselves? We must first say cally carry articles advising their readers to suppose that 1 have seen photographs since what we mean by ‘ideology.’ look for ‘contrast.’ Such articles generally I was a child and so have no problem in When we look at the day-to-day life of a begin with a directive to look for contrasts terpreting these irregular patches of light distant culture — behaviour, customs, dress, of light and dark tones, rough and smooth and dark tones as representing stones. diet — we arc immediately struck by its textures...... and then move from form- (When African bushmen were first shown strangeness: Why do they do that? Why do oriented to content-oriented oppositions photographs, they had to be taught to read they eat those? What docs it all mean? such as young/old, happy/sad, etc. Such them). But what beyond this? If I go on to Few such questions trouble us as we pursue contrasts are indeed part of the stock-in- remark that the photograph depicts a tem our own lives in our own culture, and if they trade of the professional — take, for exam ple, that the temple is ruined, and that is were asked, they would probably get short ple, the picture of ‘victory and defeat’ in Greek, then I am relying upon knowledge shrift. Why does a man generally let a fe Fig. 1. that is no longer ‘natural’, ‘purely visual’; 1 male stranger precede him when he is going Most active photographers arc aware of am relying upon knowledge that is cultural, into a shop, but not when he is boarding a the phenomenon the ‘third effect’: two verbally transmitted, and in the final analy bus? Why do men hang ties around their images side-by-side tend to generate mean sis, ideological (I might think ‘cradle of civil necks when they wear a shirt, but not when ings not produced by either image on its isation’ or ‘damned Greeks’ according to they wear a roll-neck jumper? The ques own. This effect may be produced by bring when and where I happened to be born). tions appear silly, the answers obvious. . . . ing together two physically-distinct prints Most photographers are aware of using This is ideology as ‘world-view,’ a common- (from two separate negatives), or by juxta some sort of system of effects in their work, sense understanding of ‘the way things are’ posing two distinct elements within a single but such systematisation as may be achieved which is unquestioningly ‘taken for granted.’ frame. In the latter case, the juxtaposition is generally believed to concern only the What we do ourselves seems so natural to may be brought about by chance (happy purely formal — the ‘visual.’ Content, it is us that we even cease to notice what we do. coincidence) or by design; if by design, then believed, is just there in the world, and ‘Habitualisation,’ said the critic Viktor cither ‘natural’ means (casting, posing, etc.) therefore in the picture, whether lined up Shklovsky “devours work, clothes, furn or ‘technical’ means (darkroom manipula with the frame or composed on the diagonal. tion, collage, etc.) may be used. But once we reject the idea of photography iture, one’s wife and the fear of war.” E_ Through habitualisation, working men and For example, take the picture of George as a “purely visual’ language, understood women accept lives of tedium, or even mis Fig. 2 V on Derby Day in Fig. 2: in this image, we equally by everybody everywhere, then we ery, as their natural lot, while others accept Bertold Brecht found the camera a poli believe that the contrast of rich and poor is may begin to consider the possibility that the social cost of their own greed as being tically-deficient instrument: a photograph made on the basis of a coincidence — the content, too, may be produced as deliber just as unavoidable. The media by which we of a factory, he pointed out, tells us nothing photographer just happened to be there ately as one may plan the formal composi are informed characteristically reinforce of the economic forces governing the lives of when. . . .; but it is equally possible, al tion of the photograph. such attitudes: “Unemployment is expected those who work in it. Roland Barthes made though perhaps less likely, that the two main To return, then, to ‘contrast.’ All con to rise next month. . . . More rain is expect a similar point when he reviewed The Family elements of the image were assembled in the trasts are juxtapositions, but not all juxta ed in the south-west” — both facts appear o f Man exhibition: of course babies are darkroom from separate negatives. Or, positions are contrasts. The ‘Derby Day’ equally to belong to the natural order of bom and nursed by their mothers all around again, it is not beyond possibility that the and ‘Boxing’ pictures are based upon a con things, acts of God against which there can the world, but photographs of them tell us situation depicted was ‘set up’ for the cam trast; that is to say. a dissimilarity of con be no insurance. nothing of the child’s life expectancy or of era — for example, the photographer could tents (rich/poor, victory/defeat). The well- The sort of habitualisation which leads the likelihood that its mother might have have directed a suitably-cast and dressed per known Diane Arbus picture of identical millions to collude in their own repression, died giving birth. son to run up to the coach at a predetermin twins, on the other hand, (Fig. 3) is based and which allows the rich and privileged to Such writers, notably including Walter ed spot. Further to all this, the contradic upon a similarity of both form and content. continue to act selfishly “in all good faith” Benjamin, have concluded that as language tion of rich and poor could have been com The fashion picture beside it (Fig. 4) is Marx called “false consciousness.” For ex itself is the instrument best adapted to mak municated by juxtaposing two separate pho based upon a juxtaposition of similar forms ample, in order that the institutions of the ing a politically-specific statement, then the tographs, taken at different times and places which have dissimilar contents (e.g., State should continue to serve the interests photograph can only serve the text. But, from one another. animate/inanimate). of a ruling oligopoly, it is necessary that although the premise here is correct, the Of the above possibilities, we would pro Looked at more closely, the photograph most people should continue to believe that conclusion does not necessarily follow from bably conclude that the picture we have here er’s stock-in-trade of ‘contrast’ may be seen such institutions serve everyone equally. Or it. In his essay on The Family of Man, is in actuality the most effective. The to consist of a number of distinct communi again, the belief common to both those who Barthes condemns the failure of photogra photojoumalistic ‘snap’ has an authority cative devices, devices which nevertheless own the means of production and those phy to make a political statement, yet in this which other forms of picture-making lack; it seem to evolve upon the common basis of who do productive work that labour may same essay he condemns the exhibition pre presents itself as factual evidence of. an the various relationships into which two or 2 Art, Common Sense and Photography sense of which its usual sense is only a part, Let’s take some further, actual examples: the linguistic message explains, develops, ex e.g., “Give me your heart” (when the entire Fig. 5 is a visual hyperbole much like our hy pands the significance of the image. (Fig. 8 body is being sought). pothetical example except that in this case is a particularly clear and simple example of Advertising is the most obvious place we the exaggeration is doubly charged through relay). In our previous example, the cap might expect to find rhetorical figures (of sexual allusion; Fig. 6 is an example of tion is in a relationship of relay to the image. which there are literally hundreds). In the chiasmus in the plane of the text; Fig. 7 pre ‘It’s all in the m ind’ is not amongst the con first place, there is no doubt that someone is sents a paradox in the text/image plane. . . . notations we might expect to be summoned setting out deliberately to persuade, in the and may be worth considering in some more by the image alone. It is not therefore second place, there is little doubt that every detail. ‘anchored’ from amongst the connotations thing in the advertisement has been most already available. The rhetorical structure of carefully placed for maximum effect. Com the text/image relation in this case is that of mercial publicity, obviously, endorses and It’s all in the mind. paradox. The dominating connotation of perpetuates the commodity values central to the image may be labelled (but not contain our capitalist ideology. On the left, the pre ed) by the linguistic term ‘poverty.’ Sub vailing view of advertising tends to be simp stituting this term for the image gives us the ly one of disapproval. From one point of statement: “Poverty. It’s all in the mind.” view in ‘classic’ semiology, however, the However, we know the poverty depicted in structure of advertising may be disengaged the image to be a material poverty, hence from its contents: the rhetorical structures the paradox, and hence the effect gained by of advertising are ‘indifferent’ to the emo the juxtaposition of such a caption with tional and ideological value of the contents such an image. they handle; much as, for example, an arith The semiotician Jacques Durand made metical structure like 2 plus 2 equals 4 these remarks in the course of his 1970 ‘doesn’t care’ whether we are adding up taxi study of rhetoric in advertising: “The myth cabs or tomatoes. In this view, therefore, of ‘inspiration,’ of‘the idea,’ reigns supreme there is no reason why, once the devices of in the creation of advertising at the present advertising have been isolated by semiotic time. In reality, however, the most origin Fig. 4 analysis, they may not be ‘re-cycled’ in al ideas, the most audacious advertisements, more visual elements may enter. The nub of counter-ideological message-making. Anoth appear as transpositions of rhetorical figures such a system is formed by relationships of er opinion to be derived from semiotics which have been indexed over the course of similarity and dissimilarity of form and of argues against this, but there is insufficient numerous centuries. This is explained in content, with additional manipulations in space here to discuss the apparent krCM BRAVOManuel Alvarez Bravo is a confusing of winter” which showed BRAVO! a branch of a Valdivia: What can you tell us about the a person who keeps a shop where he does photographer. His pictures of the dead withered tree and a stained glass window in tradition surrounding death in Mexico? passport photographs or wedding photo worker and the naked woman wrapped in a rather art nouveau style with a woman. graphs is practising a craft but not creating bandages are totally convincing. But others Bravo: People believe that there is a love art. Art is created by the individual and not share the artiness of Eisenstein’s Mexican Picton: How did you work as a photo of death, but they do not understand that the material which he is handling. film. (In Eisenstein’s case, you suspect that grapher and for whom; for what kind of it is not simply that, and that what in fact the Sun illuminating his pictures also addled audience? there is in Mexico is an ancient awareness Picton: How does this apply in your own his brain.) of the duality of life and death, death being photographs ? For example, if you had been To make one great picture in a lifetime Bravo: It is a difficult question. My pho the end result of life, and that it is impos an anonymous photographer you would not can be an achievement. Manuel Alverez tography has regularly gained approval both sible to treat the two terms separately. This have had the same impact. Bravo has managed three or four. in and out of Mexico, and in the exhibitions concept of duality we Mexicans receive as Bravo was bom in Mexico City in in which 1 have been, my work has been children, when in November, on the Day of Bravo: It would be exactly the same — it 1902. He took up photography seriously in liked, but that is all I can say. More, I would the Dead, we are taken to the fair and buy is not my fault that somebody suddenly got 1924 but continued to work as a govern not know. toys of death and skulls of sugar, which we interested in my photographs. I did them as ment accountant until 1931. In the same eat. Eating is an activity which sustains life, a means of self-expression for showing on a year he sold his first print to the Museum of Picton: Did you ever work with a group and this life is sustained by a skull. small scale, rather like the way in which M odem A rt in New York. A s well as of photographers or usually by yourself? things are made in a village of artisans. But “personal” photography, Bravo recorded as I said before when talking about the murals and others works of art. He also Bravo: By myself. Picton: In Painted Walls of Mexico (1966) individuals from a group, their work is taught part time. you wrote: “Popular Art is the art of the anonymous whether' it is signed or not, be Edward Weston told him photography Valdivia: Could you describe for us the people. A popular painter is an artisan who, cause the individual is unknown. But there was “fortunate in having someone with your atmosphere in Mexico when you, Buhuel, as in the Middle Ages, remains anonymous. comes a moment when others become inter viewpoint. ” Weston, Diego Rivera and others were work His work needs no advertisement, as it is ested, and then the photographs become ob In 1934 Bravo exhibited with Henri ing there? done for the people around him. .." I agree jects in themselves. They are no longer pure Cartier-Bresson in Mexico City’s Palace of very much with that; could you say some ly the expression of an event to be seen on a Fine Art. From 1943 he worked full-time as Bravo: It was a period of struggle in thing about it? wall or to be reproduced in a magazine, but a photographer and cameraman with a film which every person had to look after him have been transformed into objects, and as studio in Mexico. In 1959 he co-founded a self and work as he could. Relations be Bravo: I think that what is said here objects they can be bought, whether they foundation for Mexican plastic arts. tween all of us were friendly, but we did not about popular art can be applied to art in get sold or not. When Bravo came to London for his show form what could properly be called a group. general. Actually in my opinion, and I said at the Photographers Gallery, Tom Picton There were simply affinities and this in a lecture in Mexico at the Museum of Valdivia: And so they are transformed into and Marcos Valdivia talked to him for relationships. Modern Art, it is very strange to go on talk- m y th ? CAMERAWORK. Odile Bertin translated the tapes. We asked him if his famous pic Bravo: No, rather into merchandise. The ture of the dead striker had a political myth is created afterwards around the meaning: author, with the purpose always of enhanc ing his commercial value. Bravo: Yes, of course. The political question at that time was the struggle for a Valdivia: Quite right! However, I personal minimum wage. Workers were very badly ly think that the work of Manuel Alvarez paid, they went on strike, and this man was Bravo is the expression o f a people. killed. But when one secs the photograph by itself for the first time, I do not think Bravo: Yes, of course. If one is one needs any more explanation, because in concerned with the object-subject relation the background a part of the strikers’ banner ship, the country is bound to emerge. It is can be seen, and the attitude of the dead not that one wants to create a national art, worker is not a general statement of violent but that national art arises when one res death but of one heroic death. ponds to the heartbeat of a nation. Valdivia: Did you personally feel involved Picton: Are you still taking photographs, in the event ? or what kind of work are you involved in at the moment? Bravo: When a photographer is involved in an event, he is so involved and so much a Bravo: At the moment I am putting my part of it that he is not aware of his records in order. I have got at least forty involvement. years of work, and during those forty years, I have taken no care of my negatives. When Picton: Has “the murdered worker" ever I am asked for a copy of such and such a been used as a poster? negative which was published a long time ago, it has to be looked for and a lot of time Bravo: Yes, several times, for a political is wasted in finding it. That is why I am put purpose. In fact, it was not used as a poster ting my records in order, to fulfill a respon Striking worker murdered, 1934 but appeared in left-wing magazines. I sibility which I did not realise 1 was taking remember other occasions when it was pub Valdivia: But such a friendly atmosphere ing about the art of painting, or of painting on at the time. But after that, what am 1 lished not in a political, context, and it is must have been very stimulating. as an art, or photography as an art. I was going to do? Generally what has happened interesting to see how it has been associated asked out of the blue if photography was an in the past is that there arc periods in which with the nude. Bravo: Certainly. That is why I consider art, but I shall come back to this later. Pop I do absolutely nothing. Then I begin again that my work is derived from precisely those ular art is anonumous art made for some ex with great difficulty and failures until Picton: Could you tell us how you movements — essentially the movement in isting group of people, but naturally as time suddenly I get into the rhythm again, and happened to make “the woman in the wall painting. passes, this group is going to develop my capacity for work returns. 1 hope that bandages"? relationships with other groups, and the vari the same thing is going to happen this time, Valdivia: It is said that Mexico is essentially ous contacts between groups will produce a otherwise. . . Bravo: Since it was a commission for the a surrealist country. change, or changes in the art in general catalogue for a surrealist exhibition, I not only in popular art, but in all the arts. Picton: Are you doing any work now worked — without really planning to do it Bravo: That is what Breton says. In fact, After a time, the names of the authors begin apart from that? that way — as automatically as possible. I Mexico can be a dramatic country, a country- to be known, and even if they do not sign, sent someone to buy the kind of cactus full of contrasts, even bordering on the fan it is known that such and such a work is the Bravo: No. Nothing apart from the called abrojos in Spanish, or, “open eyes” tastic, which docs not precisely fit in the work of so and so; anonymity begins to be records. and borrowed a blanket from the caretaker. concept of surrealism which like any other lost. From these relationships a group econ 1 spoke on the telephone to a doctor friend “ism” is an academic term. Perhaps 1 can omy evolves which entails an even bigger Picton: What will happen to all those and told him: “Come here and bring some understand what Breton said as meaning a change because as the natural laws of buy negatives in the future, in, say, fifty years? bandages.” He came very quickly, and I country where the artist can produce fan ing and selling come into play, it becomes bandaged the girl and took the photographs. tastic or surrealist art. In the case of my necessary for the authors of works to invest Bravo: Only time will tell. That is the way it happened. If you want to own work, for instance, I do not think it less time and less money for greater reward. know why it happened that way, 1 think can be considered as surrealist except for This phenom enon is bound to occur in any that the question of the bandages came three or four photographs like “the woman system of production. Thus, art is trans The have-nots are most easily approached if about through an experience I had with a in the bandages,” but all the others arc- formed and loses its meaning of popular art you try to come down to their level, at least group of ballet dancers who came to Mexico. fantasy-inspired by the country itself. to become, at least in my opinion, a in every way but the camera you use. Don’t 1 saw the rehearsals and saw that they ban craft — which in reality it always was. So, go out photographing wearing your Pierre daged their feet, so I bandaged the feet and Valdivia: But “the woman in the bandages” when I was asked if photography was an Cardin blazer over a gaudy Florida-bought something more. was done with a surrealist function for a art, I replied, “no.” Photography is not an sportshirt and shuffling around in Gucci At that time it was not allowed surrealist exhibition, and very successfully art, any more than painting, sculpture or shoes. I always dress in, or take along, an anywhere to circulate photographs showing so. engraving. Art does not exist because mater old pair of blue jeans with matching attire, bodily hair. And I did not have a personal ials for painting, for sculpture or whatever it down to a worn pair of sneakers, when I feel interest in it. The original photograph was a Bravo: True, but you must see the basic may be are bought. Art is created by the have-nots are to be encountered. If you're little more cut than as it is known now. It difference which exists between that photo individual, and it is the artist who exists. with a load of nifty dressers, ditch ’em, was going to be reproduced in three strips on graph and “the murdered worker.” One is But the general term cannot be called art; it pretend you don't know 'em. You’ll see the front cover with the same but in negative all spontaneity as opposed to the other, is craft. An individual can be purely and how the atmosphere improves. on the back. I thought it was an interesting which is the product of complicated mind simply a craftsman. In photography there is Keppler on the SLR format. But it was not published. Instead, games and heaven-knows-what other much more craftsmanship than art. Art has from Popular Photography another one was — called “The consecration subtleties. another dimension from craft. For instance. April, 1976 4 GOLDEN RULES OK? Trained throughout childhood in painting approaching children’s book publishers with means that I have had to concentrate heavily The student of the medium learns of it and drawing, American photographer, an essay on boxing. As a result of this, on the work experience. I have photo through books, from teachers in state or Robert Golden, turned to the camera at the Kestrel books invited him to work on a graphed many other areas of life in the past private institutions, or by working for a age of 12. After studying history at univer series of books for children. The first four few years as well. photographer. In each case, the unity of sity, he spent one year at the London School were Mineworker, Carworker, Farmworker form, content and technique exists and is ex of Film Technique. He then worked in New and Dockworker. These were all done in Is it important to align yourself to a parti pressed in the transmission of the ideas, York for three and one half years as a free conjunction with writer, Sarah Cox. They cular party ? whether consciously or not, by the writer, lance photographer on photo essays and a work together on all aspects of the photo teacher or boss. Underlying these ideas will variety o f social issues. Before returning to graphs, text, layout, presentation. Six more If a photographer chooses to involve him/ be class-biased assumptions, personal obses live in England, he was introduced to titles are scheduled for publication. Robert herself in social questions, then intellectual sions, prejudice and some consciously Marxism and the '/.one System. Both these Golden is at present documenting clarity is as important as emotional com thought out political views. All of these interacted together and opened up whole Unemployment with Sarah Cox, and some mitment and good intentions. There arc so things which influence the work of the mas new areas o f understanding. o f this work will be on exhibition. many moments in an event to photograph, ter will influence the work of the student. Settling to live in London, he began to Jo Spence talked to Robert Golden for so many events to choose from, so many In my experience, the student would do concentrate on documenting work, initially CAMERAWORK. angles, filters, tonal ranges, printing methods better to be instructed by a mediocre photo and controls, grain structures, depths of field grapher of Marxist views than a highly-ac ranges, etc. to select from, that without a complished photographer of conventional clear-sighted view, one is lost. views. The technical and formal conceptions The socialist photographer works in a will at least be formulated within a progres cultural and critical wilderness. Primarily sive framework, and in the end, the passion the photographer must realise his/her re for a particular set of values and ideas will lationship and commitment to the working carry the photographer into a thorough class and to the revolutionary party. Once search for a sympathetic technical and for this is realised, either with or without the aid mal vocabulary. of a particular revolutionary group, the newly-developed view of the photographer Does a photographer know when their will tend to promulgate an association with own level o f social awareness is relevant to the group which most closely holds that the problems of working people? view. In a non-revolutionary period, it is per Most contemporary photographers are haps more necessary for photographers and from middle class backgrounds. The empha other artists to be clearly aligned to and in sis of contem porary middle class culture, as volved with the more general problems of most culture of Western Europe since the the working class than to be deeply involved Renaissance, is placed on individual experi with the programme of a specific left group ence and values; therefore, most contempor as sectarianism in a non-combat situation is ary ‘art’ photographs manifest these individ as likely to close as many avenues of aware ualistic concerns. As the major experiences ness and turn away as many eyes of the po of working people arc collective, the photo tential audience as non-commitment in a graphs are, in the main, meaningless to them. period of struggle is likely to render one’s The following subject matter dominates work meaningless. the work: landscapes — usually in the ro mantic tradition of Weston or the mystical Do you think the way in which you learn tradition of Minor White; reportage of poor, to be a photographer is important? homeless or other politically-weak sections of the population; women in various stages I think the way in which a person of undress in ‘natural’ situations; English encounters the craft is of secondary impor festivals — which seem so often to sneer at tance to the cultural and political environ ment in which that person develops intellect the people pictured and to dismiss the ually. These influences count for more than subtleties of form and technique; portraits the tiny world of photographic craft and of people peculiar in appearance or awkward aesthetics in defining the nature of a in a situation — often in the demented style person’s work. of Diane Arbus; and a host of quasi-surreal Coal picking, farrow, 1976 Who is your audience? Is the ‘political photgrapher’ more than a mirror? I wish the working class to be my audi ence. Which sector or group depends on the A mirror image is two dimensional, flat project at hand. In the children’s books, the and lifeless. Russian and Chinese socialist audience is specifically the children of the realism along with some forms of Western class, and to a lesser degree, their parents advertising are just that. The term, ‘political and teachers. In the unemployment project photographer’ implies a commitment; once that we arc working on presently, the audi there is a commitment, one does not mirror, ence is working people in general, but speci one refracts. It is in this refraction process, fically, shop stewards, militant workers, poli as a picture is being made, that the web of ticals, as well as the unemployed. In my ex subjective factors informs the objective hibitions, I hope to reach the same people phenomena. Experience, perception, preju by making the work available as essays on dice, technical and formal expertise and in walls to be used by Trade Unions and their tellectual comprehension all play a part in branches, Trades Councils, working peoples’ defining the nature and success of the final institutions and political groups for weekend print, book or exhibition. conferences, in works canteens, union halls and other meeting places. How much o f your work is done because Because of the political content of my you think it is politically important, as work, I believe that it can be embraced as a opposed to requests from publishers? whole only by working class people and by middle class people of leftist views. But the I make a living by doing commercial scarred urban landscapes, the lined and work. Unfortunately, it dominates too weary faces, and the moments of exhilara much of my time. The children’s books are tion and anger are sights and experiences a way in which I may earn money while pro which most people are aware of in their ducing books and photographs of value, too, daily lives. It is through these more general to me. Otherwise, as in the unemployment elements of the subject matter that any per project, the commercial work pays for the son may enter the spirit of the work. political work. I do the latter when I can — evenings, weekends, days when there is a lull What are you trying to show? in my commercial work schedule. I wish to reflect back to viewers their Why do you concentrate on work? own experience and humanity and provide an outline of their struggles. In the chil I have not decided to concentrate on dren’s books, we specifically attempted to work but rather on the working class experi Old-age home, London create a broader class awareness and sense of ence of my life. The fact that people’s posi It is true that we have no stage to present or commonplace (snapshot like) subject mat self-pride in the children, while revealing to tions in life arc largely defined by their rela our subject matter upon until we know how ter. While these images may at times be in them both the skills necessary and the tionships to the means of production (are to use the tools to saw the timber, hang the ventive and appealing to middle class audi hazards encountered in production. In the they bosses, bankers, politicians, self- drapery, etc., but while learning technique is ences, they are by and large neither enter unemployment book, we hope to clarify re employed, workers? ), and that the central a primary step in a photgrapher’s education, taining to working people, nor concerned lationships between past and present events, experience of that relationship is rigorously it is more im portant to know what is to be with their social or personal problems. The and between present everyday life and the defined by the daily grind of work (whether presented. After all, the nature of the sub subject matter isolates the work from all but forces which determine its shape, especially caring for home and children, or working in ject matter may dictate one sort of stage or aesthetes, literateurs and students. concerning the tragedy of unemployment. the mill, mine, factory, farm or office) curtain as opposed to another. The underlying content of this subject 5 matter describes autobiographical observa tions, mystical or well-intentioned but un- analytical political thoughts. Unfortunately, the autobiographies are only as interesting as the lives they reflect; the mysticism has little meaning to people who must day by day confront the real power of the world and their representatives in the guise of man agers, police and foremen and women; and the politics are irrelevant to working class re lationships. Thus, the content isolates the work as well from the mass of the people. Because of the class nature of this work, and because the ruling class no longer occu pies the centre of the historical stage, but is slowly being pushed aside by a new main character, their culture generally and their photographic art specifically, like their poli tical and economic system, is effete. Their culture is out of step with the most impor tant undercurrents of this period, and though this photographic work is foisted upon the people as the true representation of the ‘art’ of photography, it remains out side and will continue to remain outside the interests of the 19,000,000 wage earners and their families in Great Britain. But the condition is not all negative. For the last several years, there have been dy namic egalitarian trends revealing them selves. Some community photographic pro jects have helped to bring otherwise isolated people together, presenting images to be dis cussed and ideas to be discovered through the exhibition of photographs from the com munity; the women’s movement has produc ed a volume of work which has reported, analysed and revealed to people ideas which have helped in the struggle for identity and Receiving permission, Dagenham partial liberation; the left-liberal photo- journalists’ documentation of the black lib “ Recognition of the struggle for the right eration and anti-war movements in the of workers at the point of production to States helped to reveal the injustices and tra find a way to make public the true nature of gedy of those two struggles; and now in their working conditions through the use of Great Britain, several groups of photograph film is long overdue. ers are intentionally documenting the class British Leyland shop stewards at a struggle. Coventry plant, faced with the demand from Eventually out of these documentarist their work force to break through the barrier trends will develop the strands of a truly of misrepresentation and silence, called in proletarian cultural photographic expression Cinema Action to film their work-in. which will command the interest and serve Whilst in the factory, Leyland security the needs of the working people. men called the police, who arrested and Photography is today an accepted part of jailed the film crew, later releaseing them our cultural vocabulary, and as such, photo without charge. graphers should be concerned — not with Two weeks later, the Leyland manage photography — but with thoughts, social ment picked out one of the many stewards experience and problems which are central involved Jack Sprung and sacked him. This to contemporary life. Only then will photo act of flagrant victimisation was backed up graphy break out of the narrow aesthetic by the regional and national press and tele tendencies in which it is trapped to the outer vision, who launched a trial by media with world of human life, and only then will pho headlines reading ‘Leyland Row over Mr. tographers win a larger audience for their Sprung’s Spies.’ (The fact that Jack Sprung work. was not the senior steward who invited Cinema Action into the plant was ignored in “The location of the action in Coronation favour of a vicious and libellious personal Street is mainly the enclosed world of the attack against him, his family and against street itself. The community contains no Cinema Action.” children, and its members are rearely seen at work. In fact, the work that we do see going Excerpt from letter to ACCT Journal, on could be loosely described as Film and Television Technician, petit-bourgeois: shopkeeping, the running June, 1976 of a public house, Len Fairclough (a self- employed builder) banging a nail into a wall. The ‘world’ of Coronation Street (and we “Tape recorders, ordinary cameras and are encouraged to think of it as a microcosm cine cameras, are already extensively owned of the world, a representative sample — by wage-earners. The question is why these witness for example the title sequence means of production do not turn up at showing the street as just one among many work places, in schools, in the offices of the thousands of similar streets) is safe, secure, bureaucracy — in short, everywhere where ‘apolitical,’ a place where nothing more than there is social conflict. By producing petty bickering, gossip and the occasional aggressive forms of publicity which were feud is allowed to disturb the nature and their own, the masses could secure evidence structure of the characters’ lives. They are of their daily experiences and draw effective essentially locked into, and resigned to, their lessons from them. position and role in society. The families, Naturally bourgeois society defends it apparently lacking children, relatives and self against such prospects with a battery employment, lead insular, isolated, static of legal measures. It bases itself on the law lives. Their dynamic potential for any of trespass, on commercial and offical action that might transform their own or secrecy. While its secret services penetrate anyone else’s existence is entirely absent. . . everywhere and plug into the most intimate the structured absences are deliberate and conversations, it pleads a touching concern significant. Their significance lies in the for confidentiality and makes a sensitive negative and paralysed protrayal of the display of worrying about the question of a working class, a portrayal that is reinforced privacy in which all that is private is in the by the occasional ‘social realist’ TV docu interest of the exploiters. Only a collective, mentary, where the images depict a sad and organised effort can tear down these paper acquiescent group of people.” walls.” Manuel Alvarado in Eight Hours are Not a Extract from Mass Media and Mass Society Day, published in British Film Institute’s by Hans Magnus Enzensberger End of the shift, London depot Overleaf: Kellingley colliery, Yorkshire Fassbinder, edited by Tony Rayns. translated by Stuart Hood. discussion before the shift. 8 Driving down Park Aven Ralph Gibson’s pictures are becoming as graphy since the 1950’s. He spent three simple as semaphore flags. In his Quadrant years in the U.S. Navy as a photographer’s exhibition, 16 x 20 prints of photographs mate. After attending San Francisco Art taken 18 inches from the subject are his Institute, he worked for one and a half years equivalent o f abstract expressionist painting. assisting Dorothea Lange. Quadrants deals with the problem o f ex Before beginning his rise to fame (see hibiting photographs in an art gallery. So interview), he did advertising shots for Eli many photographs which look good in a Lilly Pharmaceuticals, book covers for photographer’s hand die on the gallery wall. Bantam and Dell books, fashion pictures for Ralph Gibson has faced this problem right Look magazine and essays for New York and on and hit it with a meat cleaver. Art Forum. He also occasionally worked as Marxists believe that the means of pro a 16mm cameraman, making a documentary duction determine the ideology, but dis fo r CBS and working with Robert Frank on tribution is equally demanding. When Conversations in Vermont. painters produce an exhibition, they have to Gibson began publishing books in 1967 think very clearly about the problems o f with The Strip, 55 photographs from the where they are going to be shown. Ralph Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. The Hawk fo l Gibson is the first photographer who has lowed in 1968 with 50 photographs from a thought about these problems intelligently. play of the same name. Robert Frank wrote Ralph Gibson photographed his the foreword for his third book, ACLU 1969 Quadrants fo r the Castelli Art Gallery in Appointment, published by American Civil New York. After it was put up, he said that Liberties Union. the impact focused in the middle of the gal As is apparent in the interview, Ralph lery. Perhaps Gibson’s best contribution to Gibson took a clear, close look at his life photography has been his realisation o f this in 1970, and his photographs became very phenomenon. different. Since then he has published three The central problem of our time for pho books — The Somnambulist, Deja V’u and tographers ceases to be political or social but Days at Sea. rather of how their pictures will look on a Ralph Gibson came to Britain for the first gallery wall. Gibson solves these problems workshop held at the Photographers Place, with a painterly intelligence. Working close Derby shire,-this Easter. This was jointly run to his subjects, Gibson solves the problems by Paul Hill and Thomas Joshua Cooper. of out of focus edges by using a depthless Everybody who was there voted it a great black. He has invented a painterly photo success. One o f the participants, Ron graphy. His photographs solve the academic McCormick, interviewed Ralph Gibson for problems of 20th Century painting — not CAMF.RAWORK. those o f photography. Gibson takes his pictures at 1/250 second Ralph Gibson has been working in photo at fl6 . I remember one day I was driving down shutter and many other things had, I Park Avenue with Robert (Frank), and I was believed, contacted a dream reality. The telling him that 1 wasn’t happy with my minute it occurred to me that those photo career — 1 was in love with this girl and all graphs were going to be what I call dream these things — he was driving and I was in images, I then had my point of departure. the passenger seat, and he said: “Well, you I very quickly wrote the prologue for The have two choices, you could probably make Somnambulist in which I stated that while it commercially, become successful rather sleeping a person reappears elsewhere on the quickly.” Because 1 would occasionally get planet, becomes two people and then per jobs, I had the ‘chops,’ I had the technique haps chooses to do so as a voluntary idea. I to do just about anything, but I didn’t have wrote that prologue in about fifteen min the interest in it. He said: “You could utes, 1 then very quckly generated a 32-page make it commercially pretty fast if you version of the book which 1 then set about wanted to, or you could be an artist and trying to‘ get published. People were very wait — and then later become famous like interested but they would want to change it, me! ” And then he turned around and look to make their own mark on it. Somehow from Deja Vu ed at me and said: “Actually you only have that book had come to represent an auto one choice! ” And that was enough to make nomy, a sort of reaction against all the sub time I ever had the technical ability as an I made that book out of a set of deeply- me really break all interest with the notion servience of freelance work. I had to have artist and is the first time I ever succeeded buried personal needs that somehow resolv of being a professional photographer and do satisfaction this way, 1 wasn’t able to let at dealing with any of my own problems, my ed themselves in my own life. I don’t know ing good work on assignment. Which is one people change it, I didn’t want to pass the own needs and doubts. Strangely enough, to what a dream is, but I now certainly know a of the biggest myths that ever came down buck, I didn’t want to blame anybodv for its have done something as personal as that and lot more about how 1 define my own. the road — that you can do good stuff on failures. I wanted to take all the bows and then to have it so well received, produced a I’m a musician too, and I was probably at assignment. all the responsibility. very interesting response in me, and it meant my peak as a classical guitarist during the So about that time, I entered into a per Fortunately, nobody was going to adhere that I was being rewarded for the one time period I was working on The Somnambulist, iod of protracted torpor in which I just slept to those terms, and it took me three years in my life that I had taken any risk or tried and so a lot of these ingredients that I was all day and did very little work, was deeply while 1 was trying various ways of getting to stay pure. I had been a commercial learning from music and from literature in in debt, had a lot of my cameras pawned and the book published, and I was utterly obsess photographer for twelve years, when I had fluenced my work. At one time I had a stuff like that. But 1 was reading a lot, ed with getting it published. I used to wake bent over continually, I’d let them cut them graph on The Somnambulist, and I actually people like Alain Robbs-Grillet, people like up in the middle of the night chewing my in half and tell me what to shoot. Well, no had key signatures. It is divided into three that. And then one weekend I went out into teeth, thinking about it. It was a period of ass-hole is ever going to tell me what to take sections and has three modulation points the country and I shot quite a lot of film, great pressure and anxiety because it was as a picture of again — and furthermore, he’s which I consider to be key changes for get I felt rather inspired, and I made in one usual a highly-impoverished period, and I not going to say whether or not it’s a suc ting from one section to the next. Another weekend what was to become the first eight remember that one night 1 made a pact, and cessfully- done photograph because I’m the thing about the book is you can close every een pages of The Somnambulist; the float I don’t know who it was with, but I project ass-hole now. I’m the one who says whether two pages and open every four, you can ing nude, the head in the doorway, many of ed my thoughts as far out to the universe as or not a photograph is good enough! open every eight, and there will be addition the photographs that were later to become 1 could, and I simply said in some kind of an During this period, 1 was very concerned al parallels available. It’s a very tight piece widely published. But at the time I totally arcane prayer that I was willing to die if I with the idea of producing a deep, three- that I worked at for three years so that it couldn’t stand them; I hated those pictures could get that book published. That would dimensional space. I noticed that if I stared could work any possible way. when they first came out of my head. They be a fair bargain, my life would have cer intently at something, it would appear as just seemed to fly off the contact sheet; 1 tainly fulfilled itself and that was all I want though I was looking out of two holes in the How did you present the work in didn’t even know who had taken them; I ed! But at that moment I became rather back of a mask. I would somehow feel the Quadrants that was different from your pre couldn’t remember what I was thinking of or desperate, I realised at a certain point that inside of the back of my face, and I wanted vious projects? why I was taking them. I printed them — 1 what 1 should do is publish it myself. Some to include that in the photograph. That led recognised that they had a certain power, how that notion dawned on me, and I very to me putting my hand in the picture, it was Well, I put it on 16 x 20-inch paper with but they caused me great anxiety because quickly formed a limited partnership. I just some kind of subjective statement. I realised the borders left, they are signed and num they had nothing to do with the previous went to a lawyer, and he drew up a piece that I wasn’t so much photographing how bered and just placed under a sheet of glass twelve years’ work, they didn’t seem to re of paper. I sold some shares in the venture things looked, I wanted to show either how with no mounts and they were placed on a late to anything 1 had attempted to do or to to the graphic designers and the art directors they felt or how I felt about seeing them. I white wall. the moods that I was trying to generate who had hired me on assignments. I sold was more interested in producing a mood through my documentary work. I was liv four shares and then promptly spent the than adhering to some any particular How were they related to each other? ing in the Chelsea Hotel (New York) at the money. 1 used it to pay up the rent and notion of reality. time, in a very small room, and would have other things. And then by chance, I got a A lot of the camera handling techniques They were specifically unrelated to one them tacked up on a piece of board at the very big assignment in California, and I that I had acquired during the street shoot another, with no continuing references to foot of my bed. Robert was in Mexico, and made enough money in two weeks out at ing period remained available to me, and each other. One line filled the four walls. he wired me to come and join him, so I man MGM to do the book. When the book during The Somnambulist period I didn’t set The order mattered a great deal so that there aged to get the price of ticket and off 1 appeared, it changed my situation drastical up many pictures, actually I wouldn’t set up, wouldn’t be any correlation or reference went. When I came back from Mexico, after ly, many doors opened to me,and 1 realised but 1 would start from a posed position. made to the previous photographs. I wanted the cultural shock and all that, I remember that I was going to have a slightly different As 1 was working on the sequence, I the show to begin with one photograph but walking into my hotel room and seeing the life. would think — “follow the tone, follow the other than that whenever it shows elsewhere photographs and all of a sudden realising The Somnambulist is the first time 1 tone” where I wanted the mood to last, they can hang it however they want. Where that my camera, because of the speed of its ever made a personal statement, the first much like a key signature in music. as with the work from the books, they 9 from Quadrants from Quadrants always have to take the order of the books. care about showing. I think it is important that long, and I had’t come through an in feel highly privileged to be able to make At Castelli’s, I exhibited them as single too — that’s the form I’m interested in, and stitution, I had to establish myself, and so I a living from it. There are other ways you images, and the show was made for the it happens to be the nature of the times right didn’t wait around for the Museum of can make money. You can get grants. I get space, I had enough space for thirty now. It’s an interesting challenge, making Modern Art to kiss me on the forehead when invited to speak a lot, and that pays well — 16 x 20’s, so 1 didn’t make thirty-five. a show that matters is very hard to do. I’m sixty years old. and that’s all the monetary rewards. Even Another thing with the Quadrants w ork is After all, any gallery in the world has twelve Great dealers are visionaries, they have the sale of prints, by the time the dealer that it was very easy to print, there was very to twenty shows a year, any museum always the great vision. Leo Castcili has probably takes his commission — which, by the way, little manipulation compared with The has a dozen shows up at once that are con altered the course of art history with his ad they richly deserve — it took me years to Somnambulist in which there was very tinually changing, so making a show that vanced perceptions.The work he has done to realise that, but what my dealer has done to schmaltzy-, heavy printing. Even though it makes a mark is very much harder to do the history of painting and sculpture is be organise my affairs is unbelievable and worth was 16 x 20’s, the Quadrants prints were the than is making a book. If you want to show, yond belief and he hasn’t struck out yet. every' penny of it. easiest prints that I have ever made. It’s you have got to sell — I won’t have a show He told me that when he brought Yves Klein I’ll never die rich, I know how high it more in the eye now, and the more it gets in that doesn’t have a rigid guarantee of sales. over, they laughed him out of town, and it can go. I’ll get satisfaction, I’ll have recog the eye, the less time I have to spend in the Exhibiting also has its risks, you arc re took him twenty years. nition for my work, and I’ll do well with the darkroom with them. vealing more about your craft and your skill I'or many years I had a great arrogance ladies, but I’ll never die rich. Abstract expressionism was the first kind in an exhibition, a little five by seven inch and sustained a chip on my shoulder against of painting that I really understood, and I duo tone reproduction can cover a multitude anybody who could help me. Let me tell particularly admire the work of Clifford of sins, but you hang a 16 x 20 up there, and you — everybody thinks that the dealers arc “Consider the pictures by Ralph Gibson, Still — sort of jagged forms, although recent that print had better be good in every sense exploitive, but they’re not. Nobody is so very much of the instant, a moment ly I have been studying the work of of the word. It has to lay flat, it has to be making a nickel out of photography com chosen out of all possible moments for its Malevich who is a Russian Constructivist dried well, it has to be signed well, every pared with what they are used to! I hung particular revelations and symbolic content. The Somnambulist was three years’ work, thing has to be perfect — it is harder to do. my show in Castelli’s gallery, and there were And look, too, to the careful juxtaposition and some of the pictures go back a couple of Never give your pictures away for free, thirty prints selling at $300 apiece. If he of the images — alone they have visual years before that, so it seems that now 1 can because as long as you are willing to give had sold them all, it would only have been strength, together they take on a new and get more in less time. Each year I see how them for the gratuity of reproduction, it nine grand! Right after me, Jasper Johns more exciting aspect: as information is in many rolls of film 1 shoot, I used to shoot means that you are considering yourself and came on with his first painting show in nine terchanged between the pictures the gap be three thousand rolls. I still shoot as often your work beholden and subservient to years, the cheapest painting was $70,000, tween them diminishes, what was previously now, but I use less film — I get a higher somebody who is going to publish them. It’s and the most expensive one, $150,000 — but a blank space begins to gain in activity and yield. I actually got the Quadrants pictures a very presumptious thing to think that any one was sold even before the show opened! the tim e lag that separated the images on about one hundred rolls. one wants to look at your pictures. I am Now, if he was in it for the bucks, he could vanishes. ” I’m shooting colour now, and that’s a rad still amazed that anybody wants to look at have got a lot more mileage out of his wall ical move, it’s a big risk for me, but then at mine, but if they do, then I’m going to give space than he did out of my show. He has Excerpt from introduction by Peter Turner the same time, it’s no risk whatsoever be them something at least that is the best told me that he shows the work because he to a portfolio o f Gibson i Quadrants pictures cause I know that anything that I really value. is excited by it. in Creative Camera International Year Book work hard enough at, if I’m willing to pay In photography in America, you come A photograph is not worth that much, we 1975. the price, will work out. along through the Establishment, if at all. might see the day when it hits a thousand The exhibition is very appropriate in That is to say, bright students are picked out dollars or something like that for very small terms of what I am trying to say in the work by young curatorial interns, and it is usual in editions. They are not worth very much un now but also because 1 am going to live from America to have somebody behind you. less they harbour incredible content and The artist must sell himself to gel ahead like the sale of my prints. In a couple of years, Now, for example, the Museum of Modern unless they become extremely rare, even the any other person trying to make a living. if I do lectures or workshops, it will be be Art, or for that matter, any institution, can vintage stuff, a big dealer will sell a stereo cause I want to, not because I need the mon only effectively — morally even — get behind for four or five hundred bucks. Now I know Jeff Perrone ey as is the case now. I want to live exclu a few people. And they really get behind a dozen painters under 35 that nobody has Art Forum sively from the sale of my work, and this them, make whole careers, and it goes on for ever heard of, and who are getting those year, for the first time, I just about can. I years. Well, I realised that I couldn’t wait prices. We are not in it for the bread, and I 10 We also use film to take pictures HAND MADE LENSES a t a a s D D I T Y D L R SELF CAMERAS OCc f tf VHtfLST TWO p*>ft*7r NAVE ADt0W<>r i-evs ryPe ew e t * S r - * / Le»JS ft Cm OrS*'rT£ . S ide uiow srP C a m ?* o t o iT U CEcnow CVUUb&Z h i A 6^ W e l l e -FL6 y c s Limd&R. t Run W*ue£. D o u _ 7 - F L sy Fig. 7 Fig. i Terry Dennet runs a photography group very early stage to do developing and print but normally, 1 to 6 (or 1 to 4 if you can then make a contact print with your paper for 5 to 15 year-old kids at the South Island ing. What we do is to do everything wrong as manage it). You then relate as a family, negative by putting it under another sheet of Children’s Workshop, an out-of-school-hours well as everything right. It is important to which is really important. photographic paper to get a positive. We play and education project in Lambeth, know that if you switch the light on, you When it comes to photographing, there also use film to take pictures. London. fog the paper. But you can also leam that are two other aspects — give the kids We have discovered that you can make The following article is a condensed fogged paper can be used as well. cameras and they can go out immediately many types of pinholes and get different version o f the slide talk he gave at the recent This way of teaching by doing things and take pictures, or you can have what is effects by bending the paper (curvilinear one-day seminar. Kids and Photography — In “wrong” is very important as part of our called a Project Group — you d o n ’t go effect). Most people have only used single and Out of School, held at the Half Moon thinking. Not only as a means of showing individually; you go as a small group at all pinholes, but some have used stereo Photography Workshop on 9 May 1976. kids that they will fog printing paper if they different levels. Some kids have used which is two holes two and one half inches turn on the white light — the process should cameras, some h aven ’t, so the expert kids apart. We have also done multiple pinholes not end there, but also as a means of point help the less able. where you can write your name in pinholes. At South Island Workshop we are in ing out that doing things wrong can maybe My main preoccupation over the last Try FRF.D in pinhole images. You need the terested in photography and creativity. We lead to doing other things right. A sheet of eighteen months has been pinhole photo pinholes very close to the paper so you get are getting kids to make things out of fogged paper is not “useless”; it can be graphy for which you need very little in the small circles. This is good for doing nothing, taking ordinary things, breaking turned into a photo painting (as can old and way of equipment. A pinhole camera is just diagrams with kids, too. The panoramic can them up and recreating them into something out-dated paper), simply by painting it with a simple box with a hole in it which is so be as long as you want it to be, with a pin which is their own. developer. As the paper has already been small it makes points of light which form an hole every two and one half inches across a Creative approaches to problem-solving fogged by light, it blackens immediately image on sensitised material. We use sheet of 20 x 16 paper. A slit also functions have been popularised by people like De (1‘iR- 4). bromide paper and sheet film, and you can as a pinhole, which is worth remembering Bono (Lateral Thinking) and by the You can teach kids how to use photo also use reversal colour paper. The smaller ( jN g^ . _ F i g L6 American, Zogan (The Approaches Method), graphic materials this way — working in the the hole, the sharper the picture. But if the Pinhole types but it is still thougnt o f as rather unortho light — they call it magic paper and magic hole is too small, then the material dox despite the fact that this method of water. The image springs up immediately; as (aluminium foil or thin black plastic) will be teaching turns kids (and adults) on. soon as you touch it with developer, it starts too thick relative to the hole, so you will in It is extremely important to stop kids to turn black. If you use diluted developer, effect have a tunnel down which light is thinking in rigid hierarchical ways; normally it turns gray, so you have got a whole range flooding. This will vignette the image, and the school structure is so rigid you ca n ’t o f tones. Most of the photo paintings are by you will get an unacceptable result. We have think outside the curriculum. If kids can do 5, 6 and 7 or 8 year-olds. worked out a number of charts for pin- that in photography, they can do it So far you h aven ’t needed a darkroom — holing and designed a pinhole darkroom — socially, politically and in many other ways. you can do this anywhere, just use a black a portable darkroom outfit — so you can A lens is basically just a prism that splits out curtain — you d o n ’t need an enlarger. load pinholes in the street and actually £L»T MoLC up light. When you think in this way, it is I ’ve got nothing here to show you — the develop them (Fig. 5). In a later model, we Another thing you can make is a tele- very easy to make new discoveries. For in kids always take all their stuff home. So are going to have a lid made of coloured hoto pinhole. There was a man in 1900 stance, w e ’ve found that even a St. Michaels when you work on a project, try to keep perspex. You can then look through and see ho discovered you could put a negative honey jar is a possible lens (Fig 1 and Fig 2). two or three back to show to other people. what is going on inside the box. The kids roncave) lens behind a pinhole and get a A complete camera is also not difficult These are all turn-ons for kids — all creati learn to make, load and develop the pinholes igger image. In fact, you could get a tele- to make, providing you reduce it in the same vity based. We took a whole series of themselves. We discovered that different hoto lens. Taking that a bit further, if you way to its basic elements. What is a camera images; you can see how kids relate to one materials have different speeds. Bromide love the lens, you have got a variable focal except a light-tight container with a lens on another; you can take pictures of each in paper is about 5 ASA. The procedure for •ngth system (a zoom lens in fact) so then one end and a film-holder on the other? dividual kid and get different kids to colour developing pinhole negatives on paper is ex ou have got a zoom pinhole! T h a t’s what Our attempts to make cameras from almost different people’s pictures. People they like actly the same as developing prints. You can they might colour in a certain way; people they hate, they might gouge the eyes out or MONEY TAR L E NS something. For group dynamics, this is really useful information. Best group ratio is about 1 to 6; when I started teaching, I PiNMFUE tried 1 to 12, which is crucifying. If you are really experienced with kids, 1 to 8 is fine — Clear. •* cue M » w t c>e 8Uc*toWr Fig. 2 nothing (Fig. 3) have produced pottery pin hole cameras, “Hat-o-blads”, “Welliflex’s" and the “J-Pak” camera. None of them is suitable for manufacture in a camera factory, but they do work, and the kids who designed them have acquired a basic understanding of the theory and prac tice o f the camera. More importantly, though they have begun to leam that know ledge is not just re-assembling and repeating bits of information as “right answers,” but a t r process of creative thinking. ^ \ We introduce kids to photographic process with photograms which require min imal facilities. For photograms you can use ED an enlarger or you can use a bare bulb, or STn TOURING EXHIBITIONS I wish to become a Founder subscriber to H.M.P.W. for one year and enclose £3.80. ‘CAMERA OBSCURED?’ VIDEO TAPES The Half Moon Photography Workshop I am a student and enclose £2.80. offers the following exhibitions for touring: Edited tapes from the first three ‘Camera Obscured? ’ seminars held at the Half Moon I wish to subscribe to CAMF.RAWORK for one year and enclose £2.30. Tees-Side Industrial Communities last year are now available for hire. by Derek Smith Cathali Road Estate by Gregory Hale 1. Young British Photographers N am e...... Doing Photography 2. Photography on the Curriculum College/Organisation by Blackfriars Young Photography Group 3. The Task of the Photojournalist Address...... Men photographed by women These tapes last 40 minures each and have The Orkney Islands by Chick Chalmers been made on Sony half-inch ‘high density’ standard. Copies can be made on other stan Women: Who are We? by Claire Schwob dards by request. Note: S T l’DF.NTS: Please show CAMF.RAWORK to friends, tutors, fellow students — and Contact us for availability and cost of If you would like to hire a tape, or would most especially - to the Librarian at your college. Suggest that they subscribe towards our hiring. like more information, please contact us. pioneering work in British photography. I he IIMPU acknowledges the financial assistance of the Arts Council of Great Britain and the Greater London Arts Association W hat does possession mean to you? 7% of ou r popu lat ion ow n 84% of ou r wea 1th The fc o n o m s t. 15 January. 1966 Poster by Victor liurgin