B&W and Surrealism

'From a perspective of documentary photography, surrealism should not be regarded as a genre with solid boundaries. For surrealism to be of any practical benefit in documentary it needs to be seen as a

distinctive visual and conceptual strategy...'

Surrealism as a creative movement means to record our pure and subconscious mind, uncontrolled by any reason or moral predispositions. This theory when applied to documentary photography, often results in rich and very emotional photographs, the emphasis on strong emotional message is often underlined with such technical tricks like double exposure or purpose blurring. Pictures are often suggestive and with a strong sexual essence. Strongly defined composure, unusual angles, focus on geometric shapes and introduction of grids and lines can also be often observed. And undoubtably an element of dream like quality is an essential element of a surrealist photograph.

                                                                                                                                                                        

Graciella Iturbide

                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                          Andre Kertesh

Brassai

Eugene Atget

Paolo Pellegrin

Polaroid

I have taken a day off from digital and enjoyed some experimentations with the printed image. I decided to bleach my Fujifilm FP 3000 B&W negatives. I did not end up with the actual negatives like when reclaiming FP 100C, but an interesting negative image with white backing. The image, when scanned and later inverted in Photoshop, returns a slightly solarised photograph. Below are a couple of examples.

FSA

In 1935 Farm Security Administration decided to begin an ambitious project of photographing the influence of the Great Depression on American nation, primarily on rural parts of the country. The most vulnerable farmers, landowners, refugees, and migrant agricultural workers were photographed over the period of 8 years by 18 photographers. Today, we question the level of exploitation involved with capturing the photographs, after all the FSA set up the project in order to justify government's decision to begin 'rural rehabilitation'. A program involving such drastic changes as purchasing of land owned by poor farmers and re-grouping them together on more efficient government owned farms.

I believe that story of the aftermath of the great depression had to be told, but without a doubt the subjects of the photographs for the FSA project were exploited to some extent in order to validate the upcoming social changes. Photography and specifically documentary photography can be a very exploitative craft, after all the photographer will always approach its subject with a view of producing a premeditated statement or a very specific comment.

Below are a few examples of the photographs produced for the FSA project.

Sheldon Dick

Walker Evans 

Dorothea Lange 

Russell Lee 

Edwin Locke 

John Vachon

Humphrey Spender - Mass Observation

Humphrey Spender's work as part of the 'Mass Observation' project can be called sensitive and observant. His sympathetic approach towards his subjects and his lack of involvement in the scene show us the real face of the working class of Bolton.

Barcelona

Barcelona and Sonar festival never fail to impress. My yearly injection of this decadent audio/visual experience is one that I cherish forever.