Beauty: 'Black is Beautiful' by Eve Arnold

Above image photographed by myself from at The Sunday Times Magazine 50th Anniversary exhibition at Paintworks, Bristol (Mar 23 – Apr 3 2012)

‘This image by Eve Arnold of an unnamed model was used as a cover picture in 1969. It was seen as ground-breaking at the time, even though the Civil Rights Movement in the US had already made great strides towards racial equality. Other photographs, taken mainly in Harlem, and a report by Eve Arnold addressed the slogan “black is beautiful”, which was in widespread use at the time. It was coined by the black poet and social activist Langston Hughes.’ - accompanying caption to image at the exhibition.

I believe Arnold’s image truly captures black beauty and that beauty isn’t restricted to one race. Publishing such a controversial image (at that time) in a national newspaper was a great platform to showcase ‘other’ types of beauty and challenged racial segregation and beauty. Who are we to say one race is superior and more beautiful than the other?

Useful Links:

Paintworks - The Sunday Times 50th Anniversary Exhibition http://www.paintworksevents.co.uk/index.php?id=121&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=179&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=120&cHash=1580295d84

The Sunday Times 50th Anniversary Exhibition http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/magazine/article858993.ece

Magnum Photos - Eve Arnold http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&l1=0&pid=2K7O3R14AZX1&nm=Eve%20Arnold

Blog Exposure: Terry's Diary

My new feature 'Blog Exposure' will look at my favourite blogs all over the net alongside my other 'Exposure' posts such as 'Artist Exposure' and other snazzy new features coming soon! In a society slowly obsessed with blogging, a free platform to share our thoughts and snippets of our lives, there's been a sudden emergence in photographic blogs, fashion and all things 'artsy'.

This post will look at one of my favourite photographers: Terry Richardson, a fashion portrait photographer whose style is very bold, suggestive and fearless in his approach. He has photographed from the likes of Lada Gaga, Jared Leto, Katy Perry, Amy Winehouse, Kate Moss and even Barack Obama... (just to name a few!) I love his candid portrait photography especially those of celebrities as he shoots them in such a fun manner you wish you were there joining in with the laughter.

Print screen of Terry's diary home page 15/05/12 00:47 (GMT)  http://www.terrysdiary.com/

On his infamous Tumblr blog: http://www.terrysdiary.com/ which he updates daily the reader gets to see his life in photographs. Its an insight into pop culture's icons, the people we are obsessed with and Terry's diary is a window into that crazy world. He gets access no other photographer has gotten. I love the simple clean layout allowing the photographs speak for themselves and the consistently multiple daily posts. There's currently 599 pages on his blog with 15 images on each page; doing the math that's like 8985 images! Being a portrait lover inspired by pop culture this is the go-to blog.

Print screen of Terry's diary archive page 15/05/12 00:49 (GMT) http://www.terrysdiary.com/archive

Let me know what you think of Terry's Diary and your favourite images from his blog!


Useful Links: 

Terry's Diary http://www.terrysdiary.com/

Terry Richardson http://www.terryrichardson.com/

models.com - Terry Richardson http://models.com/people/terry-richardson

Read More:
V.E.S.T: Image Analysis: Charlotte Free by Terry Richardson http://nishahaqvisualexploration.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/image-analysis-charlotte-free-by-terry.html

In Discussion: Viewer or Voyeur?

As part of my photography degree we are encourage to engage in discussions on online forums such as morals, sociological and legal issues in photography. This post will discuss the morality and ethics in reportage photography.

I had read an article on The Guardian: 'Viewer or Voyeur? The morality of reportage photography' (Mar 8 2010) [1] looking at the ethics of bearing witness to horrific events and where you drawn the line for what is accepted. In response I do believe that today's society is more desensitized to sensitive material such as Farah Abdl Warsameh's 'Stoned to Death' Associate Press photograph in Somalia (see below)

Image Source http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/mar/08/world-press-photo-sean-ohagan

Dominating newspapers and press organizations are demanding more shocking imagery to show to the world which is pushing the boundaries of what is acceptably seen on the news. Today's generation is growing up in a world where globalization continues to grow and where technology and 'freedom of speech' have allowed reportage photography to be simultaneously sent through the world meaning in turn we are getting used to these 'shocking' images.

Regarding morality and ethics in response to Sean O’Hagans The Guardian post I do not think the photographer had prior communication to the victim or had been granted permission; to raise these concerns is absurd. War photography is gritty, violent and ultimately shocking due to the horrific acts of what humans do to each other; to fully sensor what really is happening is masking the truth and I believe photography is a mode of trying to tell the truth to an extent. To a point the viewer can feel shocked to a ‘kind of impassioned helplessness’ but for Susan Sontag to suggest that ‘we’ do not have the right to view a photograph, only those who can do something to alleviate it undermines the power of the average good-willed citizen; anyone can make a change. In this respect we are viewers.

I agree with this post: http://politicstheoryphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/on-ethics-of-representation-missing.html in response to Sean O’Hagan’s post and enjoy the tone it is written in.

What do you think?

References

1. http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/mar/08/world-press-photo-sean-ohagan [Accessed 19/03/12]

Useful Links

Answers.com - Oxford Companion to the Photograph: Ethics and photography http://www.answers.com/topic/ethics-and-photography
Associated Press http://www.ap.org/