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THE CAMERA DOES NOT LIE Every photograph is accurate. None of them is the truth. - Richard Avedon
The Voice Behnd The Lens
Writings on Photography and Beyond.
With writer, street, documentary photographer Michael Dubiner.
There is a widely held belief that Street Photography is designed to and does capture a truthful image of what the camera is seeing. This may be an accurate assessment of some photographs, but an honest recording of an event and the motivations and feelings of the subjects photographed is not necessarily a primary goal of Street Photography.
Avedon's statement quoted above reflects a view that a photograph does not reflect the full truth of it's subject; in large part because a photograph cannot ever fully reflect the full range of the emotions, feelings, history and the like of it's subject. The statement is profound but I do not believe it is wholly accurate. While, many photographs do not aim for honesty and others do not have the insight to be truthful, some images tell a partial truth. They are able to capture a section, perhaps only a fragment of the essential truth of the subject. This does not imply that either type of image is in any way more or less worthy. It is often the fact that when viewing a Street Photograph, the truth is in the eyes of the beholder.
Some may find last thought disturbing. When we view a movie, we know we are in the realm of unreality. However, when we look at a Street Photographs, we expect documentation of an event or a moment in time, a realistic and honest reflection of what is being depicted. This in part has its roots in the apparent honesty that is expressed in Street images of the late 1800's through the Great Depression, such as those photographs taken by Lewis Hine or Dorothea Lange. Many expect this level of honesty for Street Photographs and no less. However, unless the image is represented as being something it is not, the Street Photograph can reflect fact or fiction, neither being more or less truthful or useful than any other art form we view.
The image accompanying this article is an example of a Street Photograph representing something that is not truthful but yet perhaps having something to say. One might think that the juxtaposition of the wary eye in the corner of the image and the interracial couple in the background somehow reflects a prejudice on the part of the eyes owner toward the pairing. A second look reveals that the first impression may not be accurate. The composition of the image clues the viewer that the image may not be what it appears. The owner of the eye is facing away from the couple. While the image gives an impression that she is aware of people behind her and the part of her facial expression that the viewer can see appears to reveal some negative emotion toward the pairing, the composition leads to the question of whether she has even seen the couple. In fact, she had never even seen them and did not know they were there.
Is the image a manipulation of the truth? Yes and no. Certainly, for the person with that eye, the image is attempting to foist upon her an emotion she is not feeling at that time. However, as we know too well, some people do feel those sentiments in varying degrees. The image is an attempt to reflect their disapproval, and, if it is successful, the photograph may make the viewer ponder his own position and the societal implications of these views.
(The author, Michael Dubiner is a professional image maker and lawyer who lives in Wellington, Florida. His articles will appear twice monthly on PixiPort. His work can be seen at PixiPort.com and at his web site, duby.com.)
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