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Episode 212 »» How photography could be used for social change
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Lewis Hine:
Colorized versions of his child labor images. Changes the feel entirely:
Library of Congress Collection:
Child labor in the early 20th century:
(this is a good summary story with a great selection of photos and captions)
“At the start of the 20th century, labor in America was in short supply, and laws concerning the employment of children were rarely enforced or nonexistent. While Americans at the time supported the role of children working on family farms, there was little awareness of the other forms of labor being undertaken by young hands.”
Some iconic photos:
Most iconic image:
“Hine produced one of his most iconic photos in “Sadie Phifer a cotton mill spinner, Lancaster, South Carolina” in 1908. Phifer was only 9 years old when Hine snapped the picture. She already had been working at the mill for a year and a half, putting in 11-hour shifts cleaning lint from the machinery and mending breaks in the thread. We see her before a long row of machinery that seems to go on forever. She is dwarfed by the industrial setting and seems small and frail against the hard steel background.”
“By 1908, Hine was producing some of his most powerful work when he officially left his teaching position and became the photographer for the National Child Labor Committee.
For the next 10 years he traveled the country and was often threatened with physical harm by factory police and foremen. Photography inside the factories was forbidden because child labor, as widespread as it was, was intended to be kept hidden from the public. Hine often resorted to wearing disguises, sometimes as a fire inspector, other times as a Bible salesman, and sneaked into factories to document child labor in the textile mills, coal mines and glass factories.”
“Working as an investigative photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), Lewis Hine (1874-1940) documented working and living conditions of children in the United States between 1908 and 1924. The NCLC photos are useful for the study of labor, reform movements, children, working class families, education, public health, urban and rural housing conditions, industrial and agricultural sites, and other aspects of urban and rural life in America in the early twentieth century.”
Photogs who affect social change:
- Edward Burtynsk https://www.fastcompany.com/90231661/these-photos-show-just-how-much-damage-humans-have-done-to-the-planet?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fast%20Company%20Daily&position=3&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=09062018
- James Balog recording melting glaciers: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140324-james-balog-antarctica-chasing-ice-explorer/
- Photography for Social change: http://theslenderthread.org/photography-social-change-3/
- Photography and social change in Central American civil wars: https://blog.oup.com/2014/05/photography-social-change-central-american-civil-wars/
Questions and points:
- What the difference between this kind of photography and documentary photography? They are the same or different? Certainly related.
- Photographers often can get grants for a photo project that will try to lead to social change.
- People who are in a position to affect change will more often than not be moved to action after seeing a powerful photo rather than just being told something is happening.
- So can we contribute to social change with out it being perceived as propaganda
_________
Shutter Time Goodness:
Sid’s Twitter » @supercellsid
Mac’s Twitter » @maclby
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