The Photograph as Contemporary Art: Chapter 6 Response

   Chapter 6, 'Moments in History', discusses the documentarian possibilities of photography. Specifically, this section explores the idea of aftermath photography, the representation of under-represented groups of people, and subjects that challenge our ideas of what documentary can be. In a world where documentary is most popular in the commercial sphere, photographers must draw upon art strategy and vision in order to document and push a narrative while simultaneously keeping the cultural relevance of the image intact. In contemporary photograph, there has been more of a focus on capturing the aftermath of an event rather than the chaos of the event itself. This approach allows for a more contemplative and intentional framing of the image.

   Fazal Sheikh is one such photographer that contemplatively captures the real world by photographing the under-represented  (mainly individuals living in refugee camps). Using the deadpan style of photography discussed in an earlier chapter, Sheikh allows us to witness his subjects just as they are. Furthermore, the majority of Sheikh's images are black and white, which give the photographs a timeless quality. To push the idea of documentary even further, Sheikh, along with other photographers in this chapter, includes a caption or short essay with his images that gives us insight into the world that these subjects live in. In the case of Halima Abdullai, the photograph, along with its accompanying essay, documents the story of a family living in a Somali refugee camp so that we might be exposed to a different story that we rarely see.

   The idea of documentary photography is interesting to me in its inherent lack of pretentiousness. In an art sphere that has the tendency to get caught up in the details, it is refreshing to see an unapologetic documentation of something that someone is passionate about.