idogu
1994 Rubondo Island (8/14): Routine
... continued from previous slide:
... not only did the treatment the rangers did to the poachers intrigue me, not only was I surprised to see the total lack of reaction amongst the prisoners: what perhaps intrigued me most was how "normal" the situation seemed to be for everyone. The rangers' wifes didn't bother what was going on but continued with their routine of washing dishes and fish in the lake. Imagine the same scenario in a western country: policemen are arresting to criminals, lay them down on your doorstep and you continue doing your garden work as if nothing had happened ... isn't that bizarre?
And one more thing: In my opinion, this picture in combination with the previous one is a fabulous example for discussing manipulation of pictures in photoshop. None of the pictures is manipulated and still despite being taken from the same standpoint at the same time, they tell a different story. In analogue photography as well, all picture taking is subject to the photographers standpoint and his intention. Framing the picture differently does tell another story about a situation. Here, the two prisoners were not no longer kept in isolation, it is no longer them who are in the middle of attention. The situation no longer is extraordinary. They have become part of daily life. They belong.
No photoshop is needed, changing the frame alone is as much an manipulation of reality. There is not such thing as reality - certainly not in photography. Independent of photoshop and digital photography. Photoshop only makes it easier.
to be continued - stay tuned
(pictures are scanned from slides and not manipulated - on purpose (read why), sorry, for the dark tones)
1994 Rubondo Island (8/14): Routine
... continued from previous slide:
... not only did the treatment the rangers did to the poachers intrigue me, not only was I surprised to see the total lack of reaction amongst the prisoners: what perhaps intrigued me most was how "normal" the situation seemed to be for everyone. The rangers' wifes didn't bother what was going on but continued with their routine of washing dishes and fish in the lake. Imagine the same scenario in a western country: policemen are arresting to criminals, lay them down on your doorstep and you continue doing your garden work as if nothing had happened ... isn't that bizarre?
And one more thing: In my opinion, this picture in combination with the previous one is a fabulous example for discussing manipulation of pictures in photoshop. None of the pictures is manipulated and still despite being taken from the same standpoint at the same time, they tell a different story. In analogue photography as well, all picture taking is subject to the photographers standpoint and his intention. Framing the picture differently does tell another story about a situation. Here, the two prisoners were not no longer kept in isolation, it is no longer them who are in the middle of attention. The situation no longer is extraordinary. They have become part of daily life. They belong.
No photoshop is needed, changing the frame alone is as much an manipulation of reality. There is not such thing as reality - certainly not in photography. Independent of photoshop and digital photography. Photoshop only makes it easier.
to be continued - stay tuned
(pictures are scanned from slides and not manipulated - on purpose (read why), sorry, for the dark tones)