Cultural Photography
Alexandra Godfrey
Hi everyone! For this month's editorial I will be speaking a bit about various sectors in photography, focusing on cultural photography. From there I will further speak to the benefits of exploring this field while studying at university, as well as potential employment fields after graduating.
Cultural photography refers to an artist’s telling of a story through photos, specifically relating to various people and cultures. It can capture social relationships or illustrate every-day life in various places. Cultural photography is largely used in the media to reveal crises and encourage communication on difficult subjects. Much similar to cave paintings which narrated the livelihoods of many who came before us, photos offer insight into historical events as a primary source. Cameras, and phones, allow the world to experience cultural photography throughout different walks of life.
However, this form of photography is not only a narration, but an art form. Capturing these specific moments in time and focusing on certain subject matters can create emphasis on different social issues and people. Isolating certain elements can transform a viewer’s understanding of the scenario. This is a powerful thing in a world that seemingly prefers physical, visual evidence over literature. Photographs can provide context and help create a “‘sense’ of the totality’ of an aspect of a scene.
Circling back to past expression of narratives, cave paintings were used to illustrate moments through a form of preservation - written history. Oral histories are often considered unreliable without significant proof or backing, whereas carvings, oftentimes, can be dated through radio-carbonation. Cultural photography, much like these paintings or carvings, can be considered a modern-day replacement for the ancient application of cave paintings. Yes, this may be a broad comparison which could be categorized as a fantatization or radical, but the connection between visual imagery and recording histories is clear.
Many students in St Andrews are largely involved in photography, whether that be for local papers, events, or through focusing on landscape photography. Some students may have an interest in learning cultural photography at university, looking forward to potential future job opportunities in news reporting or otherwise. An example of a possibility to expand your portfolio in cultural photography or practice in this sector may be as simple as bringing your camera on an upcoming holiday. Focus on the people around you, the differences from your own culture and utilize your skills to depict the lifestyle you are experiencing while visiting said place. Think about the people’s everyday routines, think about the nation’s politics, where they may be struggling with certain social reforms or in economic standstills. Tell a story with your camera, or phone, without focusing on just getting a lovely landscape photo. Though there is great talent in nature photography, if it is your main focus, exploring cultural photography may offer you the opportunity to step outside your comfort zone. Even the UCU strikes offer the opportunity to capture various emotions of staff and students. Marches, parades, and other forms of public protest can be found more locally and are a great option for advancing skills in news photography, which often goes hand-in-hand with the cultural sector.
On a more educational note, there are many programs which offer engaging closer in cultural photography. Culture Shifts is a program which works with various photographers worldwide to create a sequence of images and implement them as photo stories. These booklets offer an example of photography as more of a social practice, one which encourages change-making and highlighting communities. GRAIN is another training program - based in the Midlands - which attempts to re-frame the norms associated with different cultures. This organization offers a six week program for various professionals in museums or galleries to intensely consider the impact of photography which is more socially engaging, whether it be more blunt or in an artistic manner. These are two prominent examples which represent the importance of cultural photography and the newfound recognition of its significant influence photography has on it’s viewers, especially when associated with an event or crisis.
This article first appeared in PRISMA, Issue 3.