Mind Map to help choose what Essay Title
The first mind map below, helped me choose both Photo Essay Project and title of Written Essay
I chose the title 'Can documentary photography change the world?'
Photographs that changed the world
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The image left is called: ‘The Crawlers’ it represents the birth of the genre ‘Documentary Photography’ in 1876.
‘The Crawlers’ was part of a series of images published in 1877, photographed and used by Scottish photographer John Thompson aimed at educating the average middle class Victorian of the poverty present in the groups of lower classes and how so called peasants lived. (Thompson J, 1994)
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A student: Todd, N of Wolvesphoto (2005) discovers from her research of a Scottish photographer John Thomson, that, ‘this photograph, was the very first Documentary Photograph ever made, which led to the birth of the genre’. Thomson is classed as the first documentary photographer to pave the way.
The 'Albino Boy' image changed the world as the photographer Don McCullin, hoped it would. The result was that the government helped by sending huge quantities of aid to Biafra, which consisted of food, medicine and weapons.
The birth and creation of ‘Doctors without Borders’ was a consequence of this image, which now is an international association that employs doctors to help and treat victims of war worldwide. Goldberger, B, Moakley P, & Pollack, K (2015)
Although this image is not particularly powerful or a classic portrait, none the less according to ‘Time’ the portrait was‘ground breaking’and transformed maternity from being a private affair, to showing pregnant women as empowered and sexy. Following this, there was a change in culture and a demand for naked pregnant shots and celebrity baby bumps shots. Goldberger, B, Moakley, P & Pollack, K (2015)
Books used to research Essay material
I found this book the most useful, it was precise of to the point. This was my starting point and then from the information provided here, I would delve for deeper information on the web and the book 'Photography - A Critical Introduction by Liz Wells
I found these 'learning mats' situated on a notice board in the main campus building of the college'. They were so informative and helpful. So much useful information crammed into one piece of A4
Essay Plans - find here 2 essay plans that I completed in order for me to structure the essay and create ideas for discussion
Here is a working copy of one of the many drafts of the essay 'Can Photography Change the World'
Final Draft of Essay
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Research Documents Museum of Contemporary Photography
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Image Set of Migrant Mother
Curriculum Guide Migrant Mother
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