What is documentary Photography?
What is Documentary Photography to me?
You can google this term and find an answer on wiki, but this is my take on what documentary photography is.
I think of it as creating a body of work on a particular subject, story or topic and convey a story through a series of pictures.
Some people think traditional Documentary Photography isn't in demand as much as it might have been 30 years ago and I guess to a certain extent this is true. The traditional printed magazine with these photo essays are fewer and fewer... Especially now with the internet, people can just google a place, group of people etc and its all there for them to see.
So is it relevant in 2018? I think so.... I can only comment personally on this but your project or body of work can be on your own doorstep... Document your town, your family... Local workers... Anything...
The Internet is a great place for your work to get exposure and be seen. An email to an online magazine, Newspaper website, gallery is only a click away! Documenting now is as important as it has ever been... Your project might not be the first on a certain topic but its your take on how you see the world.
Typically a project can take years to be completed... Sometimes months depending if it is an assignment with a deadline but a lot of the time it is personal work that they aim to publish in a book or maybe have displayed in a gallery.
Often it is confused or mixed with street photography... Now although both are slightly different they are also very similar... They both aim to document, either the human condition or a particular subject. So to me they are almost one in the same if done right (This might cause a stir between the purists)
So if you are interested in Documentary Photography I recommend you to find a project... Something that means something to you, or that you have an interest or passion for and figure out how you would like to picture it.
I have a blog post here about project idea's... Check it out and have a read!
Cheers!
