Thursday, March 17, 2011

Photojournalism and the WI Protests: Is This Art?

There are 3 sets of photo collections on my flickr.com account that illustrate where I have been spending most of my free time lately-MADISON, WI. That's right I've been protesting for my rights as an educator and joining the fray so to speak. It really has all been very peaceful and actually quite empowering and invigorating. So my question to you who read this blog...(anyone?) is this ART?

I used to have aspirations to become a photo journalist, but I decided I wasn't aggressive enough to pursue this career. I still have a great love for photography and a great respect for journalism. I think a photograph can communicate the story so much more vividly than the words attempting to portray it. The point of view of the journalist is less obvious and in some ways more objective. The photographer records what she sees. Through cropping and printing and color choices some of the feelings or viewpoints of the photographer may come through, but the image is primarily an objective representation.

During the protests I have found myself shoving my camera in total strangers' faces and capturing their expressions, moods and signs. To me the signs have been this moving global art exhibit of creative thoughts. Some are well crafted, but most have been very clever in their wording and graphic representation of what their makers believe. So are my photos of these signs and these people art?

I am considering doing more with these images, perhaps creating a quilt of printed imagery on fabric, perhaps printing them as cyanotypes, perhaps developing them into posters, not sure yet. It feels like there is so much raw potential here. Some of the images to me can stand alone as outstanding photographs. We'll see where these go, but let me know what you think. Are these art?

Here are 3 slideshows of my images. I think it is interesting to see the desperation in the images from the Thursday that the bill passed. The images from February seem more carnival like. The images from the tractor rally show the seriousness of people's attitudes, this is less about a party and more about our lives. Let me know what you think...

Big Tractor Rally and More...Welcome Back Fab 14


The Day the Bill Passed


February When All This Started

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