Exercise - analysing social documentary

An American Place, southwest 1931 - Alfred Steiglitz

The subject of this photograph is of a restricted view of a small portion of a city from an elevated viewpoint. The immediate focus of interest is the nearby wall of a building that has a cracked surface, creating an interesting pattern. The building looks tired and past its best, possibly undergoing refurbishment. The alignment of the windows create a symmetrically pleasing effect.

Secondary to this a nearby building is under construction. The sun is low, casting strong shadows across some of the building's surfaces. There are smaller, less taller, buildings in the foreground. My first impressions on reading the image are denotational - that there is a dynamic pace of change taking place within this space and that the old is making way for the new.

By investigating the context of the image I know that the photographer, Alfred Steiglitz, was in the latter part of his life after a successful career in photography and running a number of art galleries. Steiglitz frequently confined himself to his apartment high above New York City- taking views of the landscape from his windows. The connotations taken from this image, with the cultural knowledge that I personally hold about the photographer, is that Steiglitz, frequently alone in his apartment, may have been sensing the end of his life. There is a sense of isolation, up in the sky, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded streets. The old, cracked building, is being replaced by newer, more modern ones. Likewise the smaller foreground buildings are towered over by their newer, more modern, more stronger replacements. The low sun is creating dark shadows that fall only on some of the walls. This too helps to underpin a sense of time passing.

In respect of working for pay, Steiglitz was certainly working to convey his artistic expression. At the same time his work adorned gallery walls and therefore had a monetary value in the burgeoning photography art market. How aware was Steiglitz that he had a formula for making Modernist images that could further his artistic success as well as increase financial gain?

It is difficult to know about the consensual nature of the image – or if this is even relevant. There are privacy laws in the UK that prevent some images of famous buildings being published, even from public property, but it is difficult to know if there are similar rules in the USA or if they would apply in this particular case.

The images do reveal a trademark Modernist style. There is a compositional framing of elements in the work that is very recognisable. The influence of form, creating strong verticals and horizontals, and the frontal nature of the composition speak of a subject that looks to the future of a machine age. In this respect I would say that Steiglitzs' image has been successful. It would certainly not look out of place on a gallery wall for where it was intended. It is a Modernist piece of work in its trademark aesthetic style.

Is the work Social Documentary? In a way. Although this is not its primary function. The photograph is documenting social change in New York City as the buildings get taller. Berenice Abbott is doing the same thing down on the streets as the buildings are bulldozed to make way in the name of progress. I think intent, though, is the deciding factor here.

View Down Subway Car with Accordionist Performing in Aisle, New York City, 1938 - Walker Evans

The subject of this photograph is a blind accordionist who is busking on the New York Subway. The other passengers appear to be wrapped up in their daily commute, reading newspapers, staring into space. These are the denotations that I pick up from the image - and that the accordionist is probably a familiar sight to the regulars who travel on the subway everyday.

The connotations that I read into the image are that Walker Evans took this photograph as part of a series when wearing a hidden camera. It is claimed that the reason for doing so was to capture people in an un-posed and unaware state - therefore showing their true selves. I'm not so sure about that to be honest. From my own experience of travelling on the London Underground I would say that myself and my fellow passengers are anything but open and unaware. A mask is worn, just like in any other public place. In the enclosed space of the subway train, the mask of choice represents calmness, disinterest, keeping oneself to oneself, and being respectful of other people's personal space in such a confined area. Eye contact, wherever possible is to be avoided. Of course, this reading may not apply quite so well in a non-British culture, but to a certain extent, it is also a characteristic of travel on public transport in large urban cites. It could be argued that the blind accordionist is the only person not wearing a mask because, without the visual clues, he may be unaware that people even adopt one in public - of course, he may be wearing what he thinks of as his performance mask.

Again, Walker Evans was producing work for picture magazines so a monetary value is involved to some extent. As this particular series of work was taken with a hidden camera then I'd assume that consent was not given.

With regards to a trademark style the subway images feel like a departure from Walker Evan's usual style - particularly the FSA work. Maybe he was trying to move forward with his photographic work and trying new ideas out in an attempt to grow as a photographer. Yes, I think the photograph is successful despite that Evan's claim that the people are unaware. They are only unaware that their image is being taken. That does not mean they are open in their expressions. They are wearing their public masks, ones that are considered acceptable in their own particular culture. I would say that the images as un-posed portraits taken in public are Social Documentary. They do not tell any particular story other than giving the viewer a sense of place. I would not class them as photojournalism.