Documentary Photography
Overview
Anyone can photograph a place once. Documentary is what happens when you go back. The second visit is politer than the first, the fifth is expected, and by the tenth people stop performing for the camera and simply carry on. What you can photograph after ten visits is not available on the first, and no amount of equipment substitutes for the time.
This note is about the long form: choosing a subject you can return to, building a body of work that argues something rather than merely showing it, and handling the responsibilities that come with photographing real people in real circumstances. It is deliberately not the same subject as Photojournalism, which is next door and works to a deadline. Documentary sets its own assignment and answers to nobody but the people in the pictures.
Objectives
- Use the photographic process to provide a narrative of events and/or situations
- Use a range of documentary photography materials, tools and techniques such as compositional, proximity to the subject, focal points and the involvement of the photographer with the scene being documented
Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Documentary Photography. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which of these best distinguishes a documentary body of work from a collection of good photographs? A) It uses more expensive equipment B) It is made over repeated visits and sequenced to carry an argument C) It is always in black and white D) It never includes portraits Answer: B
- The Edexcel specification lists the photographer's involvement with the scene being documented as: A) A fault to be avoided B) A documentary technique alongside composition and proximity C) A requirement of Component 2 only D) Something relevant only to moving image Answer: B
- A subject asks, two weeks after being photographed, that their picture not be used. The correct response is to: A) Use it anyway, since consent was given at the time B) Use it but remove the caption C) Withdraw the photograph D) Use it only in the supporting sheets Answer: C
- Which caption is appropriate for a documentary photograph? A) Untitled 7 B) A man broken by years of hardship C) Musa Bello repairs a generator at his workshop, Kano, 12 May D) Poverty Answer: C
- A documentary photographer working in a busy workshop wants the worker and the machinery behind them both clearly legible. A sensible starting aperture is: A) f/1.8 B) f/2.8 C) f/8 D) The aperture makes no difference Answer: C
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
Recommended Books
Practice Mock Questions
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