Should uncensored photographer, covering sensitive topics, be allowed?
With the resources and technology of today almost any situation can be portrayed in photography, the only problem is, should just any situation be made into an art form? Photographers often cover subjects that are considered sensitive, such topics as mental health- which possible cause or stir negative feelings or discomfort on the viewer. Yet photos displaying sensitive subjects can allow the photographers to express themselves and bring comfort for their problems. The question is; should uncensored photography be allowed?
Mental health has been a subject of controversial nature for centuries, it is only in recent years has the problem been properly addressed. Despite the amount of stigma around the topic, mental health is more common than it seems. One in four people in their lifetime will experience mental health problems, depression being a disease that effects one in 12 people of the whole population. Despite the fact mental health is common, not a lot of people talk about it and awareness is not being spread enough, which can encourage stigma and cause negative effects on people living under these illnesses. A way in which people can be educated on the subject is through photography. Expression and feelings is key parts to making a photo work, meaning the portrayal of mental illness can come across quite clear when a photo is taken perfectly. Katie Joy Crawford is a young photographer that has created a collection of photos depicting her inner struggles with anxiety. Her photos are taken with a black background, brings all the focus onto the subject who is shown in various positions. At first glance the photos seem quite mystical but as the viewer takes in more detail the deeper meaning is revealed. Overall her photos appear to be quite eerie, soft with nothing appearing sharp or loud. These features can be especially seen on the photo depicting a cloud over the subject’s head, the negative space surrounding the subject portrays the feeling of emptiness and loneliness and the contrast between the white and black is softened by the texture of the cloud. These photos are perfect representations of what living with a mental illness and the photographer herself said “the process of making these images was therapeutic…I hope that it will help others who have faced similar struggles.” So not only does the process of these photos help the struggles of the photographer but also exposes the world to the feelings of the illness, in a subtle way, and will possible connect with viewers with similar problems.
Yet another artist that depicts mental health through their work is photographer Steph Wilson. Wilson created ‘The Bell Curve’ in an attempt to apply visuals to an invisible topic. In her own words “it’s (metal health) all thought, habit and emotion… That is what makes it one of the most difficult thing to treat and understand.”
In a way, photography helps to understand the thoughts and feelings of a mental illness, and helping non-sufferers understand. Wilson’s photos take a different route to the ones done by Crawford; they're bright, hazy and clean. The appearance of the photos makes it seem as if you are looking at the illness through rose-tinted glasses, a common thing most people who don't understand mental illnesses. At first glance, this collection of photos doesn’t seem to have a meaning, but it’s the subtle details that hint at the conditions a person lives under when going through a mental illness, and the delicacy of the images that really represent the fact mental illness can be well hidden and hard to noticed. Photographers struggling with mental health, like Steph Wilson has a chance to channel their feelings into the art form, bringing them comfort. The only thing to note about both of these artists is that the photos represent mental illness is subtle ways, not full on scenes of immense distress. Sources gathered from people suffering from such things as depression show that they are in full support of mental health being represented in the photography world. However, it is clear that photos showing extreme cases or scenes are not okay. One source said “photos showing people self-harming gives me anxiety, I don't like to think about it anymore let along see it”. Explicit displays of sensitive subjects directly affect the viewer if they have gone through the situation and so therefore should not be paraded around lightly. However, if the photos are presented in such a way as Crawford and Wilson, the photos still serve the purpose of expression and spread of awareness without the negative downside of viewers being negatively affected.
There are other sensitive topics, other than mental health, that also has the same controversial question. Personal lives are intriguing to photographers; it leads to creations that are unique and bold. Many areas of personal life can be explored, such as sexuality, gender, abuse, to even death, all of which can stir a range of emotion within a viewer. Such harsh displays of reality can cause conflict over how explicit and revealing should the photos be, and in discussion, should these photographers really pick apart someone’s personal life? Campaigns are some of the most likely to use photos of this personal nature to try and connect to the viewer- the ‘don’t be that guy’ campaign fights the act of sexual assault. The main reason those photos are shown is to shock and disgust the audience, meaning in this case the photos are appropriate to their function and so should be revealing.
An artist that doesn't shy away from harsh reality is Adres Serrano. Serrano focuses on the truth, exploiting the reality of homelessness, homosexuality, religion and death. His work is never bright and feature limited colour, capturing the scene with no distraction (for example on his picture of the homeless man, the background is out of focus and blurred) making the interaction between the viewer and subject very personal and clear. His eerie and emotive photos fully expose the world to personal subjects, as all of the scenes captured are real (that really is a brain inside a box, and that women are deceased). Through capturing and exploiting these scenes, other people become more aware of these situations e.g. homelessness. His photo normally consists of warm tones and high saturation, except for the collection of morgue photos he published, which relies on cold and slightly dark photos to create that look of ‘lack of life’ and to show that the persons is not there anymore, all that is left is a empty shell of a body.
Onto less harsh subject, sexuality and gender are two of the most controversial subjects in the modern world, despite recent years the act of harming anyone based on gender or sexuality, there is still stigma and discrimination. Often when showed in the media, the opposing side complains about how ‘against the normal’ sexualities and genders are bad influences on younger children or offend them personally. These assumptions are false, most organizations expressing their person life and feelings do not aim to harm anyone, but in fact, help. Sarah Deragon, featuring simple yet dramatic portraits of people from the LGBT community, put ‘The identity project’ together. For the models and the photographer especially, this project was a way of promoting equality and the words of one of the subjects “ I hope the visibility of this project helps someone else find less of a struggle or even find peace in their own struggles”. The purpose of the project is to help spread awareness yet again (like mental health) so the world can become more understanding towards different peoples needs and to show hope to those struggling with their own personal life. So the photos which explore the personal subjects of gender and sexuality are indeed needed, and for those who still believe their wrong simply because of their own beliefs should have no say in what others can or can’t be in their own bodies.
I, myself have also presented sensitive subjects in my own photography. When creating joiner photos, I focused on the feeling of being disconnected, or confused with identity and emotions. One of the images created features some photos in black and white, with dramatic tonal contrast, and some photos in slightly high saturation, combined together to make a joiner photo. I personally like this photo as is brings about the awareness of the fact people can have hidden emotions and even though they seem happy, they could in fact be suffering. The other two photos represent the struggles a person in conflict with their identity. The disconnected image is in black and white, and the focal point is in the center, being drawn in by the lines created by distorting the positioning of some on the photo. The turned body suggests they are hiding, however the front facing eyes interact with the viewer and almost seem to beg for help. This shows that people will never ask for help when suffering with mental issues but can sometimes drop hints to those around them. The last image shows the outfit of the person clearly, yet the face is muddled. I wanted to express the problem young people face today. Most of todays youths are secure in material possessions yet when it comes to mental health, we are the most effected generation. Even though our outward impression is secure, our mental health is ruining this generation.
Overall, I believe harsh reality of uncensored photos should be allowed. Not only do they spread awareness and diffuse stigma but they are also beneficial to both the photographer and the viewer. Mental health is a serious and common issue in the modern world and should therefore not be hidden, artists like Katie Joy Crawford and Steph Wilson put visuals to an invisible problem, increasing the understanding of mental health and allowing them to channel some personal feelings into their work. Viewers seeing the work representing a mental issue can either learn some of the feelings of others or connect with the piece themselves. I think it important how the photo is presented, however, as situation featuring the darkest of symptoms (e.g. self harm and suicide) should not be presented lightly. These can trigger flashback and even relapses in a viewer who has been through that situation. To correctly present a metal illness, the message should be subtle, taking in the consideration that people are going through these symptoms currently and so should not be exploited lightly. For personal life photography, I believe it is a good way of expression, just like the mental health. Artists like Adres Serrano, who could be called an extreme photographer, bring rare topics to more light. His bold and quirky style conduct ranges of emotion within the viewer and educate and intrigue the viewer with sensitive topics. Controversial topics are also excusable when it comes down to photography, as just like all the other topics before It, they work to remove stigma and hatred towards personal lives. Gender, sexuality and identities are all extremely good for photography and their is so much expression to be explored by the camera. The informative side of all these topics outlay any of the negatives of uncensored photograph and in my opinion are important to exploring thoughts and feelings of the photographers and the viewer. To conclude, I believe that uncensored photos should always be allowed due to its many benefits and as long as the photo is respectful to the topic I see no reason to not express it in photography.