The Photographic Medium is a forum designed to promote the production and discussion of photography. The contributors to this dialogue will propose their own topics and contemplate others. This is a composite of its members' talents and a venue for creative output and artistic theory.
3/18/2008
Auschwitz II - Birkenau
These are hastily prepared and edited. . . We were there yesterday and I really wanted to share with everyone. I'm sure they won't look quite right in a calibrated monitor.
I can only imagine what kind of emotion visiting these places must conjure. Two of my oldest and dearest had parents who were placed in work camps, one in Poland, one in Austria. Neither of them were Jewish. Those experiences live on in unexpected ways. The top image speaks to the topic most closely and powerfully for me. This is an example where a title furthers an insight, but is not necessarily needed.
Mimi brings up a very interesting point: You can only imagine. I can't even begin to empathize with what possible emotions come from these images. These images carry the difficult task of trying to convey something so much bigger than their literal appearance, and for someone who wasn't there or doesn't have a substantial connection or personal interest, this task is almost an exercise in futility. Its a very innocuous scene that assumes grief. It's quite different documenting human suffering for photographers when they are working in the midst of and at the whim of the moment in history. Those are documentary images that inevitably carry emotional content through the medium and to the viewer. On the other hand you and every other photographer who visits concentration camps post-incident will be documenting human suffering and atrocity in a very abstract way. Now we have to try and imagine.
I gravitate most to the image of the railway. While I understand the flowers and your decision to put them in the center of the stage, I'm not sure I want them there. I was looking more to the tower/tree figure in the right background area. I have to look at these some more...
I really like how some of these can be looked at completely differently if not for the title. The one with the wooden door cracked open is such a beautiful example of textures and light...but then you are reminded of what occurred there, in that mud by the door, and how most likely nobody was looking at the puddles of rainwater and the wet wooden door and thinking it was beautiful.
i agree w/ mimi. I think that the first photo is beautifully handled and I enjoy the use of the tourists to help separate me from the intensity of subject matter.
4 comments:
I can only imagine what kind of emotion visiting these places must conjure. Two of my oldest and dearest had parents who were placed in work camps, one in Poland, one in Austria. Neither of them were Jewish. Those experiences live on in unexpected ways.
The top image speaks to the topic most closely and powerfully for me. This is an example where a title furthers an insight, but is not necessarily needed.
Mimi brings up a very interesting point: You can only imagine. I can't even begin to empathize with what possible emotions come from these images. These images carry the difficult task of trying to convey something so much bigger than their literal appearance, and for someone who wasn't there or doesn't have a substantial connection or personal interest, this task is almost an exercise in futility. Its a very innocuous scene that assumes grief. It's quite different documenting human suffering for photographers when they are working in the midst of and at the whim of the moment in history. Those are documentary images that inevitably carry emotional content through the medium and to the viewer.
On the other hand you and every other photographer who visits concentration camps post-incident will be documenting human suffering and atrocity in a very abstract way. Now we have to try and imagine.
I gravitate most to the image of the railway. While I understand the flowers and your decision to put them in the center of the stage, I'm not sure I want them there. I was looking more to the tower/tree figure in the right background area. I have to look at these some more...
I really like how some of these can be looked at completely differently if not for the title. The one with the wooden door cracked open is such a beautiful example of textures and light...but then you are reminded of what occurred there, in that mud by the door, and how most likely nobody was looking at the puddles of rainwater and the wet wooden door and thinking it was beautiful.
i agree w/ mimi. I think that the first photo is beautifully handled and I enjoy the use of the tourists to help separate me from the intensity of subject matter.
Post a Comment