Photographer Research; The Working Class

Paul Graham: Beyond Caring 1984-85



Following my research of other photographers whom have photographed the working class I have researched the photographer Paul Graham. What attracted me to this photographer was his older work which I was already familiar with before this project. I didn't infact realise Paul Graham had produce work in recent years. The work which originally attracted me was in particular a project he produced in 1984-85 called 'Beyond Caring'. This project captures documentary shots of people in job centres.

During this project i set out to capture images of working class areas and people. As I've previously presented in this bog, i captured images at the yearly event of Durham Miners Gala. One of the main reasons Durham miners gala still happens today is to remember those who lost their jobs during mainly the Tatcher era of the 1980's in Britain, as i previously explained in that post.

The work here by Paul Graham is a true documentation of that impact of job losses to the lower classes of Britain during this time. The exploration of this work from the past and my work of the present featuring working class people and surrounding these same issues is quite interesting, and could be considered as a vital link in my research.

Paul Graham himself was intact unemployed himself through the duration of this project. This shows an example of a photographer photographing whats close to them. I like this idea, especially being a documentary photographer myself, and i feel this links to my own photography style and ideas.

http://www.paulgrahamarchive.com/beyondcaring.html#a

"Some people embraced it and saw it as something positive, but other people- Magnum photographers, photojournalists- would pick on this photograph for example, the baby in a waiting room in Birmingham, and say that any social interpretation is undermined by the fact that the child is wearing pink, and thats a happy colour, so surely it would be better in black and white..." 

As can be seen in all 3 of these images, Paul Graham is for one, documenting job centres as they were, but secondly, he is addressing issues and creating a deeper meaning with his imagery; having a political say. These people left unemployed by the government have children to care for, its not just them as individuals being affected. I think his work is extremely clever and really urges the viewer to stop and think when they see the images. For most viewing these photographs, they've provably never stepped foot in, therefore seen the inside of a job centre. 

http://www.paulgrahamarchive.com/beyondcaring.html#a

The angles which Paul Graham takes these images makes the viewer feel as though they are actually sat in the job centre themselves, looking out onto these scenes in real life. This is something which i feel is very clever and works well with his work as he's trying to portray the reality of these places to other people. 

http://www.paulgrahamarchive.com/beyondcaring.html#a

Photographer Research: Martin Parr

Martin Parr 

Following my research on Peter Dench, and my study of many photographers who have photographed Britain, and In particular the working classes, the next photographer I aim to look at is Martin Parr.

The work of Peter Dench which was very colourful, bold, brash and honest really reminded me of work I have previously seen by Martin Parr. Although Martin Parr has photographed all over the world, I am aware of some work he has produced of British people. Parr is a documentary photographer who often photographs these 'everyday' people as i earlier referred to them as in a previous post. The vast majority, the working class, the average classes. Past work by Martin Parr has been of tourists abroad and British people at the seaside.

http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&ALID=2K1HRGQP4RD

Martin Parr's 'Life's a beach' documents British people on Brighton Beach in the 1980's. a lot of Martin Parr's work is used as his own propaganda or as his own way of addressing current day issues and political views. This project is a perfect example of that. During the 19980's a great emphasis on the working class was in place due to Thatcherism and conservatives ruling Britain. As it may be common knowledge to many, working class people struggled during these times more than ever due to the loss of so many jobs due to government cuts.

This concept of photographing working class people and the everyday people of Britain links with my own minor project. Much controversy had been caused over this project by Martin Parr due to the fact he was more a middle class individual and he was chosing to present photographs which some argued portrayed the working class in a negative light, saying his work was almost a mockery of the working or lower classes.



http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&ALID=2S5RYDYDHEB9

http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&ALID=2S5RYDYDHEB9

This issue of what to photograph and how the images may be read by the viewer is something I have been considering much so in my own work. The interesting aspects when photographing subject matter such as this does tend to be the more grim aspects however this can then lead to the images being read as a negative portrayal of whatever I as the photographer am trying to portray. 

Research Peter Dench

Photographer Research

Peter Dench

In relation to the work created of Durham Big meeting, i am choosing to look at other photographers who may photograph in a similar style to me or who have chosen to photograph a similar subject matter. I am looking to find inspiration from other photographers, particularly in terms of what subject matter to photograph. I know myself i take an interest into the every day people of Britain, the  working class in particular.

Peter Dench British photographer who has created many projects relating to the everyday British people. With the majority of people in the country being classed as working or lower class, these are the kind of people i mean when i say 'everyday'; the majority.

One series of images produced by Peter Dench which particularly have become of interest to me are from his project called 'Alcohol & England'.

http://www.peterdench.com/#/alcohol-england/A_E25

This extremely interesting and at times shocking and funny series of images shows British people excessively drinking. Something which is probably fair to say the British are famous for.


A select few images are shown upon his website, the images have actually been produced as a book. A bigger variety of the images can be found on 'Getty images'

http://www.reportagebygettyimages.com/features/alcohol-england/

The images present a selection of all kinds of british people, from all classes and backgrounds, with one thing linking them all together...Alcohol.

The images are taken in colour, all of the bright colours really stand out in the images. A lot of the images don't particularly look composed or thought about to much, with different angles and all sorts of different subject matter, colours and scenes. The idea of being drunk and un-orderly seems to be portrayed in the images them selves through this bold and almost carefree style.

Although the photography is documentary, which i tend to think normally can be seen as a more serious genre, some of the images have a particular feel of humour to them. The series of images remind me of images I've seen before by Martin Parr, another british photographer whom choses to document the people of Britiain in this bold and brash style.

Photography Collectives

When researching 'Amber' for my dissertation it has been brought to my attention that it would be helpful for me to research into what a 'collective' is, as Amber is a collective of photographers and film makes whom have created this body of work about the North East of England between the years 1968 and 2010.


http://www.wired.com/2012/05/photo-collectives/


Other more well known collectives are collectives such as Magnum and Vii photo. A slight definition of a collective is given on this website i found whilst researching:

"IN RECENT YEARS, the photo collective has emerged as a clear and strategic response by photographers who've reasoned that – in uncertain times – there is strength in numbers."

The Name: Razón is Spanish for "reason." "We believe that the underlying reasons for making documentary work are equally important to the work itself,"  http://www.wired.com/2012/05/photo-collectives/

Another example of a collective is the 'Black Audio Collective'

This collective is a portrayal of Black audio film between the years 1982-1998

http://www.smokingdogsfilms.com/bafc/

As all collectives do, they need funding and support from outside parties, for example this particular collective has support from foundations such as the Arts Council England 

Exhibtion: Amber Project

Recently I chose to visit the Amber Exhibition after seeing the Exhibition being mentioned on the news. After seeing the Exhbiion be spoke about on the news i then researched it through looking at what the Amber foundation was all about and more of what the Exhibition was about through visiting related websites. I posted my findings on a previous post. Now, in this post, I have presented some images i took of work exhibited in the Amber Exhbition. Ive chosen to show some of my favourite work and the work which i felt related best to my chosen dissertation subject. I've also photographed the text which went along side with the chosen images, to make it clear whom the images are by and a little bit about each project. 

My next step following the research of this project is to individually research the photographers i saw in the Exhbition. Each photographer documents the working class people of the North East in their own way. The images range across the years, some showing the coal mining eras and others portraying life after pit closures, in more recent years. 

The Amber exhibition shows working class life across the North East. In my dissertation i aim to explore the working class as a whole across the country however i have chosen to start by researching  within the area i know and come from. Most emphasis tends to be upon the north and especially the north east anyway when it comes to looking at the british working class. That being because there is a higher rate of poverty in the north and the north east. Most coal mines tended to be situated in the north of the country, therefore due to the closure of many coal mines in the 1980's this then impacted on the employment across these areas, resulting in many being left unemployed. Many villages and communities had nothing left after this era and the devastation caused can still be seen to this very day. 

When researching the portrayal of the working class through medias such as photography, most photographers I tend to think of myself are those whom have captured images of the actual people within a community. However I've gathered it is important to look at photographers who have photographed areas which are associated or classed as 'working class.'

Research: Benefit Street

Channel 4: Benefit Street

In relation to my chosen subject for my dissertation, which focus' on the way in which the British working class are being portrayed through medias such as photography and television, Im choosing to research programs which have been aired in recent years such as 'Skint' and 'Benefit' street. Benefit Street has been the most recent program to air which looks at those in Britain currently living in poverty. Coincidentally as I have started my research of the Biritish working class in my local area of the County Durham and the North East of England, the most recent series of Benefit Street has actually been filmed here also. Benefit Street's second series covers the stories and lives of those living upon Kingston Road in Stockton-on-tees. Although the term working class would suggest I intend to look at the 'workers' of Britain, I see this economic class being seen as the lowest class of Britain's social class system, meaning it covers those on benefits or out of work and those working the lower payed jobs across the country. 

Benefit street seems to be a very controversal subject, with many disagreeing or having negative opinions about the program. As i intend to research the way the British class are being portrayed in todays media, i want to find out whether todays people see Benfit street as a positive or negative way of documenting and presenting the working class to the rest of the nation. To start this research i have been looking at online articles and newspaper articles to see what the general media have to say about the program. 



The Mirror

"Regrettably, as with the first series, the producers have yet to provide irrefutable evidence that the street in question, Kingston Road in Stockton, deserves that nickname.

I’m afraid poverty porn is what Benefits Street undeniably remains.

From the opening shots of a washing machine in the street, to the tales of doorstep lenders, to jailbird drug dealer Maxwell outlining his other earnings – Income Support and Disability Benefit."

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/benefits-street-national-papers-say-9237912

Personal Response

As most will know, 'The Mirror' is classed as a 'left wing' newspaper, meaning the views expressed are mostly Labour views; Labour being the political party which fights more so for the 'working class' of Britain, the majority of people, which obviously are what these people of Kingston Road would be classed as. 

The Guardian

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/benefits-street-national-papers-say-9237912

"Yes, they might be poor, and on benefits, and facing further cuts and sanctions. And it might be a bit loud and a bit boisterous sometimes.

But look at the community spirit, "

Personal View

I would agree that the program does emphasise on the strong community spirit amongst those on Kingston Road. But in all honestly, I don't think those from this area would see that being shown as a favour to them, it would be more like a given. The strong community spirit will be natural to them. Something which would offend those from kingston Road more would be the title of the program, and the fact a camera crew would even want to come and film their community, like they are alien to the rest of Britain? 

The Daily Mail

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/benefits-street-national-papers-say-9237912

"This was vividly proved on the vile Benefits Street (C4), when the residents of Kingston Road in the North-East town of Stockton turned on a trio of polite freelancers who had come to report on the making of the programme.

First, they subjected the journalists to a barrage of abuse and threats.

Then the teenagers started throwing eggs. ‘It’ll be bricks next,’ warned one.

Finally a masked man ran at them with a bucket of water, picking out the only woman and chasing her down before trying to soak her.

The truly ludicrous thing was that a Channel 4 crew was standing by, watching all this smugly, and all the residents were happy to be filmed."

Personal View

Known for its controversial opinions and lacking of fear to hold back with opinions it's no surprise to me that the Daily Mail have written this about the Channel 4 program. I completely disagree with the way in which the article has been written as i don't feel its fair to speak this offensively about about any social class or community. Rather than speaking about the program itself, the article seems to pick on the actual people of the community, calling them 'pretentious bigheads' and 'Attention Seekers'. In my own person view the article doesn't even seem worthy of reading and is evidently written by very small minded, un educated people. However this is one example of how some of todays people in Britain view the working class and how they chose to judge the working class through the media they have been shown by modern day Television programs. Its worrying to think that a British social class can be viewed so negatively due to this kind of media coverage. Is this the intentions of Channel 4? Or is this just unfortunate that this is the way some people view the working class of Britain. 

The Independent

"The real villains, this episode wanted to suggest, are the press, who began descending on the neighbourhood in droves once word got out."

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/benefits-street-national-papers-say-9237912

Benefits Street does make space for much-needed context but it still seems disingenuous of the show to declare itself entirely innocent.

Lest we forget, this programme provides the press with the necessary fodder to demonise benefit claimants, then sits back and enjoys the resultant ratings."

Person View

In relation to my chosen subject for my dissertation, this article struck me most. My first inspiration for my dissertation came from the book "Chavs: The demonisation of the working class" By Owen Jones. Here this article mentions "demonise benefit claimants". I am interested in researching into the way the working class are portrayed, whether media shows them in a positive light or does indeed 'demonise' them. This article therefore suggests the channel 4 program choses to focus on the press and make them out to be the evil ones, when really, its the channel 4 program providing the press with a platform to go ahead and demonise these people, then they will sit back and "enjoy the resultant ratings."

The Amber Project

Social Documentary

The Amber Exhibition



Here I found a brief article about a current exhibition showing in Newcastle called the Amber project. The project exhibits 30 years of North East living through photography and film. This current exhibition is something which ties well with my own work which i have started to produce in relation to working class people in the north east. I hope to get to see this exhibition before it closes on the 19th september 2015. The photographers mention in this article who have working being exhibited in the Amber Project Exhibition are photographers which will come in great use for research and a source of inspiration for my own work in my photography and written work. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-33311907

This has been a really helpful find for me as it gives me numerous photographers who have documented the north east whom I can now go off and research. 

Link to Gallery and Exhibition Info:

https://laingartgallery.org.uk/whats-on/for-ever-amber


Amber Project Website;

http://www.amber-online.com/sections/about-us/pages/introduction

The work is rooted in social documentary, built around long term engagements with working class and marginalized communities in the North of England.