The Politics of Ageing, and Where the Power Lies...

Rather appropriately – considering the recent work on my father, and moreover my concerns about it – we had a lecture, followed by discussion, on 'The Politics of Ageing'

The real 'meat' of the lecture came out though when we got on to looking at power relationships in photography. It was said that all photographs have embedded within them a triangle relationship between photographer, subject, and viewer. When the subject becomes a person, the relationship is naturally of greater significance and holds greater impact. The power almost inevitably lies with the photographer, they choose the moment, they edit the world, they edit their exposures, they decide on how the subject is presented to the viewer, they have say over the meaning of a photograph. Think of Joel Sternfeld's work 'Landscape in Memoriam' where the additional text describing the crimes committed at the scenes, alters the viewers opinions and how they regard those pictures dramatically – replacing a calm non-committed stance with shock and pity.

We then thought about when this three-way relationship becomes two – when the photographer is also the subject, and how the power shifts, or seems to. The photographer casts a critical eye over themselves, and this can then come back at the viewer, potentially challenging them. Think of John Coplans, Sam Taylor-Wood, Jo Spence, Cindy Sherman. It seems the photographer holds sway over both themselves and the viewer, 'controlling' the image, and its presence.

We then thought about photographers who could be regarded as exploiting their subjects, exploiting their  power as the photographer. Martin Parr, Diane Arbus, Jock Sturges, Sally Mann. Often their subjects are not aware of the context in which these photographs will be viewed – their use (intended or otherwise) for ridicule, mockery, disgust, gratification. And so we questioned, with lots of debate, whether a photographer should be 'allowed' to publish such work.

All of this discussion was very relevant to the anxieties I have on my own work. I remember at the time agreeing that as a serious practitioner our work deserves to be free, to be spread, to be viewed. Information, pixels, want to be free, should be free, should be shared. And then I looked again over the photos I'd taken of my father's body – and had doubts. I think if a practitioner is confident with their work, then yes, they should push it out there regardless of concerns as to what others might think. But if they are uncomfortable with it themselves, and don't wish it to be widely viewed, then there's a reason for that, and it shouldn't be ignored.    

He who bears the camera bears the power... and the responsibility.