Picture Story Reading 3

The readings for this assignment were both a history lesson in photojournalism. Langton began by giving a brief history of the camera and it’s awkward start with slow shutter speeds and portraits. As technology advanced, the camera became smaller and more versatile. I found it unbelievable that photographers had to bring their darkrooms around with them. Life and Look emerged as the industry’s leading photographic outlets and soon they featured a different medium to tell a story.

Chapnik traces the modern picture story back to a German publication and two photographers who discovered a relationship could exist between two images. His chapter on great photographic essays illustrates examples several photographers and their adventures in photo essays. Chapnik closes his reading with requirements (if you will) for a great photo essay: time, cooperation, an abandon of preconceptions, detail and most of all, passion.

The message I took from these readings was simple: do what has not been done before. We see many photo stories on drug abuse, but Bill Eppridge was the first to do it, and do it well. Gene Smith developed the modern photo essay himself, leading to thousands of stories. Obtaining the access these photographers had with no precursor is just downright amazing.