Kwame Brathwaite's photo of Nomsa Brath wearing earrings designed by Carolee Prince, AJASS, Harlem, ca. 1964. (Courtesy of the artist and Philip Martin Gallery, Los Angeles.)
Apply and reflect
This week we read 'The Oppositional gaze' and the piece talked a lot about black female and how they were viewed and especially in film. This whole topic made me dig into some research and it led me to find some art work that I was surprise to find and it's relevance to some of the past events of this summer. Back in the 1960's photographer Kwame Brathwaite did a full series of photos of blacks and especially black females. With a title of 'Black is Beautiful' this whole series took black females with a variety of models with different ages but all focused on their natural hair and natural clothes. They were not dressed to fit a look of the common eye or that of a white persons eye. They pulled in an African culture, but kept their American culture as well. Kwame Brathwaite was really showing the true African American culture to date and the beauty of it.
I can relate to these works a lot by how it apply to my photography and how I can try to adjust my photo shoots and how that can help make a difference. Photography is beautiful and it can be so powerful. I want to show the truth within my photography and the beauty that portraits photography can bring to the world and the messages that it can share. As I get more into portraits I take a look at how those are being viewed these day and how important it is to have and share photos. To really show the beauty of the people and the black female people, is so important. These days there are so many platforms to share the photos of people and how that can really empower a group or simply just a single person. Even with Brathwaite's work, the photos made a come back with current event. As popular as they were back in the 60's more article have com up recently to show again the beauty that the public may not have been ready for in the 60's.
You can make a huge difference in the way people are perceived when you photograph them in positive light. This makes me excited to see your artwork and how you are going to your own spin in positive light. To reflect on how the world, see the person you are photographing versus how they see themselves or in your view will change peoples’ mind. We need more art like this to change the way we see each other, and you made a great point by writing this blog.
ReplyDeleteThe importance of photography is so true, I also enjoy taking photographs. Every time I look at a photo it reveals something about whatever or whomever you are photographing. You have a great point about portrait photography and how it can bring a persons individuality beauty to the world. The beauty of every race should be celebrated and thank you for making that point. As a photographer how would you start making a positive change about how different cultures of people are viewed?
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