Social Documentary Photography: Bringing Awareness and Change
August 10, 2010 2 Comments
Social documentary photography seeks to bring attention to social issues around the world. Unlike news photography, sites for social documentary photographers have a point of view and believe they can advance a cause, such as human and civil rights, and bring awareness and change through the power of photography.
Here are three sites where you can see the work of photographers practicing activism through photography, including:
- 1. Socialdocumentary.net
© Marielle van Uitert/socialdocumentary.net
Socialdocumentary.net is a member organization for photographers, NGOs, students, photo editors, and the general public. The site currently features over 200 exhibits, and you can view photos by country or photographer. The works featured are as diverse as the Tea Party in America to urban horses.
- 2. FiftyCrows
The FiftyCrows Foundation combines photo exhibitions with action and media campaigns. The 2009-2010 exhibition season features the work of seven photographers, including Stephanie Sinclair’s “The Bride Price: The Consequences of Early Marriage Worldwide.”
© 2010 Stephanie Sinclair
- 3. Collective Lens
Collective Lens is a site for individuals and nonprofits to upload their photos and promote a cause or bring awareness to an issue. The site is also developing a gallery of student work and is reaching out to classrooms to promote photojournalism and social change.
© Acrossfourcontinents.org
The work of these photographers might anger, shock, or inspire action—they are voices speaking through images.
These are great sites, I love the social documentary pics because often a picture reveals that, which words cannot!
Another great social documentary photo site that I love is Steve McCurry’s blog at http://www.stevemccurry.wordspress.com
He is the award winning journalist who took the famous photograph of the Afghan girl with the haunting green eyes that appeared on the national geographic cover.
His photos on his blog tell amazing tales of the world we live in and highlight social, political and economic plights!
I remember that photo. I’m going to check out his blog, thanks for the recommendation!
While researching this story I also ran across Phil Borges, http://www.philborges.com/ who’s also done amazing work. You really can spend hours looking at photojournalists’ work.