Cultural Stories Taught by Photojournalistic Art

1

“A young man jumped from a three story building, but missed the ground. He had collapsed a van rooftwo feet inwards, blownout the windows and lived. A guardian angel earned his wings and I earned an earful. I gotmy camera out the moment I figured out why a crowd had started to gather. I was loading film and joking with a friend; it was just too surreal a situation. A news reporter was tearful and indignant that I'd take photos. She yelled that I had no proper respect for the victim or understanding of what was going on in his mind. I just baulked.” It was veteran photojournalist Phil Rushton's first encounter to violent death. “A PJ tries to remove his emotions as racing to a scene while listening to police reports on CB radio-scanner.” 2

“My editor told me I lost a student PJ's award winner. A firefighter was climbing the van and all of the man that could be seen was one knee up. That image scarred me especially as I was a peer drug counsellor at the time. The news reporter lost her composure and misunderstood my nervous joking.” Rushton was only glad to count all the teens he helped in group therapy next meeting -- any of them could have had second thoughts about rehab and jumped. Rushton took a sip of scotch on the rocks and continued, “Trauma afterwards aside, it would have made a hell of a story. I decided photojournalism was crazier then I had ever expected. I couldn't wait ‘til the next assignment,as long as there weren’t glass shards.” 3

Welcome to the viewfinder of PJ. Half the excitement is from not knowing what will greet a PJ awaking in morning or to a 3amphone call for a breaking story. Not always pretty, but life always has a story or two worth seeing. The CB radio scanner will soon tell.For the sake of not typing it out every time as noticed already, photojournalists are referred to in the field as PJ's. No, not lacy negligee, it's just an acronym. 4

This photo exhibit will show Canadian photojournalism as an important art of cultural identity as shaped by dedicated men and women recording historywith a camera for future generations. “You should want it bad enough and be prepared to commit yourself... then go full blast.” Ted Grant is one such man who committed himself fully to photography. His wife became a “PJ's widow” because Grant was off shooting. Grant's compassion and reflexes caught life, creating collective memories like Carl Jung said humankind would have as a universal community. 5

This exhibit would show how the camera has become a tool to educatewith collective memories.Ted Grant is a renowned freelance PJ who produced some universally touching photo-essays. His photos would be usedas fine examples of a PJ’s work. He reflected life in eyes of workers where most of the public doesn't see; hospitals. Three photos will be critiqued for a small gallery of why photojournalism might be an art form of the last half of the twentieth century in 100 years.Perhaps Grant found doctors to have extraordinary work ethic, compassion and surgical precision similar to his own. 6

PJ's use mechanically produced art record life with nitty-gritty realism. Documentary makers share this common background of attempting to reveal the facts to the public by film even if it isn't always popular. Throughout the 20th century history, photographerswere inferior to news reporters’ articles,but they have grown in importance almost as technicians with the technology becoming so advanced. PJ’s have finally earned their respect. 7

Ted Grant, a retired PJ in Victoria, is still shooting projects for new books at age 76. His style is sparse and immediately classic. After a fifty year long career, he is equal in skill, form and style to Canadian national hero, Yousef Karsh. Working in Ottawa, Grant has been respected as a forerunner of Canadian PJ's style. A freelancer since the 1960s, he has shot for assignments with the Canadian Press, National Geographic, Weekend Magazine, Sports Illustrated, People, Equinox,and the National Film Board. He was the official photographer of the Mulroney era government. During his career, he covered the Isreali Six Day War in 1967,and a few years later,Vietnam. He was at all the Olympic Games from 1972-1992 – including capturing Ben Johnson's short-lived Canadian triumph – as well as other major sporting events. “I try to work as the invisible man and not be part of the story I am documenting. Let those you are photographing do their job and find the pictures in what they are doing without interfering.” Grant used this working philosophy and his silent Leica camera like Cartier-Bresson to get such intimate photos inside crowded Canadian hospitalsover a ten years span. His intention was tohonour the wisdom and trust of doctors like the team that operated to salvage the sight in Grant's good eye. The theme is interesting as it is completely personal.His PJ intuition had full reign without an editor dictating which people or subjects to cover for once. 8

His two recent books on doctors are much more available as recent coffee-table worthy art books,then his earlier journalism work. Doctors' Work – The Legacy of Sir William Osler is an awesome photo-essay paying homage to doctors and nurses throughout history as they serve the sick and wounded. Grant's use of quotes by Sir Osler, Florence Nightingale and Hippocrates create a clean, classical format to show the hospital in action. Sir Osler reminds readers that wisdom isn't found in seeing years of situations happen, only in recognising which ones that matter. He said that “the value of experience is not in seeing much, but in seeing wisely”.Learning to analyze photos and situations becomes a matter of wisdom gained in seeing the truth of the matter of what will matter to the reader and editor. Sharp contrast and immediate recognition of the image are equally as important as the ability to be in the right spot to make the subject stand out clearly and in a fresh light that will still matter in twenty years. The legacy of PJ is images that matter in history. 9

The first photograph chosen for this exhibit of PJ's style art would be a photo of a doctor studying late at night among all the files and books of medicine. The eye's focus is taken by the repetition of the books creating a pattern and a reading lamp as available light to the doctor in her research. Ted Grant's uses only black and white film because “I think it has the power to it that just isn't' there in colour. It leaves things to the viewer's imagination” The photo creates this wonderful reassurance that doctors don't work 9-5 and then go home and forget about work. They never stop learning how to better prevent disease. There is quote by Sir William Osler next to the photo stating, “Do not waste the hours of daylight listening to that which you may read by night.” Agreed as 1:00 AMis a time when quiet study concentrated on fully. Though it isn't clear what she is reading, the tables spread out and her head drooping gives a sense of passing of time. The negative dark space created by the lamp does lend to a triangle of Golden thirds and give imagination to what all the other books are there for and if the doctor has needed to read them. 10

The second photo of a nurse with a stethoscope and concerned look on her face. “There is only one cardinal rule: one must always listen to the patient.” Dr. Oliver Sacks's quote makes this image completely clear that she is caring for a patient and asking about his well being. Vertical tight cropping and evenly falling natural light make this a intimate and compassionate shot. “You have to have a compassionate killer instinct of respect for your fellow human beings to truly make you successful,” says Grant explaining the qualities of a successful PJ.” Simple as a portrait, however, to be there with the nurse and not getting in the way the rounds requires; minimal movement or noise that distract the nurse or disturb patients; intuition to raise the camera at the right moment; and skills and tools a competent PJ could draw upon and use in delicate circumstances. An anonymous PJ quote reads great photography is perfectly composing and capturing images with optical physics and chemical processes. “It only requires a camera and film. Photography is almost as simple as writing, which only requires a pen and paper. And a photographer is as elegant as anorchestra conductor, whoonly requires a thin stick and evening coat.” 11

The third photo is just lovely. There are a number of photos of child-birth, but this struck me as quite awe inspiring in the afterglow of new life. The intimate look of the man holding the baby might be any father. “It is a wise father who knows his own child.” by one of the greatest writers of life's drama, William Shakespeare, makes an instant connection with the photo. A simple horizontal shot with a shallow range of depth to blur out the photo gives the impression that nothing else in the world matters in this moment to the father. This photo is more then merely a portrait of a proud new father, but maybe where the cycle of life continues onwards. 12

Einstein once said, “When striving for the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.” A PJ is maybe the ultimate realism artist. They rarely elegantly leave out any truths – God/editor and layout tailoring permitting. Wars have become horror personified in Robert Capa's Death of a Spanish Soldier, but also showed compassion and camaraderie even on the front-lines of trench warfare. PJ’s covered the 9-11 disaster in great detail. The human collective is scared by images of ash-covered firefighters weeping and people running from the falling debris. PJ's are documentary makers armed only with a camera and intuition to freezing people’s stories with exacting genuineness. 13

As definition from the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language online at www.dictionary.com, a documentary is “a work, such as a film or television program, presenting political, social, or historical subject matter in a factual and informative manner and often consisting of actual news films or interviews accompanied by narration.” There was a film documentary shown at Camosun in November 2004 about the Dukabores in British Columbia. Parts of the movie about Russian mafia style fire-bombing and government kidnappings to reshape and subdue a minority were a bit disturbing; nevertheless they are a part of Canadian history. The film also attempted to heal some of the old wounds by acknowledging people's stories as reality. A PJ presents facts with 35mm film for the public to analyze; supplemented by interviews and quotes. They have the newspaper's code of ethics, style and honesty to produce straight-shooting evidence as the camera accurately records it. 14

PJ's trace their roots to 19th century realism painting of common man's portraiture and early documentary movie filming. Unlike the painter's brush, a camera is improvement over plein air painting in spontaneous ability to produce images from any environmental or fast-action situation that would be more difficult for canvas and brush accurately convey. Yet, photographers didn't seem to get any respect for their art nor try to earn it sometimes. They sneaked cameras into hanging executions; re- instigated events when there were slow weeks; and paid off officials for exclusive photo opportunities. It was a matter of bribing the system or gettingfired for not getting the story. There was always someone newerand younger who would bribe faster then a flash bulb firing to make his break the newspaperworld. That was a bad habit in itself. Flash bulbs lasted one shots and then were thrown over the shoulder. PJ's had some decency if they were inside. They hoped that nobody pushed up against their coat with all the used-bulbs in the pockets. PJ were very much a means to sell newspapers but art essays, like Ted Grant’s have gone further. 15

Stemming from the sports, war and crime photos, early PJ's were sensationalist. Car crashes with men stuck in the telephone wires were more interesting then lovers on a picnic. Unless it was the mayor's wife and a rebel James Dean wanna-be. Scandalous! Fashionable young women's dresses and smiling children were the only other faces in newspapers to be seen from microfilms of 40 years of Vancouvernewspaper history. In 1929, there were almost no photos, except for one of the King. In 1939, photos about the war were good publicity for bonds money to build destroyers and equipsoldiers. In 1959, the weekend edition had actual photo essays about deer hunters, BC Lion football players, and even an adorable child trying to catch her beaming grandpa's pipe smoke rings. Joe DiMaggio's sensational hitting and heroism was a photo feature in the sports part of newspaper in 1941 along with editorial comics mocking Hitler. Bigger world events needed more photos and PJ’s responded. 16

As comparison, a VancouverSun in 1999 had photos on almost every page of the news section and almost three times as many pages. Columnists, specialty writers and photographers flood the paper with news in travel, automotive and fashion trends, business and real estate. The 1939 paper rarely had many stories let alone entire sections devoted to those subjects. There were only a couple of stylized graphic paintings in 1929. Images were modernist art style advertisements about long-johns and wonderful new inventions of the future. Those were advertisements for toaster ovens and nylon stockings.Buy amazing inventions of the future now! Unfortunately, there are still too many ads which are required to pay for the production of the newspaper. 17

Now, newspapers like the Globe and Mail, VancouverSun and all the competition can be subscribed to and delivered via email. Technology has dramatically changed how fast and high of quality an editor and writer can get images to work with from the field. Bullet-proof reliable professional digital cameras, satellite phones and laptops are important to a modern PJ's successful transmission of the late-breaking news. 18

The news photo is worth a thousand words is cliché with truth. It's also worth $50-150 minimum per freelance shot. Newspapers have a premium on the written word. Every printed page costs money in a tightly watched budget. The copy editor will get annoyed if it's over the 300-600words per article limit or max 1200-1500 for a cover feature. Hence, a photograph has be refined to a single artistic word and properly composed to convey the interest of the message the story has to tell. There are way too many images that hit round wire baskets, editor's cutting room floors or eco-friendly recycling box of digital realms.Ted Grant’s are those of a master. 19

There is hopefully one single frame among the thirty-six images on a roll of film or two hundred images from a digital camera that will tell the story properly. Providing the lens cap wasn't left on in the heat of the action or the memory card loaded. Quit the PJ day-job and take up singing at Jewish weddings with Adam Sandler if there isn't a shot worth printing. That one photo will make the viewer remember that story. The PJ in thick of it, witnessing the events written about, make the newspaper more interesting reading. People grow too busy to sit back and read every article in the newspaper over morning coffee. Without a strong fresh photo, coffee and articles seem a bit old and reheated issues. 20

A well written story is not worth printing (and getting coffee stains on it) if it doesn't have a good photograph to support it. The Canadian Press Handbook states this and has a point-form checklists from the PJ's chapter. Most of the book is devoted to writing style and research. One chapter out of the twenty is about photography. Assumption from the journalist about a photo-shoot's simplicity eh? Does the photo tell a story, have good contrast? Does it truthfully and compassionately shed light on the news? Only if the subject poses nicely without knowing it, refrains from uttering threats about being photographed, and maybe even co-operates patiently. Providing the subject can even be found to interview and photograph. The handbook mentions nothing about putting reputation and life on the line to get a shot by going over and above normal expectations of dedication to get the job done right. The photographer prays main and backup camera bodies will stays malfunction-free. He must be on his toes when other unexpected elements unfold as he tries to find the proper angle to shoot the first photo. That resulting photo will be the intro to the writer's article. 21

Fortunately,intuition helps a great deal under pressure. Irony’s evil humouroccasionally with leaves animportant story’s on short deadline.The photographer misjudges his own limits and ends up in the wrong spot a minute too late and working overtime deep into the night. Henri Cartier-Bresson is the godfather of PJ's in his famous philosophy of intuitively catching the defining moment of action. Photographers everywhere admire his humble genius use of a near-silent, beautifully crafted M6 Leica camera. They strive to shoot to his standards. To catch the event mid-action in all the raw beauty of expressions of the range of emotions is a PJ's mission and luck when he loads film and focuses a lens on situations. 22

In available light (or annoyingly there lackof) photography uses a style to create the classic form of true-to-life realistic photos with high-speed lenses and sensitive 35mm films. Black and white has beautifully simple patterns in lines, shape and form. Ted Grant summarized up why the traditional art of black and white photos is so important. "When you shoot people in colour, you photograph their clothes. When you shoot people in black and white, you photograph their souls. Real photographers shoot black and white, eat sushi and drink scotch.” Good photos keep composition in mind for equal elements of fore, mid and background to draw the viewer into an image according to the golden rule of thirds; a thought that echoes back to Greek and Japanese philosophies of balance, calm and harmony. Another element of a PJ's style is to stick to the shadows like a fly on the wall as anobserver of the scene. The less posed and unaware of the camera people are,glancing into the distance or at each other, the more powerful an image is. 23

Humble to be invisible as a PJ, Ted Grant inspires a new generation of Canadian PJ's and is speaking at the National PJ convention in Calgaryin April 2005. Photos capture emotions so raw that they bring viewers to tears or laughter. A PJ worth his salt catches the unbelievable and truly amazing as he keeps shooting to witness and record life. Dorothy Lange noted “the camera is a tool that teaches us to see without looking through a viewfinder.” Perhaps PJ's teach the public see world in new and relevant light as they record the news. Art forms are rarely called as such until academics have argued for years. I'll keep taking photos and enjoying the results thanks. 24

Sources: 25

Phil Rushton volunteered as a PJ for the last three years at the Camosun College Nexus and before that two years for Oak Bay High yearbook. I was unsure, with a fair bit about the field, of how to sum up knowledge as a PJ. It required much writing, thinking and reading over a month between work, photo & school assignments. 26

Much of my PJ camera technique, history and theory has come from practice going through film like a fish through water; combing through the forums' archives of www.photo.net ; and asking questions of more experienced pros. Readingsin National Geographic Magazines, Kodak and Time Life Photography Books. The CP Handbook that guides every Canadian PJ was the basis of my critique of Ted Grant's photos. 27

My college newspaper editors sent student to be blooded as writers and PJ's to find stories in the field. My first assignment was to cover student reactions to 9-11. That was intense. The photo by-lines said by Phil Rushton and I was hooked. Every other story since that I've tried to shoot to the newspaper code of truth and ethics that are posted in my bedroom along with my second ever cover-shot. Since then, I've completely lost track of how many hours I've spent shooting, developing, editing, cursing and thinking about PJ stories. 28

I did a job shadow and interview with Bruce Stotesbury, a staff photographer at the Times Colonist, in grade twelve. Driving with him, CB scanner on the dashboard blaring police reports and camera on his lap, I admired PJ'sforhaving the coolest job I had ever seen. He inspired me to love how I never know what will greet me as I wake up and take photos. Having seen him quietly shoot portraits and find stand-alones on a quiet day taught me all I needed find news photos, work with editors and respect my photographic subjects. 29

Lorna Mooney of Slice of Life Wedding Photo Imagery took me on for a summer of apprenticing as her photo assistant. She has done weddings since 1991 after graduating from the Western Academy of Photography. Learned watching her document one of life's most important stories. Bridezilla is a term learned seeing young brides snap at photographer, 'hurry up! after 3 hours of shooting 'I wanna party' SHUSH 30

I learned more about studio photography from a semi-retired photographer named Tony of Tony's Old Times Photography downtown on Langley Street. I never did catch a last name, but Tony had great tales of PJ from his own career from the 1950's and explained news-work. He was in Koreaat the same time as Ted Grant. Tony's good humoured and sharp as tacks; once, he saved his platoon by shooting the cook (though with a camera).Food photos usually look good enough to eat… Though discouraged, mild blackmail seems a useful skill, situation pending. 31

Ted Grant's biography and quotes came from an interview by a Times Colonist reporter on his book. 32

Eye of an artist, reflexes of a cat; Shankar Viswanathan. Times Colonist. Victoria, B.C.: Mar 11/01. pg. B.7 33

Doctors' Work, The Legacy of Sir William Osler – by Ted Grant (C) 2003, Published by Firefly Books Ltd. 34

Quotes accompanied photos from pages 71, 101, 241, 254 35

This art history essay writer experience a bit of trouble seeing work as history only ten years old from anindustry- not an artform per say -that is barely forty years old. There are relatively few if any art history papers or books which have discussed photojournalism. I asked an anthropology instructor of what constituted of historical relevanceif it were only yesterday’s news. She thought it would be a great question to puzzle a history professor as it had puzzled me. I tried to write part of it like a photojournalism articlewith first person quotesas if 80 years from now.Iprobably won't find out if I'll be correct though. 36

I was unable borrow any historical images of Ted Grant's work from Canadian Press despite a request to the overly-busy Times Colonist. Typed and read until 4ammore then a few nights. Even Cartier-Bresson was probably up late into night editing work and planning the next photo-shoot. Yes, I interviewed myselffrom that memory of my first encounter with true daily PJ work. Itook assumption that an editor won't shoot me over missing a deadline -- not with a camera either--before becoming a veteran PJ. If I make it to 101 years old, maybe then I'll be able afford to drink scotch.If I had been braver, I would have tried to contact Ted Grant directly for an interview. I just might do that later on when I’m better prepared. Maybe he’ll share some scotch. Likely, I’ll have to buy him a bottle.37