The Photo Story: Comparing the Documentary and the Photo Essay to the Narrative Story

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The Photo Story Comparing the Documentary and
the Photo Essay to the Narrative Story
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The
Narrative Story
Toward the end of the 1940s, photographers began
experimenting with a freer form of picture story
development. W. Eugene Smith, working for Life
magazine, broke from the typical pre-scripted
story line. His pictures of country doctor
Ernest Ceriani of Kremmling, Colorado actually
documented the doctors life over a period of six
weeks.
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By recording the doctors everyday activities as
well as the emergencies and traumas he faced,
Smith built a realistic story about a dedicated
health worker. The story had cohesion, but was
based on Smiths observations, not the
preconceived idea of an editor.
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SAME OBJECT OR PLACE
W. Eugene Smiths Spanish Village, published in
Life in 1951, represents perhaps the high point
of photo essays in general interest magazines. In
only seventeen photos laid out over ten pages,
Smith was able to capture the very essence of a
community . . .
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. . . a primitive farming people who had carved a
life from a rugged and unforgiving land, but who
found themselves increasingly threatened by
mid-twentieth century realities of governmental
greed and religious oligarchy.
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Editorial Essays A Clear Point of View
Some groups of photos, like W. Eugene Smiths
1972 Minamata classic on mercury poisoning in the
Japanese fishing industry, function like a
magazine opinion piece or a newspaper editorial.
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This type of photo essay has a clear narrative
story the reader starts to care about the
subject and wants to know how the dilemma is
going to be solved.
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One could surmise that Smiths real subject was
not pollution, but the indomitability of the
human spirit. Smith became an advocate for the
victims, and ultimately a victim himself when his
cameras were destroyed and he was savagely beaten
by company thugs. Partially blinded, he was
unable to photograph, and died a few years later
. . .
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THE LITTLE KNOWN BUT INTERESTING
INDIAN CIRCUS Photographs by Mary Ellen Mark,
1989-90. Mark describes her work as
documentary, but acknowledges that it may also
be called photojournalism. This photo story is
characterized by Marks consistent visual
technique and mood . . .
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VISUAL CONSISTENCY TO HOLD PHOTOS TOGETHER
The most visually distinctive feature of an
anti-war rally held in Hollywood in March, 2005,
was the signage. The photographer set out to
capture the slogans, icons and symbols used by
protestors to get their point across to the
public and the media. Photos by David Blumenkrantz
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While the narrative of the images may match the
protestors own narrative . . .
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. . . the essay, taken as a whole, would present
too biased a view for a newspaper to run.
Selected images were used in the alternative
press.
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Ultimately the essay holds together thematically,
but fails in terms of presenting a narrative that
includes a resolution.
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