elliotspirrett Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 OK this is a street/people project I quite fancy going at and I would like some feedback.I would like to photodocument (is that even a word?) the different tribes we have in modern day society. I'm thinking all kinds of social groups and people... Young and old, rich and poor, another category and it's relevant synonim... So how would you suggest going about this? Does anyone have a method which they go through before starting a project? Also would you prefer to see candid shots or aranged shots? And then, if aranged - by me or by the people themselves (that would probably give a more acurate representation). The inspiration for this sort of span off from hit film City of God. If you haven't seen this I suggest you do! So any thoughts tips and ideas for equipment needed would be nice - films, filters and I guess lenses being most important... CheersSpirit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 I have done a limited amount of this, given that I have good connections with numerous Native American friends and my girlfriend is Sioux. However, I think the concept has been done many times before. What would be nice is mixing an "in the life of" type street photography series with formal portraits. Often NAs live very different, impoverished lives on the reservation, but when they get together to celebrate, they wear beautiful costumes. The dichotomy between everyday life and the celebration of life would be another interesting theme to explore. I'd shoot it in medium or large format (for any portraits you do). Do you know a lot about NA culture? If not, I'd say that's the one place I would start. But I would also work on how the generations relate to each other, like portraits of 3 to 4 generations of women. It also takes some mind bending with this culture because they are very proud, they hold their ancestors with high regard and respect, and women are celebrated and strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sattler123 Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 I'm not sure he is talking about native American Indians. Based on his way of expressing himself I would guess that he lives in the UK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliotspirrett Posted January 12, 2007 Author Share Posted January 12, 2007 Ah yes I should've mentioned that... I was being metaphorical there... Sorry! :$ Yeah but I can see where you're coming from with that one to actually! Tribes as in social groups... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klix Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 It's easiest to start with something familiar. I looked at your profile, and you posted a picture with "Portsmouth" on a sign. Is that where you are from? If so, then a typical day/week/month in the life of residents would be a good start -- Obviously, given Portsmouth's maritime history, the dockyard and Royal Navy would play a prominent role in your project, as would your football club. Just a suggestion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliotspirrett Posted January 12, 2007 Author Share Posted January 12, 2007 I keep misleadin people here - I'm from a rural middle-England town but we do have a football club and this information is still useful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray . Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 <i>Also would you prefer to see candid shots or aranged shots? And then, if aranged - by me or by the people themselves...</i><p>It depends on what you want to do, what you want to show or find out, and what you want to spend your time doing. It's your project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymond_tai Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 It helps to select a subject matter you genuinely care about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony_bez Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Elliot, Is this a school project you have to do? If not just go and shoot cool photographs of the people you meet. You can sort them into a theme later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_sullivan Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 the film, The City of God, depicted a photographer who actually lived the life of his "tribe". I might suggest you take a good look at your own tribe and start there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake_tauber Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I agree with Ray. What is it you want to say? If you juxtapose a child in a stroller with an elederly person in a wheelchair, then you will be making a comment. If you put together a shot of a group of goth girls with a group of mall girls then again you a presented a certain POV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al henry Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I had much rather see a good documentary about a woman who has ten cats than a almost certain to fail attempt at documenting a complex social subject like modern tribes. Josef Koudelka has spent forty years attempting to document the Gipsies and was able to do his book EXILIS because he was one at the time. One need access and some degree of acceptance. People are not all that comfortable having someone with a camera poking around in there lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliotspirrett Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 Hmmm good points. Thanks for the help everyone! Elliot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan_reynolds Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 I don't think young and old, rich and poor, etc should be regarded as tribal divisions. So I'm not trying to be clever, Spirit, but a good start would be to understand the nature of tribalism a bit better. Reading some anthropology/sociology books. To me, it seems that tribalism is as much alive, and as nasty, today as it ever has been. Look for evidence of exclusion, ritual, devices to promote unity, declarations of identity. It's a funny thing, but if you start thinking about what you are doing like this, the camera, lens, filters and film will begin to seem utterly irrelevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainvisions Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 "ribes as in social groups..." I feel smarter then the rest now, I got that off that bat. Reading this line sort of summed it up: "the different tribes we have in modern day society. I'm thinking all kinds of social groups and people... Young and old, rich and poor, another category and it's relevant synonim... " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliotspirrett Posted January 21, 2007 Author Share Posted January 21, 2007 Erm...What? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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