Photography Lecture- Photograph as a Document

What is documentary photography? Documentary photography usually refers to a popular form of photography used to chronicle significant and historical events. It is typically covered in professional photojournalism, or real life reportage, but it may also be an amateur, artistic, or academic pursuit. The photographer attempts to produce truthful, objective, and usually candid photography of a particular subject, most often pictures of people.

This photo was taken by Jacob Riis and is called 'How the other half live' 

The people in the photograph look quite threatened and agressive, however I think they only look this way as they are confused to what this new technology as they are all looking at the camera.  

Above is a photo taken by Lewis Hine- called 'Russian steel workers' 1908. This photo is very similar to Jacob Riis' but this one has more dialoge, drawing attention to child labour, they are hard working, blood sweat and tears. 

This is a photograph done by Bill Brant originally from Germany, this photo was taken in Britian. the photograph is taken as if Bill isn't there, it's almost as if the people are trapped in a glass box, Brant looks at the different social contrasts.