MEDI 236: Ethics

Where ethics are concerned I wanted to be absolutely sure that I was ethically sound. I know there are a lot of photographers that have achieved this and thus I have drawn my inspiration from them.

Mainly I have looked at the work of KayLynn Deveney who actually asked her subject to participate. While I have asked neither of my subjects to write on the pictures I have at every stage consulted with them and ensured that they actually felt they had some control over the project as well.

I got both of my subjects to sign consent forms so that everything was all above board.

I have also looked into the work of Susan Meiselas but since I am working more with objects than humans her methods are only applicable in the sense that I too wish to tell the story that happens outside of the frame. I do however very much like her style.

At the opposite end of the scale for ethics would be someone like Paul Kransler with 'Land of Milk and Honey' in which his subjects had no recompense or ownership over the photos he took. Although his images are both beautiful and jarring I fundamentally object to the lack of ethics displayed. It is for this reason that I have chosen to be eithically responsible to my subjects and have offered them some control over the images.

I do not think this is bad documentary just good and just practice.