The Politics of Photography
By Alexa Tuya
Photography is typically illustrated as an artform crafted by capturing moments in time through a camera lens, and while this belief is not false, this is simply a surface level definition. Behind each photograph lies a story shaped by human intention and unseen forces further within the photographer.
Every frame materializes not only what was seen in that time but how the photographer felt and interpreted the scene, ultimately manipulating our understanding of that reality. It is this element of photography that evokes thought and perception leading to the storytelling aspect of the art.
Just as an author carefully selects their words depending on the weight and rhythm of a scenario, a photographer must decide on how they wish to compose any photo knowing that every shadow, color, and line will communicate with the viewer’s subconscious whether it be a whisper or a shout.
These factors are the building blocks of a photographs composition. When approached, Albert Arauz, a photographer with 28 years of experience, had this to say, “The colors, angles, and lighting is what gives a picture feeling.”
Angles are essentially the architects of a photo, dictating how a subject is interpreted before our minds even begin to process the other details of said image. Mr. Arauz explains how angles contribute to creating emotional impact, more specifically how higher angles equate to “subverting power” and that lower angles “command presence.”
As much as you need lighting to actually see something correctly in a photograph, lighting is more than a technical element. Utilizing the correct lighting for any given image can transform an ordinary scene into something almost ethereal. Arauz finished the conversation on lighting stating “Lighting is everything. Think of taking a picture like painting with light.”
A photographer’s power to shape perception is more than just artistic, it is inherently political. With nothing more than a camera, an individual can curate any narrative they see fit and that aligns with their ideals. These choices, while they are often made unconsciously, carry tremendous weight.
“In photography, I think emotions are intentionally influenced.[A] photograph can trigger emotions and memories through what we see and associate with certain images or colors,” shared junior Isabella Henriquez.
Photography is more than technical skill. Photography is the deliberate act of framing a worldview, what we see or choose not to see is all rooted in intention. Every decision made by the person capturing the image is part of a silent conversation that all things and people that witness it are included in where a story is told.
