Integrity , truth and visual lies , who cares ?
“Old Skool” Street photographers certainly care but does the average consumer / viewer engage with “process integrity” while enjoying and engaging with a photographers work ?
I’m beginning to believe that “unbelievable” great captures are quite often read as skillful digital creations by many, while less ambitious digitally altered views are seen as “Real” if the authors restrain their ambitions and visual untruths !
The middle ground of these two positions worries me most , those who grudgingly believe the work to be “Fictitious” but buy into it anyway, failing to look beyond or care about how a image came to be !
Do the “Boring Photographs” that Ray-Jones advised against possess higher levels of credibility than HCB’s “Decisive Moments” in the current climate of mistrust in all things digital ?
Are the “Best” digital “Decisive Moments” fact or manipulated digital fictions ?
Photographs were once considered to be visual truths instinctively , even though we knew that jiggery-pokery went on in Cottingley , Loch Ness and elsewhere …
Has the mass consciousness of photography changed , are modern photographs perceived as lies until they are proven to be true ?
If the above statement is true then Street Photography has a existential problem !
The real value and essence of Street Photography is wrapped up in a ethos of TRUTH & INTEGRITY , these two qualities need to be present in the process and the photographers themselves , sadly these essential qualities are becoming invisible to those who engage with the work , in a world saturated with new digital imagery, the perception of reliability within the digital medium is undermining the intrinsic message !
Does the average on-line photo consumer care about visual integrity , digital manipulation or staged imagery ?
It’s much easier to believe that this picture is set up or digitally created ,rather than a candid capture ?
How a image came into being really does matter to me and many others like me but I’m beggining to feel as if we are swimming against a tide of apathy , truth is becoming unfashionable in the twenty first century and digital media appears to be the facilitator of “Alternative Truths” and a persistent false narrative !
Jeff Wall exploits the space between fact and fiction within a staged reportage approach , deliberately blurring and questioning the reliability of his large scale “visual truths” , has this “Grey” space between fact or fiction become the common ground ?
Has Street Photography become too good for its own good , has the unbelievable perfection of the best work become — UNBELIEVABLE ?
Why do the old classic Street captures of yesteryear appear to possess a greater level of integrity / believability , was integrity built into the people and process of the analogue era or was the audience easier to fool ?
Street Photography is losing its credibility and being de-valued by a growing skepticism of the digital medium , the medium is undermining the subconscious silent message of truth !
It’s not always easy to tell the difference between impersonators and the “Real” thing !
Is the end product all that matters ?
Is this Elvis or a look-a-like , does it matter ?
We’re caught in a trap , I can’t walk out !
Apologies for the last line , Elvis has left the building …
Enjoy your weekend , stay safe and keep it real …
David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project is in progress and can be seen by clicking above .
The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....
Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …
He is based in the South West of England .