Women Photojournalists - Trials and Triumphs
Grete Stern was born May 9, 1904 in Germany. At a young age, she shown an interest in photography. She decided to study graphic design in school. Eventually she moved to Berlin, where she met Otto Umbehr, who directed her to take photography lesson with Walter Peterhans, who was a well-known photographer. After years of working in London, she married and moved to Argentine with her husband. In 1948, she began working for a women’s magazine to express the dreams that the readers of the magazines would submit. She created one hundred and fifty photomontages that portrayed what the readers were expressing. Since the submissions were mainly by women, her photos were showing the women’s oppression and submission in the society of Argentine. Her main goal was to express how the women felt through her pictures she presented.
Principle #1: What feelings does this image create?
This image captured my attention because of how natural she looks. I think it’s a very simple image but it does her justice in the matter of showing who she is. Her face caused me to just stare as the image and wonder what was she so focused on.
Principle #2: Subjects expression
The subject looks kind of relaxed but serious. She gives off a more natural look, than being overly posed. I like that she isn’t staring directing at the camera and more off to the side to give a better shot.
Principle #3: Keep it simple
The composition of this image is on the line of being cluster but also simple. The leaves and plants in front of her could take away from the main focus if there was more. I believe it’s the right amount that doesn’t take away from her but adds another element to the image.
Why did I chose the image?:
I chose this image because I was drawn to the emotion in her eyes and her overall expression. Her face looks so serious and in a way relaxed. She doesn’t seem overly posed or acting in any dramatic manner. I believe this image expresses her true self and character.
The separation in the photojournalism world is very gender based and noticeable. “It’s bad enough that photographers segregate themselves by specialty, calling themselves “sports photographers” or “news photographers” or “celebrity photographers.” Now women are supposed to label themselves “women photographers,” too? It’s a silly distraction at best.” I agree that separating photographers by specialties is necessary in some case, but no need to let it be known if a photojournalism is a female or not. There gender has nothing to do with their talent and ability to take an image. Having them call themselves women photographers just creates a bigger divide and makes it seem like they aren’t being judged by their actual capability.
It’s so sad to hear that just because they were women, they were forced to work ten times harder than a man. They actually had to prove themselves to be recognized and given a chance to show their talent. “Bulletin editor Wisler Zeamer took a chance on her but staff was doubtful about hiring a woman photographer and Wolcott had to prove her worth. Male photographer urinated in her photography chemicals, threw spitballs at her, and extinguished their cigarettes in her developing trays.” To think just because she is women, she was brutalized and had her belongings vandalized so harshly. She is doing the same job as them and working just as hard but is being punished for it.
Principle #1: Rules of Thirds
The photographer didn’t place neither the woman or the tree in the middle of the photo. I believe she did this to give the image a more dramatic look and to give both subjects equal shine. She also did this to cause the eye to move across the image, instead of just straight on.
Principle #2: Contrast Appropriate
The use of the dark and lights in the image created a more serious look to the image. The way the top of the tree is light and the bottom gets darker as it goes down. It makes you think a storm or something bad is approaching.
Principle #3: Background compliments or detracts from composition
The background is very simple and just a mixture of lights and dark areas. It complements the image and sets the mood for the image as a whole. It gives the feeling that something is coming or occurring and it isn’t going to be good.
Why did I chose the image?:
I chose this image because I feel like there is a story behind this image. I was intrigued because the tree looks as if its lifting from the grown and a storm is taking place. I was also interested because the woman looks very calm and still as if what she is watching isn’t unusual.
Principle #1: Subject’s Expression
The subject has a very serious or almost upsetting expression. She looks as if she is deep in thought. She is also looks as if she is posing for the image sense her hands are being held above her head.
Principle #2: In or out of focus
The girl under the lamp and the hand touching her is the part of the image that is most focused. The body in the background is sort of out of focus and blurry. The girl looks as if she is cut out or made to look pasted in the image instead of being a part of it.
Principle #3: What feelings does this image create?
This image brings up a few different meanings or symbolism to me. One could be that the women is seen as a lamp because she is just an object and isn’t an actually human being. Another is that woman can be easily controlled and turn off and on whenever the men want them to.
Why did I chose the image?:
I chose this image because I liked how the woman doesn’t look like she is actually a part of the image. As said before she looks like she is pasted in and stands out the most. I also found it interesting that it’s as if she was the lamp and being switched on or off by the man.
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| Self- portrait by Grete Stern Date taken 1935 |
Principle #1: What feelings does this image create?
This image captured my attention because of how natural she looks. I think it’s a very simple image but it does her justice in the matter of showing who she is. Her face caused me to just stare as the image and wonder what was she so focused on.
Principle #2: Subjects expression
The subject looks kind of relaxed but serious. She gives off a more natural look, than being overly posed. I like that she isn’t staring directing at the camera and more off to the side to give a better shot.
Principle #3: Keep it simple
The composition of this image is on the line of being cluster but also simple. The leaves and plants in front of her could take away from the main focus if there was more. I believe it’s the right amount that doesn’t take away from her but adds another element to the image.
Why did I chose the image?:
I chose this image because I was drawn to the emotion in her eyes and her overall expression. Her face looks so serious and in a way relaxed. She doesn’t seem overly posed or acting in any dramatic manner. I believe this image expresses her true self and character.
Back in the time of Grete Stern, there were women constantly being discriminated and treated badly. Stern’s hard work with her magazine showed others that even though she was a female she could produce and publish amazing content. Even though a lot of progress has occurred over the decades, there are still situations and comments made today discrediting women and supporting male dominance. For example, a statement made by a man in an elevator to a female photojournalist was “What’s a pretty little thing like you doing with a big camera like that?” This statement could be seen as a compliment or a nice gesture but in all reality its very discrediting. He saw her as a pretty little thing “playing” with a camera instead of a professional photojournalist. He assumed that since she was female she probably was just holding the camera for someone else or that she wasn’t in the middle of working.
The separation in the photojournalism world is very gender based and noticeable. “It’s bad enough that photographers segregate themselves by specialty, calling themselves “sports photographers” or “news photographers” or “celebrity photographers.” Now women are supposed to label themselves “women photographers,” too? It’s a silly distraction at best.” I agree that separating photographers by specialties is necessary in some case, but no need to let it be known if a photojournalism is a female or not. There gender has nothing to do with their talent and ability to take an image. Having them call themselves women photographers just creates a bigger divide and makes it seem like they aren’t being judged by their actual capability.
It’s so sad to hear that just because they were women, they were forced to work ten times harder than a man. They actually had to prove themselves to be recognized and given a chance to show their talent. “Bulletin editor Wisler Zeamer took a chance on her but staff was doubtful about hiring a woman photographer and Wolcott had to prove her worth. Male photographer urinated in her photography chemicals, threw spitballs at her, and extinguished their cigarettes in her developing trays.” To think just because she is women, she was brutalized and had her belongings vandalized so harshly. She is doing the same job as them and working just as hard but is being punished for it.
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| Image by Grete Stern Date Taken: 1949 |
Principle #1: Rules of Thirds
The photographer didn’t place neither the woman or the tree in the middle of the photo. I believe she did this to give the image a more dramatic look and to give both subjects equal shine. She also did this to cause the eye to move across the image, instead of just straight on.
Principle #2: Contrast Appropriate
The use of the dark and lights in the image created a more serious look to the image. The way the top of the tree is light and the bottom gets darker as it goes down. It makes you think a storm or something bad is approaching.
Principle #3: Background compliments or detracts from composition
The background is very simple and just a mixture of lights and dark areas. It complements the image and sets the mood for the image as a whole. It gives the feeling that something is coming or occurring and it isn’t going to be good.
Why did I chose the image?:
I chose this image because I feel like there is a story behind this image. I was intrigued because the tree looks as if its lifting from the grown and a storm is taking place. I was also interested because the woman looks very calm and still as if what she is watching isn’t unusual.
 |
| Image by: Grete Stern Date taken 1949 |
Principle #1: Subject’s Expression
The subject has a very serious or almost upsetting expression. She looks as if she is deep in thought. She is also looks as if she is posing for the image sense her hands are being held above her head.
Principle #2: In or out of focus
The girl under the lamp and the hand touching her is the part of the image that is most focused. The body in the background is sort of out of focus and blurry. The girl looks as if she is cut out or made to look pasted in the image instead of being a part of it.
Principle #3: What feelings does this image create?
This image brings up a few different meanings or symbolism to me. One could be that the women is seen as a lamp because she is just an object and isn’t an actually human being. Another is that woman can be easily controlled and turn off and on whenever the men want them to.
Why did I chose the image?:
I chose this image because I liked how the woman doesn’t look like she is actually a part of the image. As said before she looks like she is pasted in and stands out the most. I also found it interesting that it’s as if she was the lamp and being switched on or off by the man.
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