The Guardian: Martin Parr on his life in pictures
From Benidorm sunbathers to British birdwatchers, for nearly 70 years the photographer has captured the magic of the mundane. As he publishes his life in pictures, he recalls what drew him to his subjects – and what they tell us about a changing world
Watch Rebecca L. Walker six minutes on risk assessment and "moral status": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rQi2uNqwxk
#ethics #grievability #grievable #values #science #Parr #ChapelHill
_The Evening Post_, 20 March 1925:
UNDESIRABLES
EASY ENTRY TO THE
DOMINION
DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF
JUSTICE.
…
AUCKLAND, This Day.
A complaint regarding the ease with which #stowaways gain admission to the Dominion was made to the Minister of Justice, Sir James #Parr by a deputation from the Southern Cross League.
Mrs. Nicol said there had been cases where stowaways had been taken before local Magistrates, and as the charges were dismissed they were allowed to remain in New Zealand.… masters of vessels were now not taking the trouble to prosecute.
…
The Minister agreed that the question was of importance, and when admitted the careers of deserters and stowaways should be watched very closely for the first year.… he had to consider the question seriously, when, as stated, a responsible police officer had said that some of the worst criminals reached the country in this way.
…
Mrs. Nicol asked whether the Minister could not tighten up the jurisdiction given to Magistrates.
Sir James replied that as Minister of Justice he could not, and would not, interfere with any Magistrate.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19250320.2.100
#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #ConstitutionalConventions #SeparationOfPowers #LawCourts #NewZealand
I'd want one rendered in a period style to match some ancestor portraits, especially one handful done by Holbein (the Younger)...
(Contrarywise, it is equally fun to revisit those period painted portraits with AI to apply a little forward time leap.)
[My late distant cousin:
Ms. #Parr(e), wife number six.]
How Smartphone Cameras Have Impacted Documentary Photographers
Acclaimed Magnum photographer and judge on VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards 2021, Martin Parr has shared his thoughts on how modern smartphone technology has shaped the documentary genre and opened up new opportunities for photographers of all levels of experience.
Earlier this year, vivo launched the VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards 2021 in partnership with National Geographic. The competition featured six judges across different genres, Parr being one of them.
The aim of the competition is to promote mobile photography and encourage participation from everyone -- professionals, enthusiasts, and ordinary mobile phone users.
As the author of numerous photographic books and exhibitions and as a Magnum photographer, Parr has firsthand seen the development of smartphones throughout his career.
Not just as photographers began to use them for mobile photography but also as a documentary photographer himself, capturing the phenomenon of smartphones growing into an intrinsic part of everyday society and culture.
In a recent press interview, Parr revealed that with the introduction of mobile photography and image showcase apps, such as Instagram, a new generation of photographers has emerged.
Nowadays photographers are able to put their work in front of millions without being required to go through "gatekeepers", such as a gallery or a publisher. As more people have access to create and share their work, self-publishing tools have become more accessible and affordable, too.
"Famously, someone like Alec Soth did this with 'Sleeping by the Mississippi,' and he got Steidl to print it, having seen one of the dummies that he created," says Parr. "So there are these opportunities that didn't happen before. So that to me is one of the new developments of photography, which is very exciting."
On the flipside, Parr notes that the opportunities to earn living from working with magazines have declined tremendously but that can be offset with a growing market for prints, which can be sold by photographers across the world.
"I'm quite expensive, because I've been around for 50 years, so I've got a reputation. But you know, it is possible to actually earn a living from photography, from selling prints as much as doing anything else."
In regards to using a smartphone as part of his photography, Parr has noticed the difference in how people perceive an unobtrusive smartphone device compared to a larger telephoto lens that he regularly uses for documentary work.
He explained that using smartphones can be handy for situations that might otherwise appear tense, such as photographing strangers in close quarters or documenting someone who is getting arrested. In a situation like this, a smartphone appears less threatening because everyone has one and are used to seeing it as part of the modern landscape.
Even though smartphone cameras make photography easy and accessible for people of all ages and experiences, Parr believes that anyone who uses a camera is a photographer irrespective of what kind of camera they have. Whether it is a discrete smartphone or a professional-grade DSLR or mirrorless -- anyone who takes images is a photographer.
If anything, the ease of camera use allows people to focus more on the subject matter and the creative expression instead of being concerned with technicalities and camera settings, which can appear complex for beginners. This is even more so prevalent when comparing smartphone cameras with film cameras where technical knowledge is a must for capturing a well-exposed photograph.
"So, the only thing that counts now is the quality of the story and the quality of the images that you're taking. The technical thing is all being sorted," he explains.
The deadline for VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards 2021 entries to be submitted is September 30th, 2021. Finalists will be announced on October 30th, 2021. More information about the competition can be found on the Vision+ website.
Image credits: All images courtesy of vivo Vision+ Mobile PhotoAwards 2021.
#inspiration #mobile #awards #documentary #martinparr #mobilephotography #parr #photocontest #smartphonephotographer #smartphonephotography #visionmobilephotoawards #vivo
Martin #Parr fotografiert Schrebergärten in Düsseldorf.
#photography #Fotografie
Downshift 🍁
Eric Maugendre
John Arnold
BLU3
petapixel (unofficial)
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