Artist Statement:
This is my first ever attempt at a more documentary style of photography. Hearing about proposed plans and schedules, I cleared out my schedule and made travel plans to the protest/demonstration in front of the Texas Capitol against the war in Ukraine and the desperate call to the world to provide assistance in the best way diplomatically and humanly possible. I currently am still studying my own process of documenting a protest in order to convey the most and push the messages and the voices forward to the best of my ability. What I've learned from this first attempt at protest photography:
- Get into the heart of it. This includes both physically getting into the heat of the moment to stand within the perspective of the demonstrators and listening closely to single out and focus on the messages themselves and what it means to each individual messenger. I achieved this using two techniques. First of which is using a wide-angle prime lens (I do treat Sigma's 18-35mm f/1.8 ART as a combination prime lens) to depict one or a few individuals being among countless other surrounding voices who echo and amplify the very same messages. A sort of "one of us" painting of the frame. Another is, contrary to conventional event documentation of using wide-angle zooms to capture the most detail/action within a singular limited frame, I used a telephoto and shot into the heart of the crowded demonstration, singling out individual characters and depicting how the combined messages and stories affect each individual on a personal level. Because after all, a demonstration is made up of a plethora of unique voices and experiences, and to be able to depict such individual makeup of a combined globally-megaphoned message is an art in and of itself. I'm sure the messengers would have wanted me to focus more on the combined voice itself more so than their unique angle of experience, but regarding humanitarian issues the best way to amplify the common voice is to give voice to each of the unheard. Some of them have friends and families sheltering for their lives under bunkers and basements of Ukrainian cities. Some of them are Russians or Russian-Americans who are trying to scream off the top of their lungs that the common people of Russia are almost unanimously anti-war. Some of them are Europeans, Eastern Europeans, Americans, etc. who hand-drew their posters and hand-glued their signs to lend a helping hand in any way possible to their Russian and Ukrainian civilian neighbors. A mom stood by to the side to hand out food and bottled water every once in a while to the demonstrators who were struggling to stay sane under the Texas heat and the heat of distant war. A couple of construction workers headed over and said they wanted to help hold up the demonstrators biggest sign and requested to stand in alongside the chanting crowd.
- What more that differs photojournalism from artistic photography is that photojournalism has all the puzzle elements laid out in front of the artist's field of view. It is now just up to the photographer on WHERE/WHEN/HOW to put the puzzle pieces into a story that fits their narrative. Artistic photography (such as street photography) is more so dependent upon the WHAT, meaning the photographer has the flexibility of choosing which element gets to/needs to be included within the frame. The freedom of choice is a double-edged sword.
Nevertheless, this shoot felt more purposeful, intentional and powerful than the occasional sense of aimlessness that overwhelms my street photography.
Stay strong, Ukraine. I'm utilizing the best of my art's importance and capabilities to show you that the world is with you, and the world hears your voice. I promise I won't let you down.
