A Snapshot of Judgement.

If my life were described in photographs, the picture that represented now would be a bit fuzzy. It would not be blank or over exposed, in fact an art critic might think it was an abstract piece and not just an array of grey shapes and wisps of white and unidentifiable blobs of black. I see the world in photographs, freezing fragments of seemingly insignificant moments in my mind. I am drawn to faces and imperfections, wrinkles and moles, the unusual curls of tree branches. My passion for photography has led me to the study of journalism, and I continue to overcome obstacles as I strive to achieve objectivity in a medium that relies on an artist’s personal style.

Click. I wish I had my camera. The TTC worker sits in the driver’s booth in his maroon jacket, staring ahead, expressionless. I imagine the photo would be a bit underexposed, the light on the TTC casting a sickly yellow glow against his face. He turns to me and I make an attempt to stop staring. He grins and asks me if I am a student, noticing photographs from my recent art show in my hand. I tell him I am studying journalism and photography. I have found that most people I tell this to begin to talk, as if they feel entitled to tell me their life story. I am always intent on listening.

I did not always want to listen. I found it much easier to hide behind my camera and capture subjects I believed would produce interesting photos. I began studying photography in high school, through traditional methods; a simple 35 mm camera, film that was hand-developed with the use of chemicals and a dark room to print photos with enlargers. Time was limited during the one hour photography classes in high school and mistakes therefore could not be made. Every role of film I shot during those four years was carefully planned, every subject was studied intently before the shutter was clicked (or not clicked). I began to experience the world in a different way; beauty began to present itself in the most unexpected of places and I was constantly studying my surroundings. I viewed traditional film photography as a projection of “the truth” and I fell in love with the way imperfections always looked so beautiful and rich against the glossy sheets of paper; the way a person’s wrinkles held the black and whites between its folds. My obsession with capturing these moments of beauty had me hiding behind my camera. Although I was constantly observing the world I was also shutting out everything beyond the frame of my lens, which I am beginning to understand only provokes bias.

The driver tells me he has a Masters in engineering. I am immediately sceptical, wondering why he is driving a TTC subway car. For a second I don’t believe him. My education does not apply in Canada, he tells me and I shake my head. I understand. I tell him my plans to become an immigration reporter. What a perfect opportunity for a photo I think. I could capture a moment that perfectly documents the injustice of the Canadian immigration system; a middle- aged immigrant driving a TTC car when he’s actually qualified to be an engineer back home. I tell him how I learned about the corrupt aspects of the Canadian immigration system last semester and how this has inspired me to cover immigration issues both through writing and photographs. I tell him it is not fair that his education does not apply here. His response takes me back in surprise. No, no. He shakes his head, as if I have got it all wrong. I have absolutely no regrets coming to Canada, my wife is a nurse and together we make a very good living. I would not change a thing.

As I left the subway, I considered why I originally thought a photo of this TTC driver had so much potential. I have lived in Canada my whole life. When I began writing this essay, I did not consider my geographical situation had any influence on the biases I hold, or my journalistic style. The exploration of this event however, has made me conscious that this fact alone was the piece I was missing all along. As someone who has lived comfortably in Canada since birth I have a certain view of what life should be like, because it is all I know. Growing up in one place has played a huge role in the biases I hold and explains why I automatically saw the TTC driver as a “poor, unhappy immigrant” who was living under an unfair Canadian immigration system. Just because my life experience in this country has led me to hold specific values, I now realize not everyone shares them, especially those who have immigrated to this country. What if I had not taken the time to listen to this man’s story? My pre-conceived ideas would have influenced the way I presented this photo and immensely altered its meaning. This man appears to love Canada, to be very content and tells me he would not have changed anything about his move from Pakistan. Our encounter made me realize that a photojournalist cannot simply study a subject visually before capturing it without bias influencing the way it is composed and presented in the future. They must spend some time with the subject, have a conversation, research the setting or conduct an interview prior to the shoot.

There is no doubt that photography is a valuable tool in the world of journalism. I would argue the power of photographs to add emotion where news stories lack can sometimes be immensely greater than words; they provide valuable context to events and open our eyes visually to parts of the world we may not otherwise see. The debate about whether photography reflects the “truth” however has been an ever-continuing one. Shelby Lee Adams for example is a photographer who has been capturing the people from the Appalachian Mountains for over thirty years in images which challenge the fine line between documentary photography and staged art. The documentary directed by Jennifer Baichwal The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams’ Appalachia, explores the controversy that surrounds Adams’ work. Many believe his photos re-enforce negative stereotypes of the Appalachians, who have labelled in the media as “hicks” and “rednecks” for centuries. Adams is dedicated to the Appalachian people and has been photographing them for the last thirty five years. He says in the documentary, “I am trying to make right for what the media has done wrong for myself, for the people I’ve photographed”. Though Adams, like everyone, has biases of his own he attempts to shoot them as objectively as possibly by integrating himself in their way of life entirely.

In Glynn Davis’ essay “Ideology of the Visual” he believes that “dominant ideas are expressed and transmitted [through] a raft of diverse institutions that…include the mass media of newspapers, television, radio and cinema”. It is these ideas that viewers “come to believe…are ‘true’, as they ‘make sense’” because they are established by the media. I would argue journalists must be aware of these “dominant ideas” before they conduct interviews, write stories or take pictures. Adams’ project of the Appalachians allowed me to become aware of my own habits as a photographer. Upon reflecting about the incident on the TTC, I considered Adams’ Appalachian project. Though my intentions may have been good, my own bias about the immigration system affected the way I was going to represent this man’s life. It was only after I talked with this man that I realized this photo would have been doing him a disservice and presenting him untruthfully had I used it to back up my belief that the immigration system is flawed. Instead of intending to capture this man as a happy Canadian citizen, I saw him as a qualified immigrant being treated unfairly.

As an aspiring photojournalist, I have come to realize the challenge of not having words to aid in the production of an unbiased story. Viewers, just like readers, have their own biases which reflect how they read the photo. What they believe the photo represents is ultimately up to them; the challenge is composing a shot that does not sway the view in one direction. In my photographic study Joe, completed in 2011, I attempted to produce objective photographs of my neighbour. I captured Joe in his own home and did not ask him to pose in a particular way. I saw the potential the colors of his walls and the few objects displayed around his house had to represent him. I know Joe well, but tried not to let this aid me during my shoot; I was certain the objects and colors would speak for themselves.

Words and photographs have always been the tools I have used to organize and make sense of the world around me and journalism seems like a good balance of the two. I have always had what feels like innate compassion and drive to help people. I am realizing that sometimes this need is overpowering and negatively affects my stories or photographs; how do I know what someone is feeling if I do not conduct my research before hand? And how do I know my help is even wanted? As the photo editor for UTSC’s official online magazine The Messenger, I select images to use on the site from assistant photographers or online. I am constantly judging images on quality and content which I feel makes me a better photographer and helps me overcome bias. I will always be taking snapshots in my head wherever I go. As I further my study of journalism however, I am aware that these images reflect my assumptions and do not always reflect the truth of a situation. I intend to, as Adams says himself, “stop making judgements and experience life”.