Picture Story-1st Assignment

I find two Eugene Richards projects very inspiring, War Is Personal and Dorchester Days. In the latter one, he directed the lens into the backyard of his neighborhood.It is personal, yet has a bigger voice. And in the first one, the way he handled the topic of war was just... I don't even know how to explain how that project made me feel. It was definitely an intimate way of looking at war. In general, I really appreciate the intimacy and honesty of his work. Also, the fact that his stories are all shot domestically, basically in our backyards, and yet speak to a greater audience is amazing.

On the other hand, I came across Jacob Aue Sobol's, of Magnum Photos, project Sabine a few years ago. On Magnum's site, the project is described as; "in 1999 Jacob Aue Sobol's went to live in the settlement of Tiniteqilaaq, Greenland, where he lived the life of a fisherman and hunter with his Greenlandic girlfriend Sabine and her family. Taken over three years the book records, in photographs and narratives, his encounter with Sabine and life on the east coast of Greenland."

I really like the fact that the photographer directed the camera to his own life and tried to tell a story in this small Greenland town.I think the idea of using black and white in telling this story was also appropriate. The population of this town he lived for over three years is less than 150. And it is located in the most populous municipality of the country. These are just two very basic but interesting facts. I understand he is not necessarily focusing on the town itself, but there is still a claim of him living the life of a fisherman and the hunter and him telling the story of life in this small east coast town. When I look at the photos, I get very little sense of the life. It is mostly directed on the girlfriend. I understand that this is a very personal and intimate way of telling a story and he has a very distinct more subjective style in doing so. I just think that this could be executed in such a way that it could tell more about the life in this little cold town but still keep a significant focus on the girlfriend and the personal life within his own style.

I think my point is i feel like the photographer is missing the whole idea of why should the audience care about what he photograph. How should I related to these pictures you are showing me? What does it tell me about my own experience? Does it make me realize something new about life and myself? I don't get much of this stuff when I look at this project. Here is the link to the project: http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox&ALID=29YL530H4IMA&IT=ThumbImage01_VForm&CT=Album

Here is another project by another Magnum photographer, Larry Towell, who also directed the camera to his personal life, and the world beyond it. I feel Towell's work is much more easier to relate to. http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/frontporch