Photography as a Surveillance Device - Source Magazine

Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin

As photographers we are always surveying our environment, wether it be as solid granite cliff or as fluid as a persons gate, we give it meaning, turning it into an impression though our camera lens. When I think of the word Surveillance, I think of cameras recording for our own protection, crime prevention via the closed circuit television. However, what if we think of it in a different light, one where the vantage point is not high on a lamppost but in amongst the the action? - with the decision of the photographer influencing its perspective and composition. Does this then give it more meaning? Does this then mean its more of an art form?

Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin, two photographers from West Belfast, Northern Ireland documented the cities troubled past away from the main violence and heavy media attention the political problems caused. The images are mostly of people ducking for cover or vandalising places seen as the opposition. They seem to have a genuine feel to them, as if the photographers want to "expose" Belfast for the city it was. Almost circular windows to view the scenes playing out before us.

What caught my eye with these images rather than the other articles i found was the different format. To me the circular images seem suited to the information within as it adds the "looking from afar" - as if through a telescope effect. Also Chanarin talks about how easy it is to create a 'bad' archive of images, giving commentary about how the circular images help collate the works into a single piece.

Finally, and arguably most importantly I believe there are two sides to these images, they raise the much debated question "how far does the photographer influence an image of an event?" The naive side of me wants to believe that these two photographers want to show Belfast for how it was, broken but not shattered. The other part sees that these "snapshot" style photos are deceiving in their appearance and do not really reflect an unbiased, surveyed world.

Article from - Source Magazine. issue 65 - winter 2010/11. Pages 43-49.