Ways of Seeing: Documentary Still Life

3 minute read
ISIS toothbrush
ISIS toothbrush. Before ISIS gave Nicholas Henin a toothbrush, they cut the bottom of it off so it couldn't be chiseled into a weapon. Henin, a French journalist, was held captive in Syria for ten months by Islamic extremists who later executed James Foley and other hostages and broadcast the videos to the world on YouTube. Photo taken in Paris, July 29, 2014.Glenna Gordon—The New York Times
By Phil Bicker

Whether through digital channels, print or on exhibit, the impact, influence and reach of the still image has never been greater. But with so many images fighting for our attention, how do photographers make work that most effectively stands out and connects with an audience. In this seven-part series, TIME looks back over the past 12 months to identify some of the ways of seeing—whether conceptually, aesthetically or through dissemination—that have grabbed our attention and been influential in maintaining photography’s relevance in an ever shifting environment, media landscape, and culture now ruled by images.

Documentary Still Life Series

When documenting news events, circumstances sometimes necessitate that photographers take a more conceptual approach to their work. This year, several major stories—from the conflict in Ukraine to the fight against Ebola–were fraught with danger for those photojournalists who covered them, while other events, from the detention and murder of Western journalists by ISIS to the kidnapping of 219 Nigerian schoolgirls by Boko Haram, offered seemingly little possible photographic access or opportunity for proper documentation.

Glenna Gordon, a documentary photographer who has worked extensively in Africa, produced some of the most effective work of the past 12 months by changing her approach. Gordon’s still life images of personal possessions—including dresses, schoolbooks and notes belonging to the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls and a two dimensional paper chess set used in captivity by western journalists abducted by ISIS—are the result of strict journalistic rigor and research. And in their simplicity, they form powerful images of significance, humanity and loss.

Other documentary photographers took a similar still-life approach while covering the violent street protests in Ukraine; Donald Weber produced a series of photographs of Molotov cocktails, while Davide Monteleone photographed weapons used by protestors and police officers.

Elsewhere Rick Loomis working in Central African Republic documented the weapons of war for the Los Angeles Times and Marco Pavan working for Colors magazine shot the objects left behind on the Italian island of Lampedusa, by the thousands of African migrants making the perilous boat journey to Europe.

Larry Towell‘s book Afghanistan, published this year, also incorporated still life images—in this case of prosthesis and landmines—to remind us that there is a long tradition of photojournalists taking still life photographs as part of their documentary work.

Read Part 1 – Direct to Audience.

Read Part 3 – The Portrait Series.

Read Part 4 – The Contemporary Photo Essay.

Read Part 5 – From Stills to Motion.

Phil Bicker is a Senior Photo Editor at TIME

The chess set made by the group of Western hostages held in Northern Syria by IS.
ISIS chess set. The chess set made by the group of Western hostages held in Northern Syria by ISIS, Aug 8, 2014.Glenna Gordon—The New York Times
ISIS toothbrush
ISIS toothbrush. Before ISIS gave Nicholas Henin a toothbrush, they cut the bottom of it off so it couldn't be chiseled into a weapon. Henin, a French journalist, was held captive in Syria for ten months by Islamic extremists who later executed James Foley and other hostages and broadcast the videos to the world on YouTube. Photo taken in Paris, July 29, 2014.Glenna Gordon—The New York Times
The plastic handcuffs that Javier Espinosa wore while he was a hostage of IS (formerly ISIS) in Syria. The Spanish journalist says he wasn't treated as badly as American hostages and others. He was released when the Spanish government paid his ransom. Photo taken on August 8, 2014 in Madrid, Spain.
ISIS handcuffs. The plastic handcuffs that Javier Espinosa wore while he was a hostage of ISIS in Syria. The Spanish journalist says he wasn't treated as badly as American hostages and others. He was released when the Spanish government paid his ransom. Photo taken in Madrid, Aug. 8, 2014.Glenna Gordon—The New York Times
Nigerian schoolgirl clothin
Nigerian schoolgirl clothing. In April 2014, hundreds of schoolgirls were kidnapped from the Nigerian village of Chibok by the Islamic militant group Boko Haram. Photographer Glenna Gordon knew she wasn't able to photograph the girls, to convey a sense of loss, she photographed their possessions. Hauwa Mutah wants to be a biochemist. She is the sixth born of nine children, and her favorite subjects are geography and English. She slept on the bottom bunk in her dorm. She is one of more than 200 girls who were kidnapped from a school in Chibok in Borno State on April 15 by Boko Haram, a terrorist group in northern Nigeria. Schools in the area had been shut down due to Boko Haram attacks, but the girls had returned to sit their final exams.Glenna Gordon
Nigerian schoolgirl letter
Nigerian schoolgirl letter. Rhoda Peters wrote a note to her in-laws, thanking them for a composition book. The top right says: "no need of address," and the rest of the letter is as follows: "Hello my in-low, how are you, and how about your school, why do you give me This Exercise Book, I thank you so much have a nice day." Photo taken, Abuja, Nigeria, May 22, 2014.Glenna Gordon
Nigerian schoolgirl notebook
Nigerian schoolgirl notebook. Dorcas Yakubu is 16 years old. Her parents describe her as shy girl who loved eating tuwo (a local dish). The cover of her notebook has the Eiffel Tower on it. Photo taken, Abuja, Nigeria, May 22, 2014.Glenna Gordon
Ukraine Molotov Cocktail
Ukraine Molotov Cocktails. EuroMaidan protestors used these as weapons in Kiev. The protestors managed to create a series of barricades and defensive lines between themselves and the police, Feb. 26, 2014.Donald Weber—VII
Ukraine Molotov Cocktail
Ukraine Molotov Cocktails. EuroMaidan protestors used these as weapons in Kiev. The protestors managed to create a series of barricades and defensive lines between themselves and the police, Feb. 26, 2014.Donald Weber—VII
Ukraine Molotov Cocktail
Ukraine Molotov Cocktails. EuroMaidan protestors used these as weapons in Kiev. The protestors managed to create a series of barricades and defensive lines between themselves and the police, Feb. 26, 2014.Donald Weber—VII
Ukraine gas masks
Ukraine gas masks. A gas mask collected from the Maidan barricades in Kiev, Ukraine, March 27, 2014.Davide Monteleone—VII
Ukraine tulips
Ukraine tulips. Tulips collected from the Maidan barricades in Kiev, Ukraine, March 27, 2014.Davide Monteleone—VII
Ukraine wooden baton
Ukraine wooden baton. A baton collected from the Maidan barricades in Kiev, Ukraine, March 27, 2014.Davide Monteleone—VII

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