Larzagna Thoughts

This photography essay details the aspects of mixed black individuality for Bryce Broussard. Mixed black pertains to a biracial person who has black race as one of their ethnicities. It is significant due to the discrimination that the U.S. has founded its societal system upon, suppressing black rights and culture since the days of slavery. This is combined with mixed blacks experiencing racial invalidation, such as being told they are not black “enough” because they are only half, or not being allowed to express their interests or concerns in black culture. Bryce is half-Black and half-Filipino. Growing up in Mission Viejo, a predominantly white neighborhood in the beginning of his childhood, he remembers very little experiences amongst other black people. Due to his lighter skin tone, some people also did not believe him when he said he was black, thinking he was adopted when being picked up by his parents from school, for example. It was not until towards the end of middle school, when he moved to North Hollywood, when he began having more diverse experiences of both Black and Filipino culture, more than just inside the home. These pictures capture the four main aspects of mixed black individuality unique to Bryce: family, friends, hair, and food. His parents provided hints of tradition, ones that he remembers and explores today, such as traditional Filipino foods and snacks. He remembers either helping his mom cook the meals, or buy the ingredients at Seafood City, a popular Filipino grocery store. Moving to Los Angeles allowed him to make Black friends that became more like brothers, building his confidence to indulge more in Black culture, with one of those things being to grow out his hair. In doing so, it provided him a more embracing sense of identity.

Picture 1: **found in “Aspect 3: Hair”, Bryce Broussard in his element.

Deciding to professionally pursue photojournalism, or photography in general, it must come from a place of passion and true desire to artistically and accurate capture moments for the widest potential range of audiences. Both Chapnick and Kobre make it clear that a successful photojournalist will not be in it for the money or notoriety. Although those aspects are there, it takes extreme amounts of work, skill, luck, and most importantly, patience, to achieve the statuses that a starting out photojournalist only dreams of. It was interesting to read the various inputs from both authors. Chapnick’s 1994 writing versus Kobre’s 2017 writing both have different approaches on being fully equipped and prepared pertaining to a portfolio. Of course, the advancement of technology allows a photographer to have examples of their work through an online website. Prints still offer a significance; in fact, in an age where everything is digital, it can be nice to switch up how one physically views a photo. However, the days of having printed out pictures for companies to examine are in the past. Past work stored on hard drives, alongside a link to a photographer’s online portfolio, serve as a more accessible way to present and share work to consumers. Other instances though, such as the presentation of self, have stayed the same. The ability to take criticism constructively, possessing a sense of humility, and overall keeping up physical appearances will always prevail to potential collaborators, regardless of freelancers trying to book a client or a big company hiring staff photographers. Whereas I have no intentions on becoming a photojournalist, my career choice of going into the media industry has forced me to become proficient in multiple abilities, one being photography. I do have an online portfolio located at the following:

https://larzbroussard.squarespace.com/work/photography These photos mostly consist of graduation pictures and others of regular portraitures. I also have posted some of these photos onto my social media accounts, where I would receive messages from other people asking me to take their pictures as well. Reasons such as these are why I enjoy the world of social media. There is the argument of outlets such as Instagram saturating the photography market. However, social media gives full control to the photographer, not having to surrender copyright to a photo they took, as well as creating potential business opportunities. This does require a large amount of work, networking, and time, but I do believe it gives the freelancing route a higher chance of succeeding and a continuation of loving photography, rather than answering to a photo editor, for example. Companies reaching out to the photographer, offering financial compensation and brand-name recognition while remaining a freelancer, sounds far more appealing. However, it does not come without a dedication to the craft, and perhaps even after having a job as a staff photographer. After all, job security, especially when one is beginning their career, is a big draw towards working for a big company versus essentially risking it all for “being your own boss.”

Not unlike media ethics, laws provide a sense of structure for photojournalists to live by. U.S. citizens have a lot of their rights protected by the First Amendment, alongside many places being open to the public and for pictures. This results in photojournalists having virtual freedom to shoot what they’d like. Therefore, having a set of policies decided on what they can and cannot shoot can help keep photographers from getting in trouble. Kobre details several different situations where an image can get captured. From anywhere to a crime scene, inside a court room, or a person’s private property, there are various discretions on when and where a photojournalist can shoot. Four main categories are anytime, if no one objects, with restrictions, and permission only. In most public areas, like a park, university campus, or train station, a picture can be taken pretty much whenever. If a place were to have restrictions, however, or be completely private, such as medical facilities, some sort of permission must be granted upon entry. What caught my attention was his excerpt regarding copyright and using the work of others. There is a certain respect that photojournalists acknowledge when sourcing pictures, audio, video, etc. that is not theirs, and a law to back it up, requiring that all outsourced work must be given credit to its owner. From Pinterest, the image of the old Instagram logo and corresponding news story resonated with my fascination on copyright. The header of the 2012 article suggested that Instagram was beginning to be a place where photographers could freely share their work. Fast forward to current day, where social media, despite being continually monitored, has become a hub for free speech, making it difficult to get copyrighted.

Picture 1: Instagram’s Original Logo (found on Pinterest) 

I repeatedly did this with my video thesis project. Despite the internet being a free space, copyright laws prevent someone from grabbing a photo online and claiming it to be their own. Finding visual examples of my research, I made sure to provide credit on the bottom of the page for each picture.

Pictures 2 & 3: Screenshots from “A Tale of 2 Cultures.” Lower thirds credit is given to media outlets who owned photos, articles, etc.

Pictures 3 & 4: Screenshots from “A Tale of 2 Cultures.” Original interview work does not need crediting, especially after interviewees signing release forms.

Photojournalism has a role in society to portray and relay information to its viewers in ways that are compelling, respectful, and accurate. The job of the photojournalist exudes just that; alongside the skills of photography one must possess, it is important to understand the ethics and set of rules that a person must follow to be successful at this position. There is also the question of philosophy within this spectrum. Specific mindsets that guide the photojournalist into getting certain shots, alongside developing character traits that back up one’s work, can potentially serve as the “make-or-break” moments for getting photos published, or having future clients and companies wanting to collaborate. I found a few of Chapnick’s points significant to successful photojournalists, ones that stood the test of time as well, considering he wrote this book over twenty years ago. Perhaps the statement that struck me the most in the chapter was “say three things in one photograph while the next guy says the same three things with three photographs” (Chapnick, 332). As a videographer first, this still troubles me with some of my images when I am shooting. My first instincts are to capture a video of whatever I want to shoot, rather than think about how multiple aspects of a certain person/place can be captured in one shot. He also states that ambiguity in photojournalism hurts more than it helps, as clear and concise is what strengthens a story most. His intuitions on the topics of confidence versus humility and luck were things I carry with me in my own philosophy of photojournalism. It is important to stay humble not only in this field, but life in general, as not many people will want to work with someone who is self-indulged or conceited. However, there is a difference between conceitedness and confidence. In that same respect, not many will want to be around someone who is constantly degrading their own work before they’ve given a chance for others to judge it for themselves. If nothing else, being confident in what one brings to the table can establish a sense of self-assurance that can potentially uplift the photos in the process. Getting lucky is something that can happen to anyone, but if a photojournalist believes in their craft and puts themselves in the right places, luck can seem to repeat itself. However, this can only happen if one continues to be sure of their abilities to execute a shoot and be well-equipped and prepared. A photojournalist has an obligation to keep in mind what his/her audience will think once the photos are published. However, I do not think this should dictate how they craft their images. Every person will see an image differently, so it is up to the photographer to establish a story behind each picture and do their best to tell it through what is going on in the image through their eyes. Although public perception will greatly influence how a picture is viewed, photojournalists must stay true to the story they are crafting in, otherwise the images can be used to tell other narratives. I recently attended the infamous Astroworld Festival in Houston a few weeks ago, one that made headlines for ten people tragically losing their lives due to crowd trampling, out of control moshpits, and suffocation. Without getting into discussion of who’s to blame for the unfortunate incidents, I wanted to share images that I took during the daytime, prior to the incidents. Although I took these only as a spectator and not a photojournalist capturing the event for news purposes, I felt that these images captured the essence of how Travis Scott has engulfed his name into pop culture, big name companies, and the city of Houston overall. It is truly sad about what happened to those who both got injured and lost their lives at the event; however, it is interesting to look at these pictures and think about how or if perceptions on them would change if the tragedies didn’t occur.

Picture 1: Loads of people gather for pictures around the Travis Scott head statue, made famous from the cover art of his Astroworld album art.

Pictures 2 & 3: 2 pairs of unreleased sneakers made in collaboration between Nike and Travis Scott, on for display inside a museum tent titled “Utopia by Cactus Corporation”.

Picture 4: A store titled “Screwed Up Records & Tapes”, a shop where concertgoers can find music and merchandise honoring the “chopped and screwed” style of rap music made famous in Houston by the late DJ Screw.

The writings of Chapnick and Addario both involve descriptive examples of photojournalists risking their lives for the sake of accurately covering war through photography. Whereas Chapnick lists out examples of numerous past photojournalists and their sufferings and even some deaths, Addario gives somewhat of a personal anecdotal experience on what it was like to travel to Afghanistan immediately following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. It is interesting to read Chapnick’s unofficial list of wartime photography requirements and see how they hold up to an actual experience from another photojournalist. One of the things he stresses is courage. Photojournalism is a difficult task, and conducting the job while people are getting shot at and blown up? One can imagine how physically and psychologically dementing that can be on a person. Having the courage and wherewithal to adapt to situations on the spot, alongside the confidence and skill to maneuver one’s way out of potential life-threatening instances can literally decide a photojournalist’s matter of life or death. But when Addario describes a time where she and other journalists heard a rumor of Taliban sympathizers threatening to attack them, she lets us know how her posture and physical confidence had to be stripped to stay disguised. This was also after she described her enduring numerous groping from the Pakistani men, as they believed American women were easy to come by. Wartime photography is indeed a job that one must be built different for. The mental, psychological, and physical problems that can occur following the job can haunt the photographer for months and even years. Chapnick describes these photojournalists looking for “bang-bang” pictures, which in essence are the epitome of war-time photos. However, the issue with this is that the farther along society goes, the pictures will only get more grotesque, shocking, and haunting. Regardless of the reasons in which photojournalists go off to war to capture images, coming back with as much PTSD as the soldiers themselves can prove for unhealthy lives coming back from war, leaving photographers for a desensitized outlook on the world and a difficult adjustment back to normal life.

My main takeaway from The New Frame’s article detailing the life and work of Peter Magubane is that this man had superhero tendencies. A man dedicated to his craft, the photojournalist followed his true passion of showing the injustices of apartheid in South Africa. This came at the immense expense of his physical and mental health, being tortured and constantly pursued by the police to shut down his operations of exposing them, alongside the government. This included solitary confinement, beatings, and his home being burned down in order to destroy evidence.

Magubane was inspired by the work of Robert Capa. Once deciding he wanted to pursue photojournalism, he joined Drum magazine as a driver. Learning from the journalists he drove around, he took these experiences, alongside his quick learning, assertiveness, and attentiveness, he went onto take some of the most immortalized images of South Africa’s history. This included the 1976 uprisings, the signing of the Freedom Charter, and even being Nelson Mandela’s official photographer from 1990-1994.

One could go into great detail analyzing all of Magubane’s amazing work, but again, what stood out to me during my reading of the article was his never say die attitude regarding what was going on around him. Despite his constant run-ins with law enforcement and officers doing everything they could to this man other than directly kill him, Magubane kept coming back after each torturing, after each bullet taken, all for the freedom of the South African people.

“A struggle without documentation is no struggle.”

Chapnick expresses the importance on four specific aspects of photography, so much that he names the chapter after them. He states that seeing, time, perceptiveness, and creativity allow the photojournalist to guide themselves before, during, and after a shoot, never rushing, and letting the energy of what is happening in front of the camera flourish to its fullest extent. It also provides a platform for photographers to dig into the confines of their imagination and view things from multiple perspectives, thereby being able to see something before it happens and be ready to capture it during that split second, having it documented as a visual moment in time. Perhaps the most used word in the chapter is creativity, as it can apply to all his points made. Chapnick stresses the significance of waiting and patience, that the best pictures are taken after the photojournalist has developed a feel for the environment in which they are in. Waiting provides a chance for them to look at things in real time from different points of view, giving them the chance to assess what angles look better or worse, or what could stand out as an image, rather than be generic or boring. Taking one’s time can be one of the best things a photographer can do for themselves. Rushing through to get that one good image is too forceful, especially in a craft as artistic as this. He mentions perceptiveness as well, and how by taking the previous steps mentioned, one can build an instinctive mindset that will enhance creative and understanding. The saying of patience being a virtue is profoundly true in photography, a lesson that I have learned throughout my time taking pictures. There are times where I go into a shoot with a shot list, and when one doesn’t look as good as I envisioned, patience can produce adaptation. I found this out during one of my recent shoots for the photo essay project. My subject was my brother, Bryce, and his aspect of mixed black individuality was a combination of basketball and his best friends, as both have always brought him closer to being Black. I knew only portraits would tell a very limiting story, so I sat back and let them shoot around and watched them. Being an observer gave me a chance to see what could look visually pleasing, and from what angles. When preparing for the shoot, it didn’t occur to me that moving photos could be something to look into (which seems obvious because it’s a sport, but I’m just glad I figured it out). After some more watching, I brought up the idea of performing some in-game situations, such as one of them shooting the ball while the other tries to block their shot. Another was one of them throwing an alley-oop to the other. It took numerous attempts, but the value of taking my time with them and being creative with what I knew about the sport paid off with getting some good photos that I had no plans of getting prior.

Picture 1: Bryce (left) goes up for a 3-point shot as Raeshad (right) attempts to block it.

Picture 2: Bryce (left) poses after throwing an alley-oop pass to Raeshad (right), going up for the dunk.

The photojournalist I chose to focus on was Charles Moore. A man originally from the South, Moore rose to picture prominence beginning in 1962 when he began photographing the civil rights events occurring in Alabama. After failing to succeed in his photojournalist career in New York, he returned to his home state to find the fight for racial equality, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Moore found himself taking multiple pictures of Dr. King, including the one pictured below (Picture 1). The civil rights activist found himself being arrested for attempting to attend a hearing for another civil rights activist, and eventually being released after the police figuring out who he was.

Picture 1: MLK being arrested in front of his wife for trying to enter a hearing. (Photo/Caption credit: NPR/Charles Moore)

  From the looks of his pictures, Moore was deeply involved in capturing the raw and shocking truth of the happenings in Alabama. Black people were being hosed down, assaulted by both racist whites and police dogs, and tirelessly marching for the right to be treated equally and with respect. He was behind the camera for a key moment in American history. In fact, according to Chapnick, he advised Moore himself to stay in Alabama to photograph the events, rather than continue to try and make it work in New York. The picture that Chapnick shared in the book is one of a black demonstrator getting attacked by a police dog during an anti-segregation protest (Picture 2). Multiple officers with their own dogs flood the scene, excessively using their corrupt authority to end the protest.

Picture 2: Police dogs attack a demonstrator outside an anti-segregation protest. (Photo/Caption credit: NPR/Charles Moore)

A Tale of 2 Cultures (Rough Cut)

The following are snippets of my thesis project discussing the media representation of mixed black individuals in America. The video serves as a visual rendition of my journey through my research on the topic, interviews I have done, and personal reflection upon my own experiences as a black and biracial person.

Photo essays serve as visual anecdotes between its subjects and audience. When executed, a story can be brought to life through a series of well-timed and structured pictures detailing the events being captured. It hits in a different way than the conventional textual story, as the visual stimulation or disgust of an image can evoke certain emotions that only a visual representation could do. Furthermore, a multitude of these pictures can be combined to tell a narrative, emphasize a point, or showcase a perspective. Both Chapnick and Kobre provide knowledge for setting up a successful photo story. Chapnick lists out some guidelines for structuring a photo essay, paying attention to time, subject cooperation, and detail as key features. Kobre focuses on the importance of approaching a topic, stating that photographers can begin thinking of a project falling under three categories: the documentary report, the narrative story, or the essay. With each having their own pros and cons, classifying a topic into one of the three will assist in guiding a project towards a specific focus. Moreover, I like his mentioning of visual consistency as a source to keep all the photos of a project to a uniform theme or perspective. I used this tool towards finding my own idea for my story project. As stated in my proposal, I want to create a series of photos on the aspects of mixed black culture, where five different subjects, all of mixed black ethnicity, will have four pictures showcasing a part of their life that brings them close to their dual heritage. Potential aspects include family, food, sports, traditions, or a specific culture or lifestyle, among other things. Going back to Kobre, an example he shared that I felt resembled my idea was Robert Cohen’s creation, Show of Hands. An exhibit of images displaying something people see and use every day without much thought, I hope to bring about the same perspective into my project. The attention to detail in each photo is immaculate, particularly in the photo of Penny Hardaway’s grandmother. Aside from being a basketball fan, I enjoyed the story told from the image, focusing on the wrinkles of his grandmother’s hands, suggesting the hard work she put in to help raise him into the sports star he became. The offset of the jewelry compliments as well, perhaps insinuating the enjoying of some of the wealth that Penny has accumulated over his basketball career. I also loved the picture of the Purple Heart Recipient; I thought using his prosthetic hand to hold the medal was a clever way to showcase his bravery and significance to the award.

Picture 1: Louise Hardaway, grandmother of Penny Hardaway (Photo by Robert Cohen)

Subject: Eric Fantroy

Eric Fantroy has been a Whole Foods Market supervisor for about a year and a half, working in their Customer Service sector. Amongst his other responsibilities, he watches over his team of employees and provides outstanding support to his fellow colleagues, alongside assisting customers with their daily needs during store hours. He describes his job as becoming relatively moderate position throughout his duration of supervision, not having super difficult tasks or a large workload, but a good amount of work to feel proud following each shift. “I’ve been at jobs where you don’t get recognized or acknowledged about the work you do,” he said when asked about it, “but I’m happy to have found a place where I can feel appreciated. Working my way up to a supervisor was cool too. I can run my section the way I like, and it creates for a chill environment.”

Portraiture is perhaps one of the truest forms of photography; true in the sense that the model is exposing their most raw self, alongside the photographer focusing on their facial features, and accompanying background, to visually tell a story to their audience. One could also label it as enriching, both figuratively and literally, as portraits prior to the 1800s were done exclusively through great artists who would paint or sculpt one’s appearance, something that only an upperclassman could afford and be useful towards. However, despite those days being long gone and now practically anyone having the freedom to snap a picture of someone and label it a portrait, the significance of the picture still holds vast weight. When executed correctly, a portrait can be what Robert Sobieszek calls a “visual biography” (271) for a certain element about that person’s life within a single shot. Chapnick highlights a few high-profile portrait photographers during his time, pointing out their respective stylistic hues that helped them stand out and become successful in their craft. Yousuf Karsh (mentioned by Chapnick solely as “Karsh”) focused on body language, such as hand and eye movements, crafting what many believe to be the most famous pictures of men like Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill. Arnold Newman believed in the environmental portrait, claiming that a portrait photo was built, not just shot. Taking various elements about a person’s features and their environment from a single image, a viewer can begin to dissect and learn things about the person in the photo. This is what I set to accomplish when I shoot my own environmental portraits for this class. In past shoots, what has assisted me in capturing a good shot was to focus in on something particular about the person. It can be a certain physical characteristic, perhaps an accessory or piece of clothing that stands out, whatever seems visually pleasing to me either in preparation or in the moment of shooting. This picture below I took of my younger brother centers on his face, emphasizing things like his facial traits, or his sunglasses. These aspects add a bit of mystery to his look yet draw the audience in by humanizing his appearance with his imperfect yet natural skin features.

Picture 1: Bryce Broussard stares away from view while the frame focuses on his face.

An accessory that plays like the sunglasses in terms of ambiguous appearance is the facemask. Something that everyone has had to get accustomed to wearing, the facemask covering essentially half of one’s face has given an interesting take on portrait photography since COVID-19 took over the world. Some can be unwilling to take their mask off in public simply for a photo, but it has also played to an advantage to others who enjoy the art of getting their picture taken. It is a way to stay mysterious in front of the camera, hiding one’s face only to emphasize another part of the picture. Maybe it is to simply block their face due to a sense of self-consciousness. Perhaps it is a way to look back and remember how times were during the pandemic, as portraiture can also be used as historical recollection. Whatever the case may be, it adds more essence to the beauty behind the portrait.

Pictures are considered art because of its subjectivity. Any person can look at a photo and take something different away from its meaning or message. That’s why it’s important for photographers to establish an idea around what they captured to display to their audience. Chapnick reiterates throughout the chapter the significance of ideas for photographers, as it is essentially what keeps their drive and creativity going following each shoot. New ideas are crucial not just to photography, but society progression as well. “To dismiss new ideas is to preclude progress” (Chapnick, 213). We should not be discouraged from thinking “too big”, as thinking leads creators to their next idea, and not limiting oneself has the potential for larger projects coming to life. Chapnick proclaims his worries of education systems focusing too much on the technical side of photography, without emphasizing the importance of organically growing ideas, researching them, and presenting them to editors. Whereas the skillset is a foundation that every photographer should possess, he believes that without a strong sense of developing ideas, their product can become stale and not eye-catching. Influence for ideas come from the world around us. Our personal interests slim it down to something specific for our audience. The influence/ideas do not have to be complex either; quite often the simpler, the better. I agree with this from Chapnick because of my own experiences taking college graduation photos. As preparation, I list down different places on campus to take pictures, with different poses, perhaps even a prop and a coinciding action (ex. popping a bottle of champagne). What I have found though, is that sometimes a simple headshot portrait tells the best story. In this case, such as the picture below of recent college grad Ivy Park, it’s one of accomplishment and relief a student feels from earning their degree, with those emotions radiating from their joyous smile.

Picture 1: Ivy Park smiles as she reaches the conclusion to her undergraduate journey.

Chapter 15’s topic piggybacks well off the idea importance. Personal projects are the epitome of one’s individual interests and influences coming to life. Personal projects and passion projects go hand in hand, so it is not uncommon for photographers to go out of their way to visually please both themselves and their audience with their photos for a personal project. Getting a chance to work on one of these projects can feel really rewarding to simply see the final product. It can be even more rewarding to make profit, or perhaps even make a career, out of personal projects. Chapnick details a select group of photographers, such as Peter Turnley and Lynn Johnson, as examples of people who were able to achieve such a feat. Something that stuck out to me was the emotional attachment the photographers began to feel towards the subjects and content of their projects. With Johnson and the disabled Kenny or Turnley and the African refugees, each began to learn more about what their photos represented and how they essentially had the power to share their stories with the world, something they took very seriously.

Picture 2: L: Kyrie 6 “Oreo”; R: Jordan 4 “White Oreo”. Both sneakers placed alongside scattered Oreos and their respective shoeboxes.