No Such Thing as Society Photography Exhibition
From the photographs, I identified the three main types of social class; upper class, middle class and lower or working class.
The differences between social classes were conveyed in the photographs by many different aspects. Simple things such as the way the people were dressed, presented and even the posture in which they stood, helped me to tell the difference between them. For example, well dressed, suited men stood shoulders back, head up, created an atmosphere of power and upper class.
The difference was also shown through the environment the photos were set in. Small run down buildings, litter or even graffiti created an image of a poor lower class area, whilst grand buildings in a more suburban area that is well looked after, created an image of a higher class area. The difference was also shown by organisation. Upper class photos of events seemed to look a lot more organised and prepared, whilst middle class and lower class looked unorganised and a bit chaotic.
After looking around the exhibition, I thought that the photos in black and white were more effective. I think that black and white stands out more, giving a bigger impact and creating depth. It also helped me to concentrate on the picture as I wasn’t distracted by lots of different colours.
I think that there was a very different impact between the photos that contain people and those that do not, as those that do not became harder to notice the difference between social classes. Obvious images where litter was strewn everywhere, and buildings were falling apart, were easy to detect that they were from the lower class. However, I thought that other images created an equal view where all social classes could live together in the same community without major differences, like today’s society.
The photo that resonated with me the most was a black and white print titled ‘Father and Child’ by Chris Killip 1975.
I found this photo interesting, as I became aware that the photos that showed middle/ lower class societies seemed to have closer bonds and relationships to that of the upper class and this is excellent example of this, as upper class citizens would probably not carry a child on their shoulders.
I also found this photo interesting, as although the man in it has made an effort to dress smartly in a suit, it still comes across to me that they are not upper class but middle or even lower class. This could be because of things like his hair being a mess, having bad teeth, dirty nails, the way he is carrying the child or even the almost common and cheeky facial expression of the child, creating a character that looks troublesome. This photo then became memorable to me as it showed that relationships are more important than your status in society.
I found that the differences in social classes I noticed from the photographs were also apparent when ‘reading’ social classes on the people in the street. The way in which people presented themselves, their posture or how they walked, and gestures even down to the smallest thing such as covering their mouth when yawning, motivated me to make a judgement on their social class. However, it also became apparent to me that unlike the photos, all different social classes live together in the same environment and can be treated equally.
