Photography can be considered empirical evidence because it reproduces reality, and at the same time it can be considered "text" because every photo tells a story. Each photograph embodies the physical characteristics of the photographed subject and/or socio-cultural characteristics also linked to places. This means that every photograph, for visual sociology , takes on a literal meaning.
Photographic language
According to John Berger, " Our way of seeing is socially conditioned by our habits and our experiences ." The language of photography is undoubtedly one of the fundamental aspects of contemporary communication in the globalized world and the emergence of social networks. Especially when traveling, for passion or for work, we photograph what does not belong to our own culture , to document, to compare, to remember.
Through photography, the cultures of other countries can be analyzed and studied. Somatic traits and cultural characteristics can be analyzed, and often actual socio-anthropological research is conducted through the use of photographic material. Through the photos published by Filippo Biondolillo , whom we thank for his collaboration, we will discuss the "power" of photographs and how they can be used for social research.
Filippo is 39 years old, a civil servant with a passion for photography. Since he started using his first SLR , he has learned to discover and study the world of photography and how it can explain the world. During his travels, he has had the opportunity to photograph various cultures, so much so that he has come to understand that what is "different" from us is at the same time fascinating. Filippo's shots will be presented at a photography exhibition in Udine in December 2020. His mentor is Steve McCurry.
Stories of faces
- When you decide to photograph a subject, what captures your attention the most?
Filippo Biondolillo – “Before taking a photograph, I try to imagine as quickly as possible what I want to convey. It's the "photo" that must capture you; it must communicate something to you in advance. Very often, in situations like mine, you find yourself with little time to prepare and shoot. Having delved into the world of photography, having read, and having taken various photos while traveling, made me realize that portraits were the ones I was most passionate about. What captures me when I take a photograph are the emotions those images can convey in that moment.”
The faces immortalized in these photographs represent not only the faces of two young women but also embody characteristics linked to their culture. But the face, or rather the "race," also becomes a perception of the other's diversity , evident in appearance, skin color, and hair color, as Paduan sociologist Stefano Allievi recently pointed out. Characteristic features, distinct facial features, clothing styles, and even the objects used, depending on the culture, represent a social distinction. In some cases, such as that of the Kayan women , an ethnic group of the Karenni population, the clothing/costumes they wear become a factor in tourism for these tribes.
Faces also represent the sign of the passing of time . Every wrinkle, every facial expression holds memories tied to a person. An elderly person with a deeply lined face is a sign of wisdom and a wealth of treasures and experiences.
Traditions as a cultural symbol
Every culture, race, or group has its own customs and traditions . Tradition is important in every culture or civilization. Despite contemporary society's attempts to eradicate it from its past, people today, more than ever, show a strong desire to recover traditional values.
The photo of the Japanese festival depicts people parading with floats, but it is also a celebration of costumed parades, stalls, and traditional foods. Gion Matsuri is the festival of the Yasaka Shrine and is probably the most famous Japanese festival. The festival began in 869 as a religious ceremony to appease the gods during an epidemic. Even today, during the festival, a child is chosen as a divine messenger . The child cannot put his feet on the ground from July 13th until after the parade on July 17th and therefore always sits on a float, a bed, or an armchair—in short, never with his feet on the ground. This child is then dressed in a very elaborate kimono, with typical white makeup, and is carried on the main float.
This photograph represents tradition on one hand and the power of advancing modernity on the other. The Louis Vuitton window, deliberately blurred, demonstrates that traditions stand the test of time . Traditions highlight a people's culture, their ability to respond to change.
Traveling and photography
2) What does traveling the world and photographing different cultures teach you?
FB – “The world is different, the various cultures are different and having traveled photographing the places I've been to has helped me grow and discover new religions, new foods, new ways of dressing and speaking and I understood how, often, we take everything for granted and instead in the world, even despite a thousand difficulties , there are people ready to give you a smile and maybe behind that smile there is the culture of a people”.
The power of a photo
A photo may not be technically perfect, but it can have the power to convey the sensitivity you were aiming for in the shot . Photos aren't always accompanied by captions, so there aren't always words to explain the shot.
It's the photo itself that conveys its essence and allows us to imagine that landscape, that place. The expressive potential of photography is truly astonishing; a good photographer can immortalize a subject or object in a fraction of a second, expressing its entire concept. Then it's the viewer's perception that gives the photo its meaning, which may be the same as the photographer's or different. Those who wish to study cultures other than their own through social research, especially in the field, can take advantage of the power of photography.
The camera is much more than a recording device, it is a medium through which messages reach us from another world.
(Orson Welles)
And what perception did you have looking at these photos?
Bibliography
Alfredo De Paz, Photography as a Symbol of the World: History, Sociology, and Aesthetics , Cleueb, Bologna, 1993.
I graduated in Sociology with a specialization in Social and Territorial Policies, and earned a master's degree in E-Government and E-Management in Public Administration. I love reading and writing. For me, sociology means experiencing everyday life in all its nuances and nuances. Today, I am an Administrative Assistant at the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo in Trieste, and above all, I am a wife and mother, the greatest asset of all.
