The Anti-Social Photo…
The social Photo by Nathan Jurgenson is a book which discusses the nature of the social image. I understand that to mean any image that is shared for a social purpose. So, if that’s online in social media to show your friends that you’re having a good time; or if it’s the post card of yesteryear, with “wish you were here” written on the back, they are both the social photo.
The few and far between photographs that exist of me as a child are a far cry from Erik Kessels’ sea of images from social media gathered over one day, but all are nonetheless the social image.
24 Hours in Photos - Erik Kessels
Jurgenson is primarily interested in how we use photos, how they are shared, who shares them, why they are shared and how they might replace some language. The notion of a picture is worth a thousand words is strong, sometimes it’s easier to send a snap than send a description. A lot of the images I take on a regular basis are the social image. I take images with friends when we go out together, but due to COVID that doesn’t happen anymore, so those images are now replaced with pretty images of my cars!
“To photograph is to confer importance”
– Susan Sontag, On Photography P31
The social media frenzy that no one is having a good time, or it’s not real unless you post it on social media does seem strange to me. Yes, I will take the odd snap with my friends and post it online, but this is no more than a modern postcard to my internet friends and a record of where we are and when we are together. I place no weight on these images. I will certainly not photograph my food and my drinks and spend my evening uploading these images. I like to be present in the moment.
Speaking of being present in the moment makes me think of travel photography. Having a business which is largely centred around travel photography, this does make me wonder, how present am I? Well, I may well be with a group of people whose sole purpose is to be there to take pictures and to learn how to take pictures, but how much do I photograph? Not much is the answer. I am still present; I am with them enjoying the experience of helping them and teaching them. Yes, we maybe at a location to photograph a nice sunrise or sunset, but I will have time to stand, watch and enjoy both the surroundings and companions.
To see people in beautiful places holding out a starbucks coffee to take a shot of themselves holding it in front of the view, or striking the latest crazy pose in order to put these images online for friends to admire, seem to be the most bizarre thing to me. These to me become the anti-social photo. Are they really needed, or are they the digital equivalent of graffiti?
This is even more of an issue when you consider some of the locations for the social photo. The desire to get that shot to wow your friends with and make them jealous of the life you are leading is quite sickening and truly highlighted with projects like Shahak Shapira’s YOLOCAUST
Part of the project, YOLOCAUST by Shapira
When do I shoot? The more I take pictures the less I take pictures! That is to say, I don’t feel I need to always be taking pictures and indeed most of my work is now planned and considered and much less spontaneous. As I develop, I am less and less concerned with those shots I missed; but I must say, even when sitting quietly, if I am particularly struck with something, I will break the silence and pick up my camera.