Friday, October 28, 2016

Women Photojournalists - Trials and Triumphs

Zahra Kaezmi was a photojournalist who had worked all her life following her passions which took her wherever need be. However, her passion for photojournalism had taken her all the way back to Iran which had ultimately been the end of her career. Zahra was born in Iran in 1948. In 1974, she would move to Paris, France to study literature and cinema at the University of Paris. After completing her studies at the University of Paris, she and her son would move to Montreal, Canada where she would gain dual citizenship. Zahra would hold Iranian and Canadian citizenship. She would find work in Africa, Latin-America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. With all this travel, her passion for photojournalism would grow as she continued to get a better insight on what was really happening in remote locations.

In 2003, Zahra would return to Iran using her Iranian passport. She had obtained a permit allowing her to pictures of the daily lives of Iranians. However, government officials had arrested her while she was taking pictures of protesters near a prison in Tehran. While she was in custody of Iranian authorities, Iranian prison authorities tortured her, breaking bones and sexually abusing her . She would eventually be taken to a hospital where it would be determined that she had internal bleeding and a brain injury. While in a coma in the hospital, Iranian officials failed to contact Canadian consular officials and refused her family to access her. After Zahra had passed away in the hospital, Iranian officials had ignored the request to have her remains return to Canada.  Zahra Kaezmi's legacy will still be remembered through her photos. She will be remembered for her dedication and passion in photojournalism. As a woman photojournalist, she had already dealt with plenty of adversities, but she looked for the positive in photojournalism, which was capturing the important moments.

Women face discrimination in many different work environments. Typically, women work as clerk typists, secretaries, and administrative assistants. Some employers believe women lack skills and qualifications necessary to perform nontraditional and higher-paid positions because of gender. Other employers hire women in supervisory roles to prevent them from earning higher level roles. In a 2003 study by the University of California Hayward, Dr. Drogin discovered 72 percent of workers from Wal-Mart are women but only 33 percent are managers.  Women deal with discrimination more often in workplaces than anywhere else. Women photojournalist deal with discrimination out in the field more often then men. According to Professor Nordell, Marion Post Walcott " had gotten a job at the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, however, the male photographers weren't welcoming, apparently, they urinated in her photography chemicals, threw spitballs at her, and extinguished cigarettes in her developing trays." Being a woman in a male dominant job is typically very difficult. Most males look at the women thinking " what are they doing in this profession?" or " do they think there cut out for something like this?". I think most males are intimidated by woman because they are worried that woman can do the job better than them. Its as if a competition is being formed between both genders, but males have started the competition. Marilyn Nance, another woman photojournalist spoke about how barriers were hard to break. Nance says, " I have never felt this inclusion in awards - even in 1991 when I was a finalist. I placed as a finalist again in 1993 and, recalling my previous feeling of alienation and exclusion, resolved to provide myself comfort."  Another woman photojournalist was told " I need to be an Asian woman to get a job," by a male photographer venting his frustration about not getting a job with a Boston newspaper.  No matter what the situation is, women tend to be looked down upon or have a feeling of guilt for doing better than their male counterparts. Being a woman in a workplace is almost a lose lose situation.

However, being a woman in a workplace shouldn't be a lose lose situation. Being a woman in a workplace should almost feel empowering that they are equal to us males in a working environment. Everyone should be able to feel equal to one another. Especially when working in the same field as each other. In one of my personal experiences, I have witnessed the jealousy and frustration of some men who are angry that a woman had a managerial role and they didn't. The males would talk between each other and look for all of the flaws that the woman was doing in her role. Saying how she wasn't capable of handling that role and etc. That woman boss however, exceeded everyone's expectations and impressed everyone else that were higher in the ladder than her. She continue to work hard and continues to be the bigger person in the workplace. Everyone has their own perspective about their co workers in their environment, however, if everyone works hard and puts in constant effort, shouldn't their be less hostility in a work environment



Photo By : Zahra Kaezmi
Image Source : http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/mp-seeks-law-change-in-wake-of-supreme-courts-zahra-kazemi-ruling
Year Created : Unknown
Subject's Expression : Zahra had taken this photo of herself. Her facial expression looks as if it were mysterious. Her facial expression also makes you question what she was thinking. Zahra looks as if she posed for this picture before she finally took it. I wouldn't say that it is overposed, but I would agree with saying she was prepared for it.
Quality of Light: This photo looks as if it were faded. In terms of light, I would say it is flat or uninteresting. Perhaps this is because the photo looks as if it were taken a while ago. These photos do interest me though because the more faded a photo looks, more in the past it is which makes history unique.  
Keep It Simple: This photo overall is very clean. The photo isn't cluttered, and you are able to tell what the purpose of this picture it. It is very clear that it is a photo of herself. You can see the face, hands, camera, and background very clearly.
Why I chose this image : I chose this photo because this was the clearest image of Zahra I could find. Also, what a better person to take the picture of Zahra than herself. This photo was very clear and straight to the point. It was important to pick a picture of Zahra that was clear. It was unique to get a picture that was somewhat faded because it represents herself in a point in time that will never change.


Photo By : Anja Niedringhaus
Year Created : 2012
Rule of Thirds : When it comes to the main subject, I believe it is the soldier on the right hand side of the photo. Your eye just seems to be drawn to the soldier right away. The soldier is placed on the outer third in the rule of thirds. But if someone were to say that the child in the photo was the main subject, she was placed on the first of thirds in the rule of thirds in this photo. 
Is this image in color : This photo by Anja is indeed in color. The photographer at this time was given a choice whether she wanted this photo in black and white or in color. Overall, everything about this photo is dark, until you see the child who is in a pink dress which in my opinion resembles good or innocence.
Feelings The Image Creates : When looking at this photo, you vibe off the dark colors which means it is depressing. Typically, a soldier in all black in my opinion resembles evil or death. But the little girl in the pink dress can resembles innocence and good. It is as if there is this tug of war between good and evil in this photo.  
Why I Chose This Photo : I chose this photo because I wanted an image by a strong woman photojournalist. This image in particular, represents the sides of good versus evil. But also, this image represents the two different lives these individuals had. This photo was chosen because everyone can have an opinion on what the meaning of this photo is. Photos that can be expressed through many opinions are photos well taken. 

Photo by :Yunghi Kim 
Year Created : 1999
Background Compliments:  The smoke from the fire I believe is the main subject in this picture.  This smoke is in focus and although it doesn't compete for attention, attention is brought to it. I think attention is brought to the smoke because the way the boy's hands are positioned. But what really brings attention to the smoke is the amount of black in the black and white photo.
Texture  : In this picture, you can almost feel the texture in the boy's hair, the dirt road, the grass, and the smoke. We have all felt all of the following thing listed. The smoke appears to be very dense and that's how I picture it when I feel it. The dirt road appears to be grainy and the grass seems to be drying out. I feel as if you're able to see and feel a lot in this picture because how clear it was taken.
Shadows: The smoke and clouds in this picture really portrays a shadow in this picture. At the bottom of the smoke, you are able to see this very black cloud, but as you go up it seems to lighten up but the dirt road darkens when the lighter smoke passes by. The clouds in the sky also help portray the shadows of the smoke because when the clouds pass, you can compare the cloud to the smoke. 
Why I Chose This Photo :  I chose this photo because there were many qualities to this photo that could be spoken off. Another reason I chose this photo was because it was done by another powerful woman photojournalist. This image has texture, shadows, and many other principles that could be talked about. But the qualities of this photo that stood out was the background, the texture, and the shadows. It's a clear contrast between dark and light.








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