Hi there 👋 My work often starts with a photo.
I find myself in a situation where I reach for my camera or phone. I snap away, trying to capture not only the place but the situation. Something makes me think that “I have to photograph this”.
Why I reach for my camera
For me, taking photos is seldom about preserving the moment – it’s about confronting it.
The famous photographer Stuart Franklin has described “The Documentary Impulse” [1]:
“By this I mean the passion to record, with fidelity, the moments we experience and wish to preserve, the things we witness and might want to reform; or simply the people, places or things we find remarkable.” [1, p.5]
The photos I take end up in many places. I use them in my teaching, in presentations, and they were an important reason behind starting this newsletter.
Three types of documentary impulses
James Popsys, photographer and well-known YouTuber, says that he takes photos “about” things, rather than “of” things. This is the way I think about it as well.
1. Door with wheelchair and heart. 2. Door with a separating arrow. 3. Button with door opening pictograms.
Above are three situations that sparked my itch to document them. The impulses behind them were:
- Curiosity. What was the person creating this sign thinking? What norms are in play here? Why the heart? (Left photo).
- Outrage. How can separating environments still be OK, also in new constructions? How come that the dividing arrows so often are accompanied by the word “adapted”, as in “We have adapted this for you”? Oh, here is another example of the pattern of norm and deviation at play. Click. (Middle photo).
- Reform. Finally, a button that tells what happens when you push it, rather than who is allowed to use it (Right photo). For me, nonclusion is still more of a question than an answer, but this is a good example of how it can be achieved: by categorising function instead of person. This way, we do not have to say anything about "who" is supposed to use the function [2]. Unlike the heart sign (unclear intent) or the separation arrow (explicit exclusion), this button simply describes what it does.
What makes you reach for the camera?
Notes and References
This piece builds on material from our research into nonclusive design and categorisation in “The Syntax of Equality” project. Some images were submitted as part of citizen science studies on inclusion and exclusion, and some we took ourselves as part of observational studies.
The article is an expanded version of a short post from earlier this year. I wanted to include it in this collection as I'll be using it in my teaching and presentations. If you would like more articles like this and join the conversation, click the "subscribe" button above.
Do you want to use the photos or illustrations in a publication? Please go ahead. Or in a presentation or video? Please do, and tell me about how you use them and what you learn! I appreciate attribution in some form, i.e., that you tell where you got the material from ("Per-Olof Hedvall"), but it is not mandatory. 👍
References:
[1] Franklin, S. (2016). The documentary impulse. London, New York: Phaidon Press Limited.
[2] Hedvall, P.-O., Price, M., Keller, J., & Ericsson, S. (2022). Towards 3rd Generation Universal Design: Exploring Nonclusive Design. Transforming Our World through Universal Design for Human Development, 85–92. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI220824
