VIBHA KAMATH
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WAR PHOTOGRAPHY
A STUDY IN FILM
THE CIVIL WAR
1861-1865
After the invention of the camera in the 1820s, the Civil War was the first ongoing conflict to be documented by photos. Cameras during this time required a 5 to 20-second exposure for each photo, which meant the shutter of the camera needed to stay open for this long, and any movement during this window was impossible to capture.
The main method for developing photos was called “wet-plate” or "ambrotype" photography, which often involved cameramen traveling in portable wagon studios to the frontlines. This was a dangerous and time-consuming process because of the close proximity to the strong chemicals required.
To gain some insight into chemically developing photos, we utilized chemical baths in a dark room. Of course, the film cameras and process that we used are much more advanced than those in the mid nineteenth century, but we tried to imagine what it would have been like to complete a process similar to this as a civil war photographer more than a century ago.
Because of the inability to capture moving scenes, many Civil War era pictures were of permanent aspects of the setting, such as military camps or surrounding structures— a theme which we echoed with this shot.
Photos from this time convey messages often through simple yet powerfully framed photos to show the reality "behind the scenes" of war—a technical aspect shown here.
Similar to landscape images, wide shots of standing groups of soldiers also make up a large body of Civil War documentation. Even from a distance (as most photos were taken), standing still as to not blur the photo was difficult!
Because of the inability to capture moving scenes, many Civil War era pictures were of permanent aspects of the setting, such as military camps or surrounding structures— a theme which we echoed with this shot.
All photos are taken by me on a Nikon N8008, low shutter speeds, and no digital manipulation in order to keep as close with this era's photo techniques as possible.
Click to enlarge!
WORLD WAR I & WORLD WAR II
1914-1918 1939-1945
On film, we recreated two portraits, similar to the kind that many soldiers would pose for or carry on their person at this time, to show the development from ambrotype photography used in the civil war to the more detailed film used in World War 1.
People were still camera conscious, and smiling was unusual. Photography was used by soldiers as a way to remember the war and their experiences.
On film, we recreated two portraits, similar to the kind that many soldiers would pose for or carry on their person at this time, to show the development from ambrotype photography used in the civil war to the more detailed film used in World War 1.
The first appearance of mass-produced cameras was in the 1880s, where the film would then be sent to a developer to obtain the final pictures (not too different from disposable cameras today).
World War 1 was therefore the first war in which soldiers as amateur photographers could carry their own personal cameras. Many soldiers carried pictures with them, most often portraits of themselves in uniform or pictures of a loved one or family.
Having soldiers carry their own cameras posed an obvious chance for a security leak for countries. This led to a majority of independent photographers and their cameras not being allowed on the front lines, for a short period of time beginning in 1914, limiting the coverage of the war in the press. However, pictures sent home by soldiers who continued to keep their cameras were very hard to regulate.
The repression of press photographers in the heights of battle led to outrage and turmoil by newspaper companies as well as the public. This was solved by governments hiring specific military personnel as photographers throughout the end of World War 1 and the start of World War 2, who used personal cameras and newly invented 35 mm film that had not yet been released to the public.
However, this allowed for complete military control over what was produced by these photographers, allowing for the widespread usage of photographic propaganda towards the public for the first time.
These photos are taken by me on a Nikon N8008 with 35 mm film and no digital manipulation.
THE VIETNAM WAR
1955-1975
The Korean War (1950-1953) was the last war in which the public only saw printed photographs. By the time the Vietnam War began, the majority of the public received their news through the television, resulting in a swell in the amount of hired government photographers to meet a higher demand for documentation.
The photographic propaganda we studied in this project was especially used during the first decade of the Vietnam War to convince the American people that victory was guaranteed, making the war look honorable, glorious, and exciting while hiding the unforgivable terrain, the reality of the brutal frontline, and the numerous American disadvantages which ultimately led to our loss in the War.
When we explored the themes present in photography from this time, there were many different tools and techniques that American imagery utilized to glorify warfare further. Photographers during Vietnam would also have used multiple film cameras, but we decided to use digital cameras and manipulate the pictures afterward to look like black and white film—representing how much of the photography from Vietnam was carefully filtered to send specific messages.
The lack of Vietnamese representation in American imagery shows how the frontlines in Vietnam and the presence of the enemy were very much unknown. This shot through the trees, with a blurry figure almost appearing as a “ghost”, is meant to show how Vietnamese soldiers and civilians were largely not included in the war narrative towards the American public.
A continuation of the themes of the the previous picture, documentation largely excluded Vietnamese forces but attempted to portray American troops as stronger nonetheless—a technical aspect shown here by the imbalance and differing focus on the two figures.
Many photos from Vietnam were taken with the aid of helicopters, creating a more distanced and dramatized view of the war. This aerial shot is meant to reflect this form of photography.
The lack of Vietnamese representation in American imagery shows how the frontlines in Vietnam and the presence of the enemy were very much unknown. This shot through the trees, with a blurry figure almost appearing as a “ghost”, is meant to show how Vietnamese soldiers and civilians were largely not included in the war narrative towards the American public.
All pictures are shot by me on a Nikon D5200 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
1955-1975
There is a great effort by photographers internationally to share powerful images of what is actually happening in Afghanistan every day. This picture is a tribute to the community of photographers that commit themselves to the creation of this imagery and sharing the stories of victims of war. Much of the imagery from Afghanistan serves to show the reality of ongoing conflict and attempts to spur change and hope.
Inspired by Shah Marai, a photographer in Afghanistan who utilized color to capture moments of strong emotion and movement, this shot is meant to capture themes of innocence and hope.
In contrast to the beginning of the photographic timeline in the Civil War, modern cameras used in Afghanistan have the ability to preserve instants in time. This image was shot with the highest shutter speed possible to show the development in photographic technology over the past century.
There is a great effort by photographers internationally to share powerful images of what is actually happening in Afghanistan every day. This picture is a tribute to the community of photographers that commit themselves to the creation of this imagery and sharing the stories of victims of war. Much of the imagery from Afghanistan serves to show the reality of ongoing conflict and attempts to spur change and hope.
The 21st century, aided by the creation of the consumer digital camera in 1995, has allowed for two very different perspectives shown through photography to emerge during this war.
Unlike Vietnam, where most unbiased and authentic pictures surfaced later during the war, there are an equivalent amount of freelance photographers in Afghanistan as there are those hired by the government.
One perspective is very focused on American troops and their strength, similar to photo themes used in the World Wars and Vietnam. The latest advances in technology now allow for action shots of war at high shutterspeeds, with many shots showing weapons, military might, and the strength of the US army.
The other perspective is that of the Afghan people; their suffering and strength in the face of hardship, especially the stories of children and families impacted by the war.
These kinds of images show that conflict is not just soldier on soldier and humanizes the war in representing the ordinary civilians who are affected by this ongoing war.
Purely the technical aspects we studied were implemented in our images from this era, shot on a Nikon D5200 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
Being a photojournalist for conflict has never been more dangerous as it is today. It’s important to recognize the significance of war documentation and its impact on our historical record, and this project helped us to understand the stories and processes that occur behind the camera. Thank you for taking the time to read and view our research.