No.2.3: The Camera
Would Gordon Parks have used the Polaroid camera?
Imagine if Gordon Parks used a Polaroid camera to capture the solemn images of segregation in the South. Better yet what if Moneta Sleet Jr. used the instant camera to capture the photo that reached audiences around the world; showing widow Coretta Scott King behind a black veil sitting in the pew of Ebenezer Baptist Church while Bernice King lay her head in her mother’s lap during the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Although the Polaroid camera would have provided instant images of these moments the impact of these photos would not have been the same.
Instant film cameras, video cameras, digital cameras, disposable cameras or camera phones are all tools for capturing images. As we discussed in the previous post, a photo is worth a thousand words. However, a camera has to capture that photo. The camera is the source of how these images tell a story.
Photographers have played a vital role in positioning themselves during events that we often refer to when referencing significant moments in time. Whether its a cell phone holder who captured the unjust arrest of a citizen or a professional eyeing every movement through their long lens from afar, the use of the camera has taken moments in time and frozen them for us to reflect upon.
In your preservation work, possessing a camera to capture movement, facial expressions, special occasions or significant sites aids in providing material to supplement historical data that has been assembled.
The use of the camera is also a great way to get creative. Video and images can be captured in black and white. In color or with special effects. The footage can be used for documentaries or short films. The photos can be turned into coffee table books or hung on a wall. One could use the images and footage in an exhibit for public display. Imagine sharing your family history with your local community.
Now I will leave the pros and cons of utilizing the various types of cameras up to the photography experts. Depending on your intentions of capturing images of your family will be dependent on the type of camera required to give you your desired outcome. I will say that the modern smartphone camera is a good option for getting started to capture your images if you don’t want to deal with having to learn how to use the different types of cameras such as the digital camera. The smartphone camera can capture both video and photo. There are basic effect options available if one chooses to incorporate them. Nonetheless, there is always that one aunt or uncle who doesn’t miss the chance to pull out their camera at the family reunion. They may be a reliable source. However, if all else fails you can hire a professional photographer if you have the means to do so.
P.S.
Moneta Sleet Jr. is a photographer who probably doesn’t get the recognition that he deserves. He is the first African American man to win a Pulitzer Prize for any category. He won this coveted award for the image he captured of Coretta Scott King as described above. He has captured many images of the King family both during Dr. King’s civil rights journey as well as in his home. Mr. Sleet was also a photographer for Ebony magazine for 41 years. Ebony magazine was a vital publication for representation and news as it pertained to the Black community. Look him up and get to know him.
When was the last time you used your camera to capture a specific moment in time?
