Survailance

Brassai was one of the first night photographers and also one of the first to examine the elements and individuals of society deemed to be outside of the conventional, dominant morality. By his own admission he often felt like a 'voyeur at a window' and there seems to be a certain excited fascination, particularly in his early images, of which this is one; where he did not interact with his subjects but merely observed.

This photograph depicts a Parisian prostitute waiting for business on a street corner. The photographic equipment available to Brassai would have been bulky and obvious and so, her pose, although ostensibly disinterested, turned away from the lens as if she is unaware of his presence, can be understood to be one that has been affected. The photographer allows a wide frame to contextualise the nature of the surrounding, seemingly a run down area but gives no clue as to exactly where.

Brassai makes no obvious attempt through composition or framing (i.e., the height of the camera in relation to the subject) to pass judgement. He was a professional journalist at the time and so, detachment from subject could be a symptom of his career. The image appears to be entirely one of document although inference can be drawn from the prevailing attitudes of the historical context. 

This image along with many others was published in book form in 1933 and so it can be assumed that Brassai intended them as a study of a world many do not see, or don't admit to seeing, allowing the viewer to share his voyeurism at a safe distance.

In this markedly differing image, from Larry Clarke's 'Tulsa', the image, although featuring comparable societal taboos of the day, brings the action much closure and depicts it in a far more visceral manner.

The young man in the photograph injecting amphetamine into his wrist while lying in a bathtub is one of Clarke's close circle of friends, many of whom shared such self destructive tendancies. Apart from his being allowed to shoot such a private moment, the physical proximity of the camera to the action speaks of a close relationship and trust between Clarke and the subject. The unabashed nudity also puts the subject in a vulnerable position infront of the lens.

Once again, a definate lack of judgement is portrayed on the part of the photographer. Apart from being part of that social group and therefore having an inside perspective, the presentation of the 'Tulsa' series is almost captionless, allowing the viewer to  calls for themselves. Because Clark is one a part of the action in a sense, by extension, any element of voyeaurism is placed squarly on the viewer.

 Finally, this incredibly sexually explicit image is a self portrait by Robert Mapplethorpe. Clearly meant to ellicit a voyeauristic response in the most sexual of terms, it was made in the 80's in New York, a time of huge liberation in the Gay community and therefore a flaunting of sexuality, sometimes in quite an extreme sense.

Mapplethorpe breaks down all barrier of surveillance here, he address the camera and therefore the viewer directly, as if daring you to judge him. In this way he turns what could be deemed to be a position of physical vulnerabliity into one of dominance.

Intended as fine art pieces, this also straddles the boundaries of a performance piece for the artist himself with the image as document.

The camera dutch tilt of the camera is possibly designed to make the photograph feel adhoc, like it 'just happened',  although obviously consciously constructed, placing the viewer in the hypothetical voyeaur peering in or accidentally finding him in this situation. This is also mirrored in his expression of almost mock-shock.

These images were not only published but displayed in galleries, which, even at the time must have been boundary pushing in terms of acceptable content; the point.