"I had to do it." ~Ison
The photographs produced by the artists are considered documentaries of this time period of our history. They are snapshots of other people’s lives. Even though we probably do not know the subjects personally, we feel as if we do know them through their photographs. Part of each person is captured whenever they have their photograph taking. Many of these photographs still spark emotions over eight decades later. To me this is what makes a successful photograph- holding a lasting impression even after it is no longer relevant.
There are also video documentaries that have been produced about this time period. One of these documentaries is Stranger with a Camera. It tells the story of Hugh O’Connor and Hobart Ison. O’Connor was a photographer who traveled throughout the country. O’Connor and Ison happened to meet in the coal mining town of Jeremiah, KY. Ison owned a great deal of land in Jeremiah including several small rental houses. While driving one day O’Connor saw a coal miner sitting on the porch of one of these houses with his family. The miner was still covered in coal dust and O’Connor asked his permission to be photographed. Ison was very protective of his property and was enraged whenever he found out that O’Connor was taking pictures. He informed the men that they needed to leave and that he did not want pictures taken of his property. He fired warning shots into the air. O’Connor and his crew began packing up their equipment and leaving. They were not fast enough for Ison and he shot O’Connor. He felt that he had to shot O’Connor and that he was doing the other residents a favor. Ison thought that O’Connor was taking the pictures to make the citizens of Jeremiah look bad. He felt that O’Connor was taking advantage of them and using them as examples of poverty.
There are also video documentaries that have been produced about this time period. One of these documentaries is Stranger with a Camera. It tells the story of Hugh O’Connor and Hobart Ison. O’Connor was a photographer who traveled throughout the country. O’Connor and Ison happened to meet in the coal mining town of Jeremiah, KY. Ison owned a great deal of land in Jeremiah including several small rental houses. While driving one day O’Connor saw a coal miner sitting on the porch of one of these houses with his family. The miner was still covered in coal dust and O’Connor asked his permission to be photographed. Ison was very protective of his property and was enraged whenever he found out that O’Connor was taking pictures. He informed the men that they needed to leave and that he did not want pictures taken of his property. He fired warning shots into the air. O’Connor and his crew began packing up their equipment and leaving. They were not fast enough for Ison and he shot O’Connor. He felt that he had to shot O’Connor and that he was doing the other residents a favor. Ison thought that O’Connor was taking the pictures to make the citizens of Jeremiah look bad. He felt that O’Connor was taking advantage of them and using them as examples of poverty.
