http://www.chrissteeleperkins.com/multimedia/ - accessed 2.8.20
This is a really interesting and enjoyable set about industry around Portsmouth. In the presentation on via a Vimeo linked video interview, Chris Steele Perkins (CSP for the rest of this review), makes an initial point about how this is not a PR shot so CEO images and other pre set images are not required. With the tyre company I believe this is achieved to a degree, the images look well timed, not totally natural, but interesting enough to enjoy.
CSP then discusses how he wanted to shoot groups of workers and for me that is when this almost becomes a local paper shoot or even a PR shoot. when we see images of office workers, tea room etc they appear as though pre set from a PR shoot and straight from the pages of a regional newspaper, where each individual image is required to tell a complete story. The images have a warmth and empathy with them, an appreciation of the work sustained in small to medium sized businesses
All images Chris Steele Perkins - copyright www.magnumphotos.com
Though they feel so pre-set and created that they lose a great deal of their validity. These are far from exceptional images from an extremely exceptional photographer. These kind of shoots are conducted every week in local press, with the same levels of competency in probably a fraction of the time.
CSP also mentions his surprise at receiving so much co-operation from the workers and the companies. This is not unusual for any photo journalist because once they are invited / accepted to shoot within a location that is used for producing the same items day after day, year after year a break from the mundane normality is a very welcome change for the workers. In saying this I do not mean to degrade the hard work people do (my mother worked in a factory for part of her life), but acknowledge the novelty value of change and that is why they are easily manipulated into pre set images such as those above. In fact this set feels like a parody or tribute to the local press....
Jonas Bediksen was another Magnum photographer who also took part in this same project and produced images with a completely different connection.
Both images by Jonas Bediksen - copyright www.magnumphotos.com
With these images I can connect emotionally with the hardship, discomfort and determination required day to day for a man to have to go to his place of work and partake in such physically demanding work. Often repetitive and unpleasant to the senses.
Bediksen understands that people in these kind of companies and positions go to work purely to make money to support their family. To go on holiday, own a car, have as good a standard of living as they can afford. It is not an easy life and they do not return home at night after a hard days work and represent someone who by CSP images wants to be on the next company Christmas card.