Art Prize 2013

Evaluative Photography Research
Ashley Kuntz

                The question imposed to a photographer trying to change the minds and hearts of people is, how do you do it efficiently? How do you get people to think and change their minds about an easy habit by looking at a few photographs? Better question is how do you make a statement without just “preaching to the choir?” Some photographers take a very non-aggressive approach. They simply pose a question in the photograph along with a compassionate image to create connections. An example of this would be a photograph like the one below.

                Most humans are struck emotionally while looking at a baby animal, even more so if the baby animal is dead. Most people do not realize that all of our animals slaughtered for meat and dairy are indeed baby animals. The industries do a great job at hiding this. Although this is a known fact, an image like this doesn’t present that. In fact, this image will create sad emotions, but will also create an “aw, that is cute,” effect. This image doesn’t create change, but may provoke a question.

                Another type of image is relatively the same. It produces a question within the viewers head by presenting an image or compared images, and text. A comparison between humans and animals can do two things. The first thing, is make the viewer think a little bit more about why and how animals and humans are different, when in fact, they both are animals, however humans tend to try and separate themselves from any other species. Both animal and humans feel and experience pain, joy, anxiety, boredom, hunger, and many other emotions. However, humans tend to only put themselves into perspective because animals cannot talk back. The second thing a comparison image can do is anger people. People don’t like being told that they are not compassionate, nor do they like being compared to animals.  The holocaust is an event that is time and time again being compared to animal suffering. Why not? Animals are tested on, shoved in cages, burned alive, branded, de-beaked, their teeth are pulled out without anesthetic, they die from lack of food and water, they are raped and their children are taken away, and many more procedures along with these. However, these same procedures were also conducted during World War II. So what is the difference? They both create loud noises while being tortured, they all cry, and they all show fear.

                Comparisons in photography raise more questions to the viewers, and they may begin to think about the comparison. Or, the comparison can completely backfire and the viewer will take offense.

                This image is a comparison without another image. It shows humans being caged, as they once were in the holocaust. The image is to raise question on what is humane. If a human being caged is wrong ethically, why would it be okay for humans to do that to another animal of intelligence?

                Another tactic used for photographers is straight up documentary photography. Documentary photography usually cannot be argued with; however, the amount of negative response to this type of photography is also a big factor. Those who do not want to believe the images will simply say that it’s a rare occurrence, and that the photographers just happened to catch a bad occurrence in a rare time. During many factory farm investigations, there have been occurrences of animals being stabbed, kicked, or beaten to death, however, people watching the documentaries will usually say that it doesn’t happen that often to keep meat on their plate and their conscious clean.

                The tactic I have discovered works well with those who live in America is pet verses food. People don’t usually get offended if a dog is compared to a pig, especially if they have been told that the intelligence of a pig is actually greater than their “best friend.” This tactic of comparison between the two wouldn’t work in many other countries because most other countries eat all animals, where as Americans seem to have specism on their minds.

                However to get the point across to Americans, this is effective and efficient. The fact is that most people alive today don’t know the facts of other animals. It seems that we have all been brainwashed to what society’s standards are. Why is a chicken less valuable then a cat? Why is a dog more fun to train than a pig? Why is a cow acceptable to eat and a horse only available for riding? Most animals have extremely close resemblances within their looks or their tendencies. So the question is why?

                I am seeking to find the question from viewers within my own line of work comparing pets and animals and showing the different amount of compassion that exists in humans because of society’s companies, industries, and craving for greed.

                Today the industries are attempting to make photographing the cruelty illegal. They are whistle blowing on the whistleblower.