The True Meaning of Pictures

We were given the assignment to watch another film. This time, it was not about New Orleans. This time, it was a film titled, "The True Meaning of Pictures". It's a film/documentary about a photographer named, Shelby Lee Adams, and his series of photographs that he has taken over the last 30+ years with a family in Appalachia, and is a great example on how others may view or think about your work.

For years, Appalachia has been given the stereotype of being "hillbilly" country. Films in the past like Deliverance have given Americans a one sided view on how the people in Appalachia live. Making them seem violent, and a community built on incest. I feel personally that Adams had good intentions to try and turn that stereotype around for the better.

Throughout the series of images, and the film, I feel that Adams does a great job documenting the life style of the people in Appalachia. However, from an outsider looking in, I can see why people could get offended by some of his work. For instance, in one of Adam's shots, they practiced a traditional pig feast. They brought in a pig, shot it, gutted it, and cooked it. Now the thing that got me was that fact that this was something that was done in the past. Adam's had the idea to reenact this tradition, and by doing this, gave the impression of the stereotype these people already had.

The placement of his models also got me concerned a little. I know he had good intentions, and that he felt as though that he was just making a beautiful image, but when you know that most of your viewers are not of a lifestyle such as the ones in Appalachia, people are going to wonder, "Why would you place that beautiful little girl in front of a broken screen porch with a dirty old man staring at her from behind.” To them it's probably not out of the ordinary, however, I can see where people were thinking, "why couldn't he have moved her to a place that would really show off her beauty?”

All in all, this was a great film to watch, and really opened up your eyes on how others may view your work. It also makes you think about what messages your viewers will get from the images you release. I feel that Adam's is an honest man and is photographing people or a lifestyle that is close to his heart. He's received permission from his models for every photo released, and is accepted into their society, which I feel gives him every right to be accurately documenting the events taking place in Appalachia.