Ethical photography

On Saturday, March 23, I spent 4 fascinating hours at a workshop called Artist: Power and Practices. It was held at Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA), and it was about photography, video, and ethics. PICA is a fascinating gallery that uses shipping containers as display modules (my main image). 

Remember Mika Martinez? She organized the whole thing: ten presenters and about 50 participants, many of whom call themselves “creatives.” (See extra for some of the presenters.) I was the only old person in the room and probably the only one without tattoos. I loved being there and seeing how creative young people present themseves: non-binary people, transgender people, people of all colors and shapes, wearing fascinating layers of clothing.

There is an organization I hadn’t previously heard about which some Blippers may be interested in. It’s called Photographers Without Borders and concerns itself with visual storytelling (which is what many of us do) based on a code of ethics that centers ecological awareness. It offers workshops, virtual and in-person, in many parts of the world. 

Ethical art-making has been a core principle of my life, so I love hearing young people taking it on and shaping their work around ethical questions. Presenters talked about the importance of connection, collaboration, empathy, respect, permission, and awareness of the power of the lens. When are we bearing witness, and when are we exploiting others’ emotions? What images should or should not be shared, and where? Who “owns” the products of collaborative creation? Excellent questions without easy answers.