There were so many amazing and interesting exhibitions and Photoville. All of them told their own stories and the stories of others. However, the exhibition that really stood out to me was Insider/Outsider presented by Women Photograph. Women Photograph is unique and important to the photojournalism community because they aim to ensure the representation of women photographers in an industry that’s very male dominated.
Insider/Outsider focuses on the relationship between the photographer and the subject. Those who personally know the subject consider themselves insiders. Insiders are able to have more access and photograph their subjects in more intimate settings. Outsiders have more limited access and perhaps no actual relationship with the subject other than they are telling their story.
The photographer of this image above is Raphaela Rosella. Raphaela and her subject, Tricia, are both from the same town in Australia. They both grew up in the same area and have had similar life experiences. They met over 10 years ago at a community arts organization. What I found to be so interesting about this is that the photographer actually sat and breastfed her own child while with Tricia. Raphaela is an insider as she is able to share experiences with this young woman and capture this moment.
Katia Repina, the photographer of this image, is working on a project that depicts the lives of intersex people. The subject here is a 35 year old Dominican woman living in NYC. She had realized she was intersex well into adulthood and Katia was able to capture this moment of her cutting off all of her hair. Katia is also an insider. This woman is naked and vulnerable, but Katia is able to capture this experience on Rockaway Beach with her.
Both of these women are able to show the more intimate parts of their subjects lives through their photography as an insider.