Thoughts on… Pamela/Photography
Hello again, welcome to another blog from the inner workings of NathanPhoto, as this is the second one of the month, following my new formula, this musing is a free subject. I thought I’d write about something that came up on my radar recently, the absolutely amazing documentary on Netflix of Pamela Anderson so I guess this could be classed as a review of ‘Pamela A Love Story’ but while watching that I realise how much a role photography played into the whole story, so maybe it’s more thoughts on photography.
My first thought was more about photographers, a couple of things that really hit home, the American “photographers” who were actually just bullies looking to bully their way into someone to give them a ‘picture’. Seem to remember that this 90’s greed culture (think of ‘greed is good/lodsa money’ ideals) spilled over into stepping on anyone/everyone to get a ‘picture’ didn’t it?
Seeing a repeat of those values now, aren’t we?
Seeing these actions of the ‘paparazzi’ really shocks but as Pamela so rightly said they are more like the ‘stalkarazzi.’ One particular event really was horrible when she’s just had her first child and had left him with his Gran and headed out for a night out and the (I’m not even sure what to call them), were horrendous outside the club calling on her guilt for coming out, trying to look for a fight to make her mad, presumably just to get their pictures/kicks.
I really hope they got their karma.
Linking this into my lived experience story line, I worked a few pap jobs in my time and although they are a little foggy, do remember that the implicit feeling was that this was an acceptable technique and should be used, it’s one which I could never seem to do. During the years I heard/involved in all sorts of stories around this work, usually told with quite a lot of envy rather than revulsion. Believe that this course of action was held up as the way to do it to make money and that this was the way to behave. I realised (quite early but pushed it away at certain times cause you need the money) that I couldn’t be that person. (Can hear a few voices from that time saying “well, that’s why your pictures were crap…”)
This approach/feeling (mainly back then but is it even now?) is another reminder of the patriarchal society that we live in, one that many types of photography thrived upon and also massively fed into. It was just as guilty as the other ways, as Pamela said in the documentary, they felt that they had rights to her body cause she had posed for Playboy, that they literally owned her body, which was “a thing owned by the world” I believe is the saddest quote.
Which brings the story onto the reason many know her for, the tape. This is the tape with her husband that was stolen and published without their consent.
I will say that again, it was stolen and then released without their consent.
Again I hope that those people get their karma.
I realised by watching the documentary that I never saw the tape at the time, either ironically or as part of the edgy culture that used to show very similar things to this. I also never wanted to watch Pam and Tommy on Hulu turns out I was right on both counts as Pamela explained that they hadn’t even sought out her permission in writing, filming and producing it. I think not seeking permission or rights to the story is a crappy thing to do and another example of the patriarchal society rearing its ugly head again. Why are we repeating the same mistakes over and over again? Are we not seeing links here between Britney’s story and Pamela’s? The crosses that woman (and in fact all women) are being forced to bear via these sh***y world views has got to stop. We’ve got to dismantle the patriarchal system, start educating and stop raising up negative perpetrators of this thinking, otherwise I dread to think what is going to happen.
And deep breath.
It is a beautiful documentary, made all the more so beautiful, by being spoken in her own words, she is incredibly honest, open, so stoic and utterly amazing, to find that calm in the world that she has experienced is a credit to her intelligence, bravery and personality. So well shot and made, hats off to the whole team that made it
A Netflix release of a Dorothy Street Pictures, Tripod Media, Colony Entertainment production. Producers: Jessica Hargrave, Ryan White, Julia Nottingham, Brandon Thomas Lee. Executive producer: Josh Braun. Co-producer: Grace Oathout.
Crew: Director: Ryan White. Camera: David Paul Jacobson, Dominique Hessert-Owens. Editors: Asako Ushio, Berenice Chávez. Music: Blake Neely. Music supervisor; Kyle McKeveny.
(as quoted by Variety.)
Well done to all, it was beautifully shot as well, so even if you’re not keen on the story it’s worth looking at if you’re studying how to do documentary productions.
This leads me onto the picture, well this month has really not been a great one for camera equipment as my most beloved system has had the shutter go and looks like I’ll be without for a while as it has to go home to be looked at/repaired/prayed/ resurrected/etc.
I’m now back solely on my DSLR system for the time being, which is ok, it’s different equipment so it’s different styles, doesn’t have the same effect but it’s still the same person behind the lens, so we’ll see. (This is building up into a larger post about equipment, that does need to be discussed at some point, so I’ll share more later) So back on the dslr, think this system represents so much about NP and what it is…I know what a traditional NP image was (paid for) but what is a typical NP picture now?
Well this is February 2023’s attempt at making a NathanPhoto representational image. As is typical with me, I went out looking for a single image and came back with 12. When editing I started to see sets so I’ve selected 3 images for each set and arranged them into 4 sets called: ‘happyaccident’, light, scenes and signs, think these titles sum up everything that was and is NathanPhoto, quick intro to each:
1) Photography has many times been called a happy accident, this is something that happens to NathanPhoto a lot either when doing a straight forward recording of a cultural moment (Emily Ratajkowski as the new face of Viktor and Rolf FlowerBomb) and someone steps in or you’re taken a picture of a discarded ham sandwich and somebody runs their buggy right across your frame (child’s face cropped out for reasons) but the approach of ‘frame and let something happen in it’ is a classic staple of the NathanPhoto both historically and looks like for the future too.
2) Light, photography after all is called drawing with light and it’s something I’ve been drawn too after working in so many ways when natural light wasn’t available (studios, clubs, dark spaces) seeing it in its rawest natural form is something to look at and celebrate, even when it’s getting dark or when the sun is too low it’s a beautiful thing.
3) Manchester scenes, I’ve worked Manchester for a number of years always something I’ve done in an off kilter, non-traditional way for a number of years. I’m actively trying to make ‘nice’ scenes now but not sure I’m succeeding yet.
4) Give me a sign. We all need a sign sometimes don’t we, either telling us where we are in the world (in this case the River Medlock) or what our approach should be in a situation (Give Way) or even that we are way off the mark (out of order) I’ve always loved a sign.
What do we think? Any good?
Thank you for reading. And if you have any feedback, thoughts, comments or anything’s, then please get me though the usual channels.