I was walking with my dog on California Avenue, in Palo Alto. It is one of the places where I have heard more people “talk to themselves” rivaling my experience in Singapore. The difference is that here the topics discussed seem to be related to technology and science. In fact, I have the impression that even when folks are walking in the street they are taking part to a meeting, somewhere.
It is Silicone Valley, after all.
So, as I was walking with my dog and enjoying the first signs of spring (daffodils open already in sunny spots) I heard someone talking on the phone while trying to pass me. The accent was British or Australian and as he passed by I heard:
“We need to get the IT team together at lunch: they just do not understand the organizational anthropology of our customers.”
Wow!
… Anthropology (and sociology by fiat) has often been used in all disciplines where an understanding of present behavior (mostly human) is placed within the context of past behavior and the environment. There is organizational anthropology, ethnic anthropology, geo-political anthropology and yes, visual anthropology. I have written about the latter here: http://liveingray.blogspot.com/2015/12/visual-anthropology-do-we-see-what-we.html
But anthropology was originally a very different area of inquiry. It was in the late 1850s when the Société d’Anthropologie de Paris was created following the influence of evolution theory in zoology. The definition used by the founder of this société, Paul Broca, was “Anthropology is the study of the human group, in relation to the rest of nature.”
The original attraction of anthropology to photography was more mechanical – anthropologists used photographic tools to document the “primitive” features and behaviors of social groups they studied.
Then, anthropology (as part of social sciences) adopted analytic and problem-solving methods as a requirement for all studies and proposed hypotheses. As such sociology and anthropology became closely linked and essential methods of analysis for anyone interested in understanding group behavior. (My interest in this topic goes back many decades as my doctoral training was accompanied with a minor in medical sociology.)
…So, today as a photographer and author, I do see aspects of my “other life” and training reflected in what I see (my visual anthropology…) and what I capture on film. When I came back from my walk, I decided to find some of my photos where such social sciences inclinations, perhaps unconsciously, could have predisposed me to notice some compositions as I walk among people.
A. Malaga, Spain
I had time to click only once on 1980’s Olympus OM-1 as the man moved and the frame was gone. There was a natural harmony between his posture and that of the classic depictions of man’s evolution that was behind him on the side of the conference building. However, he was facing the wrong way! Is this “De-volution?” Or even “Re-volution?”
B. Santa Cruz, California
I took a few photos around Santa Cruz last week. To My surprise, some, taken with a 1970s Nikkor-H 180mm lens, have some anthropological backdrop.
Two different cliffs, separated by a common ocean. On the forefront albatross are lined and watch the waves crushing. On the further back cliff, humans, looking like extra terrestrial creatures in their wet-suits, seem destined to enter the ocean. Yet the humans do not have the necessary structures as part of their anatomy hence carry surf boards. The albatross, with their wings and oily feather, seem best “designed” to fly over or dive into the angry waters.
But humans can also be on the cliff, and in their own way, watch the waves loudly crush…
But wait! Today’s humans have a new part to their ancient anatomy and it is called an iPhone! Now they can watch the cliffs, the albatross and the extra-terrestrial surfers, take pictures, and send these immediately to all friends around the globe.
Yet, there is something about humans that somehow finds a symbiotic relationship between the arts and sciences/technologies. For me the photo below expresses this without fanfare. Especially since the man was playing Piaf’s “La Vie on Rose” on his accordion…
February 5, 2016
© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2016
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