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Drowning world by Gideon Mendel Drowning world by Gideon Mendel
(about 14 hours later)
Article written by Phil Coomes Picture editor   Article written by Phil Coomes Picture editor  
Photographer Gideon Mendel has spent much of his career documenting social issues around the globe and was one of the first to use photography to highlight the issue of HIV and Aids in Africa in the early 1990s. It was a piece of work that set out to challenge the stereotypical view of the struggle at that time, and broke new ground in terms of style.Photographer Gideon Mendel has spent much of his career documenting social issues around the globe and was one of the first to use photography to highlight the issue of HIV and Aids in Africa in the early 1990s. It was a piece of work that set out to challenge the stereotypical view of the struggle at that time, and broke new ground in terms of style.
One of his current projects, Drowning World, looks at the impact of flooding and on a recent assignment to Nigeria Mendel released a number of pictures via the photography app, Instagram, alongside his more traditional work. It is an interesting departure and yet the resulting pictures are still very much in his style. One of his current projects, Drowning World, looks at the impact of flooding. On a recent assignment to Nigeria, Mendel released a number of pictures via the photography app, Instagram, alongside his more traditional work. It is an interesting departure and yet the resulting pictures are still very much in his style.
Mendel is not the only one to do this of course. Many photojournalists regularly release updates on their latest project in this way, gathering a new audience via social media, and photographers working for the news wire agencies sometimes shoot using apps alongside their work on digital SLRs. The majority of these pictures are daily life stories, though some have been used to cover harder news, indeed Time Magazine recently ran a cover picture by photographer Benjamin Lowy of super-storm Sandy that was taken using Instagram. Mendel is not the only one to do this, of course. Many photojournalists regularly release updates on their latest project in this way, gathering a new audience via social media/ Photographers working for the news wire agencies sometimes shoot using apps alongside their work on digital SLRs. The majority of these pictures are daily life stories, though some have been used to cover harder news. Indeed, Time Magazine recently ran a cover picture by photographer Benjamin Lowy of super-storm Sandy that was taken using Instagram.
This has created something of a split among photographers and editors as to whether such an approach is acceptable. The app offers users a range of filters that can be added to an image, from simple colour changes to a more extreme vintage look, and some would argue that this altering of the image is not suitable in a news context.This has created something of a split among photographers and editors as to whether such an approach is acceptable. The app offers users a range of filters that can be added to an image, from simple colour changes to a more extreme vintage look, and some would argue that this altering of the image is not suitable in a news context.
Yet what is photography if not something that shapes the world? It captures a moment in time and renders it in two dimensions, it's down to the skill and authority of the photographer to select the right moment and view that will ensure the tones and shapes in the frame lead the viewer to want to know more about the subject. Yet what is photography if not something that shapes the world? It captures a moment in time and renders it in two dimensions; it's down to the skill and authority of the photographer to select the right moment and view that will ensure the tones and shapes in the frame lead the viewer to want to know more about the subject.
There are so many pictures in circulation that how they were taken, from a technical, not ethical point of view, does not seem to be of any relevance. It's about the end result and whether it communicates something of the subject to the viewer. If the technology is all that is of interest then we've missed the point. There are so many pictures in circulation that how they were taken, from a technical, not ethical point of view, does not seem to be of any relevance. It's about the end result and whether it communicates something of the subject to the viewer. If the technology is all that is of interest, then we've missed the point.
Of course, there is also a danger that we get sucked in by the pure aesthetic punch these apps offer, and it is true to say that one reason for their success is the fact that they can make almost any subject look interesting. Yet the trick for photographers is to mould them to suit our needs and to ensure that most importantly the subject comes through. Of course, there is also a danger that we get sucked in by the pure aesthetic punch these apps offer, and it is true to say that one reason for their success is the fact that they can make almost any subject look interesting. Yet the trick for photographers is to mould them to suit our needs and to ensure that, most importantly, the subject comes through.
Mendel is one of those, his work is all about the subject and the issue he is documenting. Here he talks briefly about his latest project. Mendel is one of those: his work is all about the subject and the issue he is documenting. Here, he talks briefly about his latest project.

Gideon Mendel

Gideon Mendel

I have recently returned from two weeks spent photographing the impact of the recent flooding in Nigeria. Basing myself in Yenagoa in the state of Bayelsa I experienced at first hand the devastating impact of the recent flooding which killed 363 people and displaced more than two million. I have recently returned from two weeks spent photographing the impact of the recent flooding in Nigeria. Basing myself in Yenagoa, in the state of Bayelsa, I experienced at first hand the devastating impact of the recent flooding which killed 363 people and displaced more than two million.
I had chosen to travel to Nigeria to document these floods as part of "Drowning World" a long-term photographic and video project exploring the global impact of flooding. Since 2007 I have endeavoured to visit scenes of inundation around the world covering floods in the UK, India, Pakistan, Australia and Thailand. I have chosen to focus on these extreme circumstances as a way of responding to the threat of climate change. I had chosen to travel to Nigeria to document these floods as part of "Drowning World", a long-term photographic and video project exploring the global impact of flooding. Since 2007 I have endeavoured to visit scenes of inundation around the world, covering floods in the UK, India, Pakistan, Australia and Thailand. I have chosen to focus on these extreme circumstances as a way of responding to the threat of climate change.
Although the impact of the flooding was widespread across Bayelsa and many other states I chose to focus on the community of Igbogeni, one of the many which had been devastated by the flooding. I wanted to get an intimate sense of how individual lives are affected. I was there six weeks after the floods first came but met many people whose houses were still more than waist high with water. Although the impact of the flooding was widespread across Bayelsa and many other states, I chose to focus on the community of Igbogeni, one of the many which had been devastated by the flooding. I wanted to get an intimate sense of how individual lives are affected. I was there six weeks after the floods first came but met many people whose houses were still more than waist-high with water.
For the first time in my long career as a photographer I put out a daily "feed" of images on this trip via Instagram. Despite the fact that I have relatively few "followers" these images (through the unexpected power of Twitter) drew a lot attention to a flooding crisis, which has devastated countless lives and has been largely ignored by global media. For the first time in my long career as a photographer, I put out a daily "feed" of images on this trip via Instagram. Despite the fact that I have relatively few "followers", these images (through the unexpected power of Twitter) drew a lot attention to a flooding crisis, which has devastated countless lives and has been largely ignored by global media.
Portraits of flood victims are at the heart of this project. I have taken my images so far in a way that lets the flood victims I locate directly address the camera looking outwards from an environmental calamity that has all but destroyed their lives. Their unsettling gaze challenges the viewer, questioning our communal culpability for their plight. Portraits of flood victims are at the heart of this project. I have taken my images so far in a way that lets the flood victims I locate directly address the camera, looking outwards from an environmental calamity that has all but destroyed their lives. Their unsettling gaze challenges the viewer, questioning our communal culpability for their plight.
Scientists have been predicting that man-made climate change will cause a variety of "extreme weather events". Among them is this sort of flooding which could become more frequent and even more widespread in the coming years.Scientists have been predicting that man-made climate change will cause a variety of "extreme weather events". Among them is this sort of flooding which could become more frequent and even more widespread in the coming years.
It is all too easy to see the victims as faceless statistics, but here they invade the world of the viewer, demanding recognition. As this project develops the "conversation" created by placing images from different floods in different countries at different times side becomes more interesting. The lives of these individuals are linked and they stand in solidarity. It is all too easy to see the victims as faceless statistics, but here they invade the world of the viewer, demanding recognition. As this project develops, the "conversation" created by placing images from different floods in different countries at different times side becomes more interesting. The lives of these individuals are linked and they stand in solidarity.
You can see more of Gideon Mendel's work on his website and a picture gallery of his instagram photographs here.You can see more of Gideon Mendel's work on his website and a picture gallery of his instagram photographs here.