Getting Out of My Lane

I may be getting out of my lane in writing this week's blog because the topic touches on politics and not solely photography. A good friend sent me a copy of a YouTube video that featured portraits of members of President Trump's inner circle of advisors. The photos were taken by a Vanity Fair photographer who has been both criticized and commended for his work. A link to that video is listed at the end of the blog.

We all bring bias to our communications, and so it is only natural that those same biases can be found in our photography. As I watched and then rewatched the video, three questions came to me. The first concerns the point where a hidden bias transforms into an outright political attack. Secondly, how does a political attack differ from political satire, a long-standing practice of displaying opposition? And finally, where is the tipping point where a political attack backfires and diminishes the character and the message of those perpetrating the attack?

I was somewhat disturbed after watching the video and the running commentary for the first time. Since I am not an advocate of President Trump or most of his policies, my reaction surprised me. As Americans, it is our right and duty to oppose individuals and policies that we believe to stand in opposition to the laws and ideals fundamental to individual worth and freedom. Many of the photographs appeared to purposefully demean the appearance of individuals, making the photographs feel more like a personal attack rather than a statement of political opposition.

The video made me consider how political opposition can be displayed in a less hostile manner. Satire came to me as a preferred method, as it uses humor as a means to point out bad behavior and the irony of many political decisions. Satire often does not suggest a solution, as it shines light on the problem leaving the audience to draw their own conclusions.  Its message more palatable to the audience because it uses humor to blend the real with the absurd. Examples of political satire include The Onion and some of the political skits on Saturday Night Live.

Toward this end, I created a satirical portrait of President Trump as the Wizard of Oz. It would be easy to showcase a bombastic, never-erring Trump hiding within the imaginary "Greenland" of his thoughts without regard for natural world consequences. Since the Oz storyline is familiar, it helps to support a parallel story structure crafted between the fictional storybook actors and real life Washington politicians. It would be very easy to develop a full cast of characters, such as the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Dorothy, including even the flying monkeys and witches, into this satire. In my opinion, this method would present a much more effective means of highlighting the foibles that are a part of daily life in Washington these days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz0oUJZ5t30