“As it becomes increasingly more common for Documentary Photographers to integrate participatory and collaborative practices into their photographic projects, inviting people who were previously ‘subjects’ to become co-creators, there is also an increased tension between the collaborative process and the photographic product. When we move towards making work that is co-authored with the people who were previously our ‘subjects’, how do we meet their needs (as the primary audience of the work), and meet the needs of the secondary audience (anyone secondary to the people making the work)?
Basically, how can documentary photographers utilise the visceral, affective, activist visual language of documentary photography, while democratising the process of creating those images with people, instead of of people?…”
Gemma was interviewed briefly about her recent confirmation as a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland. You can read the rest of the interview here: http://www.uq.edu.au/ccsc/gemma-rose-turnbull.