Assignment 7
Assuming that work is research based the advantages an indegenous or local photographer has over a visiting one is in the main concerned with an understanding of local culture and its nuances, local experience and accessability based on familiarity and personal relationships. The motivation for the content and message of an image would perhaps be more positive and self (community) promoting than a visitor might produce as the self interest of the local comes to the fore.
The image attempts to encompass these points and relates to the health and welfare support for the elderly within the local community of Sefton MBC. Evelyn is 82 years old, housebound and requires a multi drug regime and oxygon to overcome her various medical conditions. She receives visits three times each day from carers organised by the Local Authority's Social Services Department. The care and support she gets is excellent and helps maintain her comfortably and with dignity in her own home. This is quite a different situation than generally reported in National press about the provision of care for the elderly and is in fact far superior to that provided by neighbouring Local Authorities. This local advantage, actual or relative, is not published and perhaps only recognised by those families resident within the area with aged relatives.
I would suggest this image would not be available to a visiting photographer due to a lack of personoa relationships to deal with and gain access to Evelyn and capture a sensaitive subject such as this. The fact that the picture contradicts general reports of inedequate care for such groups of people as Evelyn promotes the area of Sefton and even perhaps the community culture promoted by this Local Authority.
With regard to the issues and benefits of Fair Trade Photography in relation to this image and the region of the world it represents it is difficult to draw a conclusion compared to africanpictures,net aims and objectives, other than promoting a positve image of my local community in the face of adverse publicity for this issue nationally.