Thursday, 3 March 2016

Research Photographer - Zwelethu Mthethwa

Zwelethu Mthethwa

This photograph by Mthethwa shows a small boy rummaging through rubbish piles, I think that this sort of photograph is very interesting, because it shows us what sort of world other people are living in, because although we may be told about it, without witnessing it, we are unable to fully relate. I think that showing what is really happening in third world continents like Africa is very important as it raises awareness.

This photograph was taken in Cape Town and is from of one of Mthethwa's series, it is a series about health, he's interested in putting a face to all the data about health in Africa and was interested in giving people the opportunity to document their own perceptions of health. I think that showing the actual health of people in Africa is important because if we just see Africa as a very poor continent with high HIV rates, we will have a lower viewpoint of it.

I think that this photo shows how arid Africa is, there isn't any vegetation in sight and I think that it shows us how much people have to work, it is showing us how Africa is in reality and how much global warming is actually affecting the world, even if we aren't really seeing it in first world countries like England and America.


This photo is showing a man in Africa doing his job, to people in first world countries, this seems like a lot of work for one person to do, however in third world countries, people have to work harder for less money, which is unfair.

Summary: Zwelethu Mthethwa is a photographer from South Africa who takes photographs in Cape Town. He takes photographs of people doing their jobs, in addition to people showing their idea of health, and showing people that the health of Africa isn't just a number or percentage of people that have AIDS or Malaria, its actual people that have to fight these illnesses. Personally I really like portraits and reading in to portraits, so I may use this as inspiration.



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