Dave Beazley's, Life in Death, series focuses on people living in Death Valley, one of the hottest and most remote places in North America. His images capture the barren, dry land, and the people living there. There is a rough and isolated mood to each photo, especially when it comes to the portraits he has done. Most of them are taken at a distance, getting in as much of the person’s surroundings as possible. His images are beautiful and draw me into his landscapes. However, when it comes to his portraits there is something there that I do not quite like. I feel he has gone there only to make a quick observation and study of this community for his benefit. Or to produce images that are expected from him while shooting in this environment, which I understand as I have done that myself. Recognizing this in my own work, I am trying to be conscious of when and how I am approaching the communities I want to work within.
I understand that it's not always possible to make connections right away; it takes time to build trust. Researching the history of the land and the people that lived there before is another way for me to be more informed and better understand my subject when documenting the area. Moving forward I don't want my work to be a brief observation of one place or the people living there, but more of an understanding and a point of view that connects the viewers to what they are observing.
Reference:
https://www.dave-beazley.com/death-valley/2plvdae0rxsdxgjoudzgo0kwlbg7fs