Since the dawn of time, we humans have long been fascinated by stories. And whilst these were traditionally limited to ink and paper or word of mouth, developments in technology have given us countless other mediums to tell them. One such example is of course documentary photography (also referred to as photojournalism), a genre often praised for being the most truthful and impactful form in the medium.
Because of the way documentary photography is constructed, it is often confused with street photography. While the two share a similar architecture, they are not one and the same. Documentary photography is more about capturing the events in an authentic manner with the topic determining the surrounding environment, while street photography is geographically limited to the streets of urban areas and typically has more input from the photographer.
The true greatness of documentary photography can be measured by its ability to freeze events in time. By preserving the past, documentary photography encourages us to think about what has changed or even stayed the same. Many images from this genre have gone on to become historically ingrained in photography itself. A classic example of this would be the photograph titled Migrant Mother. Taken by photojournalist Dorothea Lange in 1936, the image illustrates a mother looking off into the distance with visible unease as her children huddle close by.
Today, the photograph is internationally recognised, even to the extent that a casual photographer is likely aware of its existence. It became the defining image of migrant workers in California during America’s Great Depression, capturing the uncertainty and bleakness of the time. This is precisely what documentary photography seeks to do – capture the essence of people and events in a way that traditional journalism can sometimes struggle to, with the image being a window into a different reality.
What Makes Documentary Photography Resonant in 2025:
There are many reasons as to why documentary photography continues to resonate with us and stand out from other photography styles. In the past decade alone, the world as we know it has undergone significant and life-altering change – a rapid pandemic, a surge in megapixel & computational technology, an increase in global hostilities and nuclear tensions exacerbated by major political events.
While far from positive, these turbulent times have been captured and digitally preserved for years to come thanks to the tireless work of documentary photographers. Additionally, documentary photography plays a vital role in the modern world as it provides accompanying visuals for journalists and writers in articles and discussions.
But what is the best camera for documentary photography in 2025? Well, the Fujifilm X100VI is excellent in this regard thanks to its sheer simplicity and straightforward design. Carrying minimal distractions with its limited buttons and dials, the X100VI makes capturing the story a much simpler task, and with its near-silent shutter and compact design, it is perfect for low-key documentary shots where the photographer’s input must be discrete and kept to a minimum.
Additionally, if you were looking to shot with a different camera with no fixed lens, then the Sigma 35mm f1.4 Lens is a great one to use thanks to its ability to capture the scene while maintaining a sharp and natural image. It also has brilliant autofocus capabilities which is vital when capturing kinetic events, and it also has great macro capabilities for close up shots.
Approaching Subjects Ethically & Effectively:
As previously mentioned, documentary photography does share a similar framework ethically speaking with street photography, and this is where the two most often overlap. Essentially, the same rules that apply in street photography are equally applicable to documentary photography – while street shots can be staged to an extent in terms of the subject acknowledging the camera’s presence, documentary photography typically has less involvement from the photographer, and so the subjects will not always need consulting with.
For example, a documentary photographer wouldn’t typically converse with protesters at a riot – they would simply document the event and photograph what unfolds with little to no interference. As always, you should respect the rights of the individuals being photographed and not intrude upon their personal space for the purpose of the photograph. This is because doing so would also undermine the authenticity of what you are capturing as they may no longer react to the event but directly to your involvement.
Composition and Storytelling in Mundane Moments:
As is often the case, composition is a key factor for documentary photography due to its ability to impact the overall image. For example, what makes Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother image so effective was Lange’s decision midway through shooting to switch to a vertical portrait from the previously horizontal orientation. This allowed Lange to centralise the mother in the frame with the children on either side of her. This also allowed Lange to remove background items and objects that would detract the focus from the mother.
A similar approach to composition can be used in documentary photography, though it is always best to consider the nature of the subject. For example, a series of images that you plan to publish on a website would be much better suited to a horizontal rotation in a 16:9 aspect ratio as this would sit flush with the accompanying text, while a vertical photograph would create a large, uneven space in the middle of the webpage which can often be jarring when scrolling down through the page. But if you plan to publish your documentary photographs in an e-magazine or gallery, then a vertical portrait would be better suited in that regard.
Editing for Mood and Authenticity:
While editing plays a vital role in any photographer’s final image, it’s overall role in documentary photography should be relatively understated for a number of reasons. The most obvious of which is that by messing with the image too much, you risk losing its original look which can harm its authenticity. Instead, you should enhance the photo by making subtle adjustments to the lighting and colour.
For example, you could shoot the subject in colour and then see how the image looks in black and white in the editing room. You might find that it dramatically alters the image and gives it more of a street photography look which may not be desirable, though it depends on what look you are going for. But by shooting in colour, you avoid limiting yourself to black and white shots only which will give you more creative freedom.
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