“I try to be responsible to what I'm photographing, and I draw lines, but sometimes the lines get blurry. There are photographs I took that I think are powerful that will not be included in this public exhibit.”

-Wing Young Huie on the problem of exploitation in photography when his exhibit, Lake Street, USA, was on public display.
 

I would first like to acknowledge Osamudiame Uzzi and Kirisitina Sailiata, for giving me the idea for this article, and everyone who told me their stories regarding this subject. The 30-year struggle continues.

When I first met the Students of Color (SoC) crowd at Macalester, I was told many stories of events in Macalester’s past (the Expanded Education Opportunity program of the ’70s, the rise and fall of the cultural houses, the formation of the Comparative North American Studies program, etc.), all of which I still vividly remember. A story that seems to have lingered is about SoC members being followed by photographers, even after they asked not to have their photographs taken, covered their faces or kept turning away from the camera (no, the photo won’t steal our souls). Apparently, Macalester hires photographers to run around campus and take pictures of its students. Understandable—yet when the photographers repeatedly followed SoC around campus taking incessant pictures for its publications in order to perpetuate a utopia of diversity for recruitment, that was just plain wrong.

This travesty has not ceased. Last semester’s Diversity Weekend fell victim to the “Kodak Moment” plague that had angered many students in the past. During the opening performance of the Mexica/Azteca dancers in the Campus Center, I arrived to find the group performing in an unconventional lima bean-shape instead of a traditional circle. The reason was because a photographer’s equipment—two stands with lights that flashed whenever the camera took a picture, with cables stretching in between them and to the power outlet—resided in the performance area. The photographer took five or six pictures each minute throughout the 45-minute performance, making the dance recognizing indigenous roots appear like some spin-off of Saturday Night Fever. When we asked where the photographer was from, he responded by saying he was from a publishing company and that the pictures would appear in their publications.

Due to this experience, along with other matters, I did not attend any other Diversity Weekend events. I believe I made the right choice. It turns out that the same photographer appeared again at the other events and took pictures incessantly again, making some attendees feel awkward. A similar account was documented at the Candlelight Vigil for victims of hate crimes when the photographer circled the participants, flashing with each picture taken. Another incident occurred during the Sunday brunch, where organizers and participants came together to voice feelings about what did and did not work. Our 35mm friend showed up yet again. One student of color, upon entering the room, walked up to the photographer and requested not to have his picture taken. His answer of “I’ll keep that in mind,” must have meant some form of non-agreement, as the photographer went ahead and took that student of color’s picture anyway.

How does this affect SoC, you ask? First, consider that the act of taking these photos and using them in Macalester’s publications has gone on for years. It has existed long enough that a simulation, a hyper-real, has now been created for Macalester. In other words, the continuous use of images of joyous SoC has proliferated this imagery to the point that these images lead the reader to believe that all SoC are content with their Macalester experience and not conscious of our cultural exploitation.

With this blissful image of SoC on campus, it is difficult for anyone to believe that some of these students may be having feelings of discontent. In fact, the emergence of any type of rebuttal from SoC cannot exist alongside the image of a utopia of multiculturalism. Whenever a SoC student protests or voices their disapproval about multiculturalism, we become vulnerable to the critique that we are alone since the rest of the SoC seem to always be content and smiling/posing for the camera (at least I’ve been told that numerous times).

Thus, I am asking that ‘Mac Cam’ be respectful of its subjects since photos can cause considerable harm to marginalized communities. The best solution I can think of is letting SoC represent ourselves in any and all publications. If others continue to choose/edit the material included in publications, then the “exotification” of SoC will not cease. Don’t ask me to say “cheese.”