Edward Curtis

I have always appreciated Edward Curtis's photography. I think more so because of one of my favorite photographers, Adam Jahiel. Curtis was documenting people and a lifestyle that was dying off, and so does Jahiel. I don't think that the way Curtis photographed should be considered controversial, because although he set up each photograph, and brought certain items to wear, he is still documenting and showing something that was becoming a dying lifestyle. In class we discussed the authenticity of Curtis's photographs, because they were set up, but at the same time he was trying to convey and show items in the Native American lifestyle that had already started to dwindle away with time. And it is the same idea with Jahiel. I know during my presentation, it was brought up that some of Jahiel's photographs seemed staged, but he was trying to document a lifestyle that is no longer around. I guess how I look at photographers that are documenting history is, these are the tools which we use to learn from.