Research- Ken Habarta

I knew I needed to step up my research and find more photographers who have used text with image, found text particularly and in social situations. Perhaps different to the others I've looked at, I'm including Ken Habarta's Bank Notes project.

At the minute it's online on a designated website but there is also a book version available of the ever expanding project. Called Bank Notes, it's a look at the notes or words robbers use when robbing a bank. In an odd way, it examines the human psych and sometimes he can use actually notes but other times goes on the way the newspaper or an eyewitness account reports it as going down.

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For the average person who doesn't think like a criminal or with such bad intentions, it's interesting to look at. Some of them are surprisingly polite and calm and it makes you wonder what led such a rational person to commit this crime. The interesting part is that he uses a CCTV picture of the robber at the bank and so you have a face to put with the words. This helps you to make an opinion or a judgement, be it for better or worse.

Although very different to what I'm doing, it still interests me. It's the collection and dedication the author has to the project as he's spent a decade doing so. While obviously my project needs to move faster in a much shorter timescale, it's something that shows me that if you enjoy something you can keep it going for a while.

The book also includes the text as Habarta is a writer where he talks about stereotypes, indicators and the various threats and how they can be deduced. Perhaps an odd, slightly sick read, but fascinating nonetheless. I also like the layout, the decision to include details and disclose more information about the personal to help us piece together the story and an opinion of the individual.