Photo show is a huge success but irritates other artists

The end-of-semester photo show kicked off yesterday, showcasing the talents of a myriad of young photographers. About a dozen awards were given out, and the work of the students received high praise.

However, some photos left a little too much to the imagination, and other artists in this school are not happy.

This year, the newspaper, yearbook and literary magazine staffs have had to adapt to working under prior review for their publications. Each time a publication is about to go to press, it has to be reviewed by the administration. And sometimes, things will have to be changed or omitted, regardless of deadline. It is a tedious part of being a part of a publication, but the staffs have persevered. Yet, photography students are never censored.

It is a struggle having to deal with tighter deadlines and prior review. Having to change photos or make revisions to articles that do not please the administration is frustrating, especially when there is not a mutual agreement between the staff and the administration. It is even more frustrating to see other students being allowed to use their First Amendment rights when ours are stifled.

Granted, there were photographs in the show that were a bit risque. Some photographs included females with little clothing, posing in bathtubs and under waterfalls. There were males posing without shirts as well, and some photos included guns, alcohol and smoking. It makes me think, “Hey, we are still kids here.” There is no reason to think of creative expression and instantly move to revealing clothing, puppy dog eyes and showcasing vices. It is understandable that art is infinitely expressive and artists should never be censored, but photographs for a school function should have more modesty and a bit less promiscuity.

Yet this is not the main issue, here. It was especially hard to visit the photo show when the newspaper staff has had to remove art that included the scope of a crossbow for a hunting article, the yearbook staff has to be extra careful when choosing photographs for the swim team, and the literary magazine must work diligently so that students’ expressive literature stays within the administration’s subjectivity. We fellow artists feel like we are being held at a double standard by the administration. And as a fellow artist, I understand both sides of the argument. I would never want to censor someone’s creativity, but I also know that there is a time and a place for certain pieces of art to be shown. And sometimes, certain photographs should be kept for personal portfolios and Instagram profiles.

It would be more beneficial for everyone if prior review was abolished, and artists could express themselves however they wished, under the direction of their teachers. With the advice of our teachers to keep our art within a school-appropriate standard, while still keeping our freedom of speech and press, artists can still shine without being stifled, and without being inappropriate.