All images made using an Olympus MjuII compact and various film (Kodak Portra, Fuji Superia and Agfa Vista). Developed and scanned at UK FILM LAB
No, means no.
Photojournalist & Documentary Photographer
Photojournalist & Documentary Photographer
All images made using an Olympus MjuII compact and various film (Kodak Portra, Fuji Superia and Agfa Vista). Developed and scanned at UK FILM LAB
PHIL KNEEN 
You are a strange contemporary photographer; you insist on showing people images they would be a lot happier to ignore rather than to look at. Ignorance is no remedy for anything and I believe your photography will outlive the ignorance.
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‘No, means no’ – no explanation as to the title, yet I know exactly what you are saying.
“a strange contemporary photographer” – strange indeed… and brilliant and visionary and brave and compassionate and brutally honest. Bravo.
Katie Newman.
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***Edited at the request of author***
Photographers portray many genres. As do artists in general. And, as viewers, we all have different taste.
Your photographic images are mainly contemporary and true to life. You tell it like it is, and for that, many of us are grateful. We appreciate your mastery with the lens. We appreciate your integrity. We like your portraits.
This post is a superb example of what the world needs to see – the somewhat primitive conditions under which these people are living and trying to survive. Waiting day after day for news. Just trying to exist one more day in primitive and unsanitary conditions. Once again, as I have said on my own nature blog and F/B, critics need to ‘live in the shoes’ of people from war-torn countries (including the starving in 3rd world countries) before they verbalise criticism in public. They need to walk hundreds of miles with young children in their arms and minimal or no food to sustain them. They need to search for loved ones under building rubble or in over-crowded makeshift medical facilities or morgues.
Wealthy western democratic nations need to see the poverty and inhumane conditions that people like pcelasum would rather not see.
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Vicki, did you read the “entire” comment?
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Yes, I did Bcelasun,
I offer my sincere apologies with my first sentence in my comment.
I misread a couple of words (due to only having distance glasses and no reading glasses). I incorrectly read ‘not live’ instead of ‘outlive’. I interpreted your sentence incorrectly. My first sentence referring to your comment was totally inappropriate. When you said ‘you (i.e. Phil) insist on showing people images that they would be a lot happier to ignore’ I thought you were being derogatory.
Perhaps Phil will be kind enough to delete that first sentence from my comment. Naturally I meant to support Phil in his realistic portrayal of the conditions in The Jungle and other camps. I think He (and other photographers and journalists) need to give these refugees ‘a voice’.
(Now that will teach me to zoom in more with my Mac Pro and read a sentence twice before typing a comment).
I also apologise to Phil – he probably thought I had ‘a screw loose.”
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Don’t worry; I knew it was just a misunderstanding.
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I thought it was clear that the first comment was one of praise actually. To have the fortitude to exploit the wrongs through art while doing so with integrity and compassion is admirable and extremely enlightened. Shining a light on what the popular media have long forgotten. It’s not pretty, it makes you feel guilty but it makes you feel.
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This series is by far the best photo-essay I’ve seen produced regarding this issue. All the other images I’ve seen have been long lens grab shots and covert taking, as opposed to making, of photographs. Phil, you make photographs with your honest, no hiding way of working – I’m not sure people release how difficult this approach to photojournalism is?
Honest, heartbreaking, enlightening and sensitive – all the hallmarks of world-class photojournalism. Well done.
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This entire series of photoessays has been some of the best, probably the best, work to have been produced in regards to the migrant situation in this area. I would also agree with James – most of the photographs I’ve seen have been shot on 500mm lenses without the subjects being aware – nothing I’ve seen has been close, or as close, as your images, Phil.
Very well done, keep up the good, and vital, work.
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‘You are a strange contemporary photographer; you insist on showing people images they would be a lot happier to ignore rather than to look at. Ignorance is no remedy for anything and I believe your photography will outlive the ignorance’
I could not have sad it better for myself – you are a new breed of photojournalist. I am loving your work Phil.
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Phil … Your images are haunting … Find myself wishing for descriptions yet non are necessary … my heart, my consciousness is profoundly affected, sad, completely disgusted with a world and myself for standing by and watching …
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