Stolen Images
We live in a time of paranoia where photographers are stopped from taking images in public places, yet by using one of a number of simple search terms, thousands of unprotected CCTV cameras around the world can be accessed, and often controlled. Many of the cameras allow full control you can pan, zoom, focus and ‘take’ the shot at the moment of choosing; raising questions about the nature of photography: are these stolen images any less photography than those taken with fully automatic cameras from a designated point at a beauty spot?
The images were taken by setting up access to a selection cameras and taking a picture at the top of the hour from midnight to midnight. They contrast the mundanity of everyday life with the voyeurism of watching people who don’t know they’re under the all-seeing eye of a CCTV camera.
Juliet Ferguson is a photographer and journalist living in London. She has recently completed a post-graduate certificate in Photography at Central Saint Martins School of Art.
Her current project, taking images through CCTV cameras, ties in closely with her work at the Centre for Investigative Journalism. Juliet is interested in exploring the issues raised by using new technology. She is represented by Millennium Images and Subject.
