Beyond its selection of photographs, frankly very successful, the most beautiful quality of the work Stock Photo Agency dedicated to the work of 14 Quebec photojournalists over a period of 30 years is its balance.
A balance between images and texts. A perfect and airy dosage. In these hundred pages, there are just enough words to speak of the splendors and miseries of photojournalism with frankness and honesty. The balance is also evident in the selection of black and white photos (one of the selection criteria for the agency’s members) and in color, giving us an inside look at several important moments in Quebec’s history between 1987 and 2017.
And what a story!
From the Oka crisis to the ice storm, from the 1995 referendum to the 2012 Maple Spring demonstrations, including the 2001 Summit of the Americas, from urban life to that of the indigenous communities of Nunavik, the selected photos are imbued with both an artistic sense and a sense of the news.
However, it would be wrong to say that these photos and words only tell 30 years of the history of contemporary Quebec. They tell the story of the agency as much as that of its artisans and their reading of the place of photojournalism in society. This relationship with society is necessary and rigorous, as the profession requires. But it is also knotty, sometimes ambiguous, because it is subject to the imperatives of technological advances and the steamroller of large media groups.
In an interview with Sophie Bertrand, one of the agency’s co-founders (along with Robert Fréchette and Martin Roy), Jean-François LeBlanc, addresses the subject head-on. Thus, he says, the arrival of smartphones has changed people’s perception of photojournalists and their own image. “With the arrival of digital distribution, people have become wary of our cameras, while the iPhone does not seem to be a threat,” he notes.
Another aspect addressed: precariousness. The agency, whose operating mode is cooperative, lives to the rhythm of contracts. It is necessary to find clients, in Quebec and elsewhere in the world, submit quality works, maintain links, know how to face competition, etc.
The agency and its members have published as much in The World And Release that in The news, The Press, Seeetc. “Stock already had a reputation as an independent agency, so much so that it was a reference for European and North American magazines,” notes Caroline Hayeur, one of the members, in the book.
It should also be noted that the organization was born in 1987 following the closure of the very short-lived daily newspaper The morning and what was called the “Duclos affair” on the right to image and privacy. There were several other turbulences, as the title of the first segment of the book suggests (Turbulence Zone — Track of an agency subject to headwinds).
The agency, which should not be confused with the iStockPhoto image bank, closed its doors in 2017. We will not dwell on the reasons that led to this decision, except to note that the next generation was rare.
The book launch on August 28 coincided with the opening of the exhibition World Press Photo at the Bonsecours Market, one of whose sections is dedicated to the Stock Photo Agency and its artisans.
Visit the expo website World Press Photo Montreal
Extract
“It seems like photojournalism has always been in crisis or transition! The landscape has changed: before, magazines showed us interest; now, it happens a lot on the web. Photography is still there, more creative, with a wider distribution, but there is less money. Careers have (become) shorter. And the market is not necessarily bigger. On the other hand, there are many interesting reports and works that provide information on the state of the planet, through competitions and web platforms. Making a living from photojournalism is complicated.” — Jean-François LeBlanc in conversation with Sophie Bertrand
Who are Sophie Bertrand and Jocelyne Fournel?
Sophie Bertrand holds a master’s degree in museology from UQAM and is a photographer, author and curator. She was one of the 14 members of the Stock Photo Agency and is currently assistant to the co-director of the magazine Life of the artsPassionate about illustration and photography, Jocelyne Fournel has made a career in graphic design, both in the publishing and magazine sectors.
Stock Photo Agency – A history of photojournalism in Quebec
Editions of the passage
200 pages