Photographic Series – Terracotta Happiness

In the diploma thesis, the author delved into his favourite genre of photography – documentary photography. In the thesis, he first focuses on the history and theory of this genre. Throughout the thesis, he analyses the works and stories of photographers who inspire him. He describes his journey, feelings and findings about the series. Alongside the photographs, he explains his own story and the stories of others who surrounded him.

Problem

In the diploma thesis, the author delved into his favourite genre of photography – documentary photography. In the thesis, he first focuses on the history and theory of this genre. He presents the first significant documentarians, without whom contemporary documentary photography would not exist.

He has not forgotten the works of great Slovenian documentarians, such as Stojan Kerbler, Ivan Dvoršak and others.

Solution and Method

Throughout the thesis, he analyses the works and stories of photographers who inspire him. He asks important questions in chapters such as: Can photography itself be kitsch? What are the foundations or goals of documentary photography?

Are there moral boundaries and ethics in documentary photography? What distinguishes documentary from reportage photography? After the theoretical part of the thesis, he presents his opus, which is a documentary series entitled 'Terracotta Happiness', inspired by garden gnomes.

One would immediately ask why he is drawn to this theme or series. Why document it? This theme has accompanied him since childhood and has always fascinated him.

He interprets Terracotta Happiness as a confession of people who own garden gnomes. It is not so much a confession about the gnomes themselves, but about the entire culture surrounding them. The theme has not been explored until now and people do not talk about it.

Results

He describes his journey, feelings and findings about the series. Alongside the photographs, he explains his own story and the stories of others who surrounded him. The series is a personal confession and a confession of local people.

Besides the garden gnomes, he managed to capture the environment that builds around them. At the same time, he also managed to create a project to which he is very attached and which means a great deal to the author. The project gave the author new hope and motivation for photography.

At the same time, the series awakened confidence in him when photographing and a strong connection with relatives that he will never forget. Consequently, his quest for an answer to the question regarding the theme of garden gnomes created the final result, which is a documentary photographic work or series that is emotionally charged, thrilling and interesting. He intends to continue with the work in the future.