Percy Hennell - Re-constructive Surgery Portraits

Next I have decided to look at work created around more of a medical theme, but sticking to the same neutral format. The work by Percy Hennell, a WW2 photographer, shows injured soldiers and patients after re-constructive surgery.

The thing that strikes me in particular about this series of work is that Hennell presents his subjects in a straightforward and unflinching manner. Although the wounds and surgery shown in the images are a little more extreme than a facial birthmark, I feel that this approach could work - showing that a birthmark is nothing to be ashamed of, and presenting my subjects as they are without any sort of re-representation on my part.

However, although these images are fairly relevant I do not feel that they are particularly interesting. In my opinion they are a little too 'medical' in their style, and Hennell could well have been photographing as a simple medical record, rather than as a documentary piece of photographic work. The intention behind our images are different, as I plan to look a little more into the lives of my subjects.