In the article “Vanishing Ethnographers”, Kirin Narayan expresses her objection to MacDougall’s film on photography shot in a small Indian town Mussoorie. The ethnographer is vanished, presumably, in order to let other people speak out. However, Narayan questions the real, not implied silence of the ethnographer and the ways in which he frames the representation. The movie Photo Wallahs is a vibrant representation of the reality of the local people captured by camera. However, there were some minor weaknesses which are additionally considered in this paper.

Narayan expresses her concern that the ethnographer does not give his interpretation, leaving everything to the characters he shoots. Indeed, there are people who are able to speak freely. Nevertheless, there is an angle defined by the silent ethnographer as well. She asserts that nowadays all the data on the media is being presented with the experts’ explanation of what it really means so that people properly understand it (Narayan, 1994). Narayan claims that it would be fair if MacDougall showed up himself through his voice; this way, there would be no deceit regarding the issue of interpretation.

The film’s strengths include, first of all, the sincerity and openness of the people. They liked being filmed and photographed. MacDougall ended the film marvelously: there is a sequence of self-presentations by the people. It serves as a reflection on the film itself (MacDougall, 1992). This sequence vividly depicts the contrasts or resonances between the people. As for the weaknesses, it may be noted that they could not find a particular professional photographer in Mussoorie; thus, this character was substituted by a photographer from the neighboring town of Dehra Dun. Many of the scenes were cut out too.

In conclusion, the movie shows what role the camera plays in the portrayed society. The people have to face and adapt to new modes of representation. Disregarding the minor weaknesses of the film and Narayan’s objection, definitely, Photo Wallahs is a truthful and bright documented representation of the lives of the local people.

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