This documentary tradition, which not long ago seemed one of the main stems of the photography tree, has of late undergone a crisis of confidence.
Cinéma vérité and similar documentary traditions can thus be seen, in a broader perspective, as a reaction against studio-based film production constraints.
"We created scenarios in which events unfolded, over which we did not have control, which is very consistent with the documentary tradition," he said.
The Aramaic dialect of the Samaritan community is earliest attested by a documentary tradition that can be dated back to the 4th century.
In Rena Effendi's photographs, a commitment to the social documentary tradition is matched with a great formal beauty.
In the best and worst documentary tradition, the scene is fascinating and embarrassingly intrusive.
But while the work in "Uncommon Places" is firmly grounded in a serious documentary tradition, the pictures are as much about pure discovery.
The work provoked complex discussions about differences and similarities between documentary traditions and the fictional.
In his early teens he photographed in the documentary tradition, producing images of family, friends, and cities.
The additional pictures provide a context for understanding the documentary tradition to which Mr. Louie's work belongs.