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Shannon Price: Reading Response One

This article talked about the early beginnings of photography and its supporters. It explained the who, what, where, when, and why of early photographers and photography as well as informed the reader on the five main qualities that a photograph captures. The article told the reader the importance of each of these qualities and how they relate to art and how it sets photography apart from any other medium preceding it.

A photograph alone was set apart from anything else at the time of its birth. It captures a scene that is merely a fragment to the bigger picture. Comparatively to the gutters to a comic strip, the border around a photo is where the viewer is asked to comprehend and paint a narrative. Scott McCloud, a famous comic writer, asks for “a little faith and a world of imagination” when talking about how a viewer views art. He asks that you go further than what meets the eye.

The details of a photo is not necessarily the clarity and small aspects, rather it is the hardest part of a photo to accomplish. In painting, we would say the finer details would come from the strokes and accuracy that the painter was trying to harness. In photography, the details come from capturing a photo at the perfect moment and getting the best bang for your buck in a sense. Compared to a modern day phenomenon, ‘photo-bombing’ is essentially catching a photo at the perfect time to catch the details of that specific time.

The Framing of a photo is very important. As explained in the article, the frame is what brings its subject matter together. As humans, it is our natural instinct to draw conclusions and create closure for a given scene. We like things to have meaning and purpose even if it has no relation at all. The framing of a photo gives the photo a sort of questionable quality. It is an open door in a sense for the viewer to try and draw conclusions.

Photos capture a point of time. Though sort of irrelevant now with shutter speeds that can capture a moment in a fraction of a second, old cameras took several seconds and would be sort of interesting. Blurred faces and odd occurrences, old photos captured more action and movement.

Perspective in my opinion is one of the most important aspects of photography. Where you take a photo can define much more than you think. For example, when taking a photo above someone, you are implying an untold sense of inferiority in the subject matter that would not have been grasped if the photo was taken at eye-level. In addition, the perspective gives your view of what you’re looking at. This was super important in early and inexperienced photographers because they never really understood what these vantage point concepts and ideas that a more trained eye sees.

All in all, I think the article is very informative and raises a fair amount of good points about photography. I like how it explained early photography and its relations with paintings and early artists. However, I found the article to be verbose and sort of hard to read at times.

            

Linnea Havener - Reading Assignment

This article talks about the development of photography and how many artists started to switch from painting to photography because it was an easier way to record an image. Beginning photographs were taken both by skilled photographers as well as amateurs who improvised or made mistakes. A big difference between painting and photography was that paintings usually showed something the artist viewed as important whereas the subject matter in photographs included everything.

The photographer had to learn that what he was looking at and what ended up being in his photo were different things and that the photograph was not reality even if it looked like it. The common person however believed that photographs always told the truth and that sometimes our eyes would trick us so the only way to see reality was through the photo. In a sense that is correct because a photograph of a scene can last longer than the person who say that same scene. Photographs then become the way we remember things and become reality by being the last existing evidence.

Because of the development of photography, narrative painting’s popularity decreased. Something both paintings and photography have in common is that they are just a snapshot of a scene and cannot tell the viewer the whole story of what was happening before or after. Since photographs couldn’t be used to tell a story, it was used as symbols instead.

The edges of a photo help tell the viewer what is important as well as creating a relationship between the subject matter than wouldn’t necessarily be identified if the scene were unframed or framed in a different place. Back in the day, photographers could not crop their photos so the landscape they saw when they took the photo is what would fill the whole photo frame instead of allowing them to crop the photo to change the focus.

Photographs show little segments of time that always show the present that they were created in. Photographs that had blurry subjects due to movement and a slow shutter speed were thought of negatively and as a mistake although time-lapse paintings were still appreciated. Once faster shutter speeds were created, capturing tiny moments of time while an object was moving became a fascination for photographers.

By using different vantage points, photographers are able to change reality. Although the photographer has some control over how they take the photo, the end result is still somewhat uncontrollable. Photography has also affected modern painters as well as constantly affecting the development of photography.

I thought this article was interesting because it helped explain the history of photography and how it has developed over time. It was also interesting how the author tied in painting to the process of photography and although the connection was definitely clear, it would have been interesting to see how other medium might have also been influenced by the development of photography and vice versa. I think that I might have been able to understand this paper a little better if I had a bigger degree of background knowledge on photography. Since I have never used photo plates to take photos, it was hard to picture them when the author talked about framing and cropping photographs back in the old days. If I had had more background knowledge on the subject I might have better been able to understand and picture what the author was referring to.

Kelsh, Elora: "The Photographer's Eye" Reading Response

Summary

This reading by John Szarkowski discusses the importance and influence that photography has had on people, especially in relation to the art world. Though it was once seen as a mindless process of art that is “taken” and not made (as paintings are made), it has now become a sort of “bereft of the old artistic traditions”.  1853 was the initial rise of photography when mostly inexperienced photographers started using it as their profession, but in 1893 photographer became easier with more sophisticated cameras – this in a way “created an army of photographers”.  These inexperienced photographers were the ones that initially established these qualities about photographs – and these qualities are the “Thing Itself”, the “Detail”, the “Frame”, “Time”, and “Vantage point”.

The Thing Itself

The thing itself is the idea of “the world itself is an artist of incomparable inventiveness” that we ourselves have to be intelligent enough to capture.  The camera was seen as the world’s eye, and it was the artistic photographer’s problem to know what to capture and emphasize. The idea was that photography can only tell the truth, and photos become reality of the present time that is remembered through imagery. Photographs highlight the subjects in their pictures to provide a specific and unique vision of things in the world.

The Detail

Photography of details in things forces the facts of the imagery to tell the truth. The details of things found in nature can provide scattered and suggestive clues to what they are or what they mean. The details become filled with undiscovered meaning and symbols – for example, the photograph of close-up hands highlight the details of the shades and wrinkles in the hands, alluding to how hardworking the person may or may not have been. The also highlight characteristics of hands that differentiate women’s hands from men’s hands; in this case, the fragility and gracefulness of the stance make it seem like hands belonging to a woman. The “function was to not make the story clear but to make it real”, and this applies to both the picture of hands and to pictures of the Civil War, the Great War, and WWII.

The Frame

The function of the frame is to isolate certain things in order to emphasize the relationships that the things have between each other. Shapes that are cropped or cut can help balance or complete the image, even if at times it is unclear as to what the cropped item may be. There are an infinite number of croppings and compositions of things in the world, and of different ways to group them together so that we can analyze how they relate to other things around them.  Japanese print is very influential to ways of framing a photograph because of their once unique way of spacing things out in the same frame.

Time

Time uniquely describes a certain period of time that it was made as the present of that time only. It was the present of that time even though now it is part of the past for us, and in that sense becomes a surviving relic of that time in history. Time can also be captured with a slow shutter speed, which was standard in the past. Motion capture was seen as a partial failures, especially to families who had portraits taken and would have to set for a very long time, so fidgeting babies would result in blurriness. This motion capture is now commonly seen as a unique way of looking at motion that happens in the world. Photographs are in a sense immobilizing thin slices of time, often at the “decisive moment”, or the visual climax of an action.

Vantage point

Vantage points provide unique views of the world. They make people think about the photograph; “just as nature had once imitated art, so now it began to imitate the picture made by the camera”.  Unique views such as bird’s eye view and worm’s eye view challenges schematized notions of reality by providing a view that is unfamiliar. These photographs often now influence modern painters and writers.

Personal Response

I thought the idea that all photographers are inspired by photographs that they have seen/already exist was really interesting and profound. We all want to seem like we have a completely unique way of seeing the world, but in reality we are influenced positively and negatively by images that we have already seen. In the late 1800s when photography started to become immensely prevalent with common people, more and more pictures were created for present photographers to be able to look at today and in the future. More pictures of the world provide photographers the ability to see the world in all sorts of perspectives; there’s always a new image to be created. I also resonated with the profound importance that framing has on a picture – when there are several elements of a picture, the way that they are framed in relation to each other forces us to recognize these relations, which can often be uncanny.

I believe that photography is profoundly artistic in the sense that photos are literal captures of the way that we see the world that we live in, through our artistic visions. I learned about the different important aspects that make up what photography is still made up of today. The only thing that I had slight trouble with was the comment about the camera as the world’s eye, that only the camera can speak the truth. It is true that photos are literal captures of that certain time in space, yet do our eyes not see that same truth at that moment? I suppose he just means that it’s a long-lasting truth that physical evidence.

Bell, Tyler - Reading Assignment - Szarkowski Reading

Summary:

“The Photographer’s Eye,” written by John Szarkowski, discusses the primitive years of photography, its large success, and the elements of which photography consists of. As depicted by Szarkowski in this essay, photography was introduced as a new art form, although it was placed under scrutiny at first. Artists, painters, etc. all viewed photography, at its introduction to the world, a inferior to traditional art forms. This is supported by the fact that the common belief is that photographs are taken, while traditional art is created. However, as Szarkowski discusses, photography allows a person to capture any image, able to permanently artifact a memory or experience of that photographer. 

Szarkowski states that photography is a universal art form. He suggests that photography, as it was created by both scientist and artists, is designed to appeal to anyone. Every person, from an average person to a thriving artist, is able to use photography for both artistic and personal use. Szarkowski talks about how photography is easy for any one to do, as opposed to art, where time, dedication, and technique are mandatory; Szarkowski saying that people used photography to merely capture an image, without any thought of artistic rhetoric. As similar in today’s age, Szarkowski mentions that although there were professionals using photography to achieve artistic success and develop stunning photos, average people were using photography, despite any knowledge of the art form or technique. In recognition of that, Szarkowski states that photographers, much like any other art form, did have to learn how to use their tools and development of photos. 

The Thing Itself:

This section refers to the actual image of a photograph. From this passage, I draw the similarity in the idea of  “if you didn’t see it, it didn’t happen.” Szarkowski states that viewing things with your eyes is just an illusion, and seeing an image in a photograph speaks the truth. He also states that photography allows a person to view a moment, memory, or image better, and more full, rather than other art forms in the past — such as painting. 

The Detail:

Szarkowski states that the detail of a photograph is to be clear and precise. The viewer of a photograph sees the details portrayed in a photograph, allowing it to display a subject — never before seen — better than what a painting could ever do. The detail of a photograph allows the photographer to vividly tell a story that they viewed, letting it become real. 

The Frame:

This section Szarkowski describes as the framing of a photograph is what the photographer feels is important, and what is not. In a photo, the photographer has to frame an image to see what needs to be included and excluded from the frame. Szarkowski suggests that it creates a relationship between the subject and the photographer that was not once achieved. Also he tells that edges of a photograph are often less important, containing fragments of buildings and trees, focusing on the main subject located in the middle of the image.

Time:

Szarkowski states that a photograph is a depiction of time, whether it be a longer or shorter glimpse. Both fast and slow shutter speeds were developed, allowing a photographer to capture time in a way that the human eye was unable to view a subject in prior to photographs. Slow shutter speed shows movement, while fast shutter speeds halts time in place, allowing a viewer to see fine details unable to see before. 

Vantage Point:

The vantage point of a photograph is the angle of view the photographer decides to depict of an image. Whether it be bird’s eye, worm’s view, or distortion, it allows a photographer to see the same subject in a variety of different ways. This is important in allowing of both creativity and interest of a photograph. The chosen vantage point is decisive in the photographer’s wishes on how he/she wants a photograph  to be viewed. 

Response:

I found this reading to be relevant to todays’ standards. Although written when photography was a new art form, it depicts the importance photography has on the world and how it is constantly shaping the way people view the world and its surroundings. My favorite topic was the fact that Szarkowski mentioned that although professionals exist, many people with no knowledge of photography still are taking photos. In today’s society, this is commonly seen throughtout various forms of social media, whether it be Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Photography has become such an important role in displaying memories and information with the world that otherwise, would have never been noticed before. Practically everyone in modern culture uses photography in consistent practice; it’s up to the person whether or not they want to take it professionally, or keep it for social purposes. 

Christine Gray: The Photographer's Eye Summary and Response

Introduction: The introduction of this article focuses on photography as a new medium of art and expression. It talks about how thousands of people became photographers when the practice was introduced, which created a massive library of work to inspire future photographers. Considered a threat to art as it was commonly known, photography incorporated a type of reality and truth people weren’t used to working with or seeing. To make the natural world your easel, your canvas, your studio, was something that seemed so simple. However, with such unlimited material, it takes great skill to control it.

The Thing Itself: As previously mentioned in the introduction, photography presented the practice of working with reality. It is up to the photographer to embrace the continuous scenes around him or her and make decisions about how they want to portray a figment of time. Over the years, those portrayed figments of time, or photographs, become more important that the event they were depicting. Photographs capture still pieces of our memories that we can later put together to try and remember the best we can.

The Detail: The natural world does not work like a studio in that you cannot rearrange it to tell the particular story you wish. As a photographer, you have to be able to look at what is presented to you and pick out the details that you feel are most compelling to your agenda. This may involve looking at many different angles, and getting extremely close to your subject(s). Photographs don’t need to tell a story, they simply show the truth.

The Frame: When you are looking around in your day-to-day life, there are no boundaries. One of the many jobs of a photographer is to decide what bit of their view should be included in a photograph. The frame is very crucial to the outcome of the photograph; it separates what is included in the still from what gets to continue happening outside of it. The frame helps the photographer decide what is most important in the scene and what needs to be included in the photograph to make it successful.

Time: The time a photograph is taken is always the present. You cannot take a photograph of the past or of the future. Photographers get the pleasure of capturing art in the moment. There is some risk in only being able to capture art in the moment. Sometimes the photograph does not turn out the way you expected or intended. However, some of the most engaging photographs are those that were thought to be “mistakes”. Sometimes lots of unsuccessful photographs need to be taken in a moment in order for the perfect photograph to be captured.

Vantage Point: Photography is unique in that is allows for scenes to be viewed in ways that the average person would not normally see them. Whether it’s from another person’s view, an animal’s view, the view of something entirely different, a scene can be completely transformed from “normal”.

Personal Reflection: When I was reading the introduction and it was talking about how so many people became “professional photographers”, it reminded me of how today, it seems that everyone thinks they are a professional photographer. With the amazing cameras that smart phones come with and the editing programs that are so readily available, everyone thinks they have all the tools they need to be a professional photographer. That has made me a little bit nervous about going into the field of photography, because it seems to be getting harder and harder to set yourself apart from the average iPhone user. However, reading the rest of this article reminded me how much more there is to taking meaningful and aesthetically pleasing pictures. It made me feel excited that I have the opportunity to learn about such a unique form of art. The thought of reality being everything that is going on around you at all times and having the power to choose parts of it to capture in a frozen photograph is extremely liberating and actually makes my head spin a bit when I think about it a lot. The options are endless, and I have the opportunity to learn how to find the best ones.

Phun_Mitchell_Reading Assignment // Summary

The Photographer's Eye by John Szarkowski is an article which discusses the main elements to do with photography and photography in it's early days. The article talks about the introduction of photographs and how it impacted people in it's early days. Photography introduced a whole new spectrum of art and affected the artists (painters, drawers, writers) of the time and caused a lot of questions. The article states that photographs are not created, they're taken. It mentions that photographs are actual moments in time that have been captured and stored, a mental image that is now physical and sharable amongst people. The article also tells the readers that cameras were created by scientists and artists, and there isn't any specific group of people who specialize in the art of photography, photography was made for anyone.

Photography was so popular that everyone started taking it up, there were countless images in its early days and even today, there have never ever been this many photos taken. Szarkowski mentions that the product of photographs were commonly accidental and the users inability to take photos were the majority of the products in its early days, even though there were some outstanding photographers who dedicated their careers to producing fantastic images. Photographs are just physical representations of what we see with our own eyes from a different perspective. In its early days, photographers didn't stop and think about how artistic a particular photo was, they just shot it as they saw it. Photography was an 'easy way' to represent emotions, feelings or even just a proof of something that had happened in that time period. They didn't need much skill to replicate what they saw in instances like painting or drawing where physical work and skills were needed to do so.

Szarkowski also mentions the way that photographer's learned how to do what they did: an understanding of the machinery (the camera, the tools, the film involved), and the other way they learned was from each other, in other photographer's work.

Theres a list of learning tips that are in the article:
- The Thing Itself - this refers to the subject and /or the object that is being photographed. The photographer needs to position it so it is central, or somewhat in focus so that the audience can see what is trying to be conveyed to them.

- The Detail - What is the photograph focusing on? The detail tell the specifics of the photo.
- The Frame - Framing the photo: "Choosing and eliminating" so this is where the photographer chose what was included in the photograph and what was left out, this is the way that the photograph sort of told the story of what was happening in the photo.

- Time - The photographer was able to tell more about what was being photographed with time. So this could mean the time of the day or it could even mean the shot type that was used. A slower shot gave them the ability to morph the image  (creating artistic style and value), and also it could give special effects.

- Vantage Point - This was where the photographer had to be most creative in my own opinion. The shot that was taken from their point of view, or the point of view that they chose to shoot from. It gives the whole photo its entire element. Whether the photographer wanted to make the subject look larger than life or smaller than life, from which angle, from which side, it was all up to the photographer and the importance of it was crucial in portraying what the photographer wanted his/her audience to see.


Response:
I thought this article was extremely interesting and so relevant to photography today. Even though it was written about photography when it was first starting and developing, it still has relevance to photography today. I thought that the list of things that was mentioned was so interesting. Especially vantage point and the thing itself. For example in photography today, where it can be purely social... people posting things on social media and things like Facebook and Instagram. Its about the time and place, people are posting to be seen and to be "placed" at a scene. Its photographic evidence of some place or event or time that an individual was at and now they have proof with a photograph (no matter the quality).
Vantage point was a real great read for me because I love trying new things with photography and I feel that every photographer has their own 'niche' or style when it comes to photography and vantage point. Whether you as a photographer wants to show the scene from their point of view or to make things look smaller or bigger. Its so important and artistically crucial for the photographer to place things in the right places so it matches their aesthetic or style. I feel like in this day and age there are more photos being produced than ever before, with the invention of cameras in the smart phones, photos are captured and processed almost instantaneously and able to be shared with the world with the click of a button.

All in all I thought it was a fantastic read, really something to think about when going out and taking photographs, interesting to learn about how cameras came about and who made them, how they were used in the past and how they're gonna be used in the future. Its amazing to know that photography is able to capture life's moments in a click of a button and is able to be kept for memories and to be used artistically too. It really makes me reflect on the way I think about capturing photos and framing, timing and vantage points of everything.