Course Description: In this course, students will examine contemporary philosophical, historical, aesthetic and epistemological topics by addressing the evolution of discourse from the Enlightenment into the 20th century. A comprehensive selection of theorists and critics who address visual semiotics and the taxonomy of imagery and ideas will be introduced. Active discussion and participation will be a core requirement.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
READINGS!
Access and Consent in Public Photography by Lisa Henderson
Photographs of Agony by John Berger
Photojournalism and the Tabloid Press by Karin E. Becker
Photographs of Agony by John Berger Shocking photographs are no longer shocking and do not have the effect it used too. Photographers like mccullin “serves as an eye we can not shut”. Bring us sudden moment of agony and terror. The “other” is suffering. What does he mean by its discontinues in time? And feelings inadequate and feeling responsible as we dissolve back into our normal lives. ? Trigger applied both to the rifle and the camera. Both are violent in a war setting. Moments of agony to maximize concern. This moment exist by themselves. But once you mix it with morals the discontinued disappears and so does the shock because the shock is now moral inadequacy. ¬¬¬
Lis Henderson Consent. 1. Photographer and subject Taking photos of people they do not know – the strategy in which you get these photos. Preparation, meditation ultimately consents. Consent is not always clear? The photographer’s usage of the photo may not be clear. Sitter is simply agreeing to have his/her photo taken. Just enough information is given to grant access (get you through the door), and then later comes the issue of consent to use. To gain access “normal appearance” – present but of no concern Territories to self 1 personal space 2 stalls 3 fixed and potable 4 use space 5 sheaths of skin and clothes 6 processional territories 7-information reserve 8 conversations reserve all: invasion of privacy is a violation of these. The camera is the source of suspicion, weather good or bad. Setting – familiarity, how well the photographer knows this setting? Front and back regions, theater term, relation to the stage. A scolding is tolerable, being shot at is not – decide if the photo is worth it. No subject is off limits. ¬¬
¬¬¬Photojournalism and the Tabloid Press by Karin E. Becker Popular press vs. serious press
Henderson - It was interesting to me how she described photographers going to all these crazy places, yet still feeling like they need to hide behind the camera "in some cases a camera may reduce the threat of the stare by identifying it's proprietor as a photographer with a mission to look and a right to be there in the first place." I do think that all of the photographers that I know are great around other photographers, but always have this awkward, unsure of how to act behavior when it comes to be around 'outsiders,' just a perspective of the people I know at school. I don't think however, that a photograph can record someone's behavior, not in one still frame, and this also brings up a point I was thinking about in the Becker reading, don't people always pose in front of the camera if they know it's there. Aren't people always posing in public? I know I do, even if they are minor things like standing up straight. How can anyone claim they got a 'candid' photograph if the subjects knew they were being photographed?
Berger - My favorite quote from this reading, "The picture becomes evidence of the general human condition. It accuses nobody and everybody." To me that just sums up my view of photography but in a much prettier way of saying it. The photo is evidence of whatever it's subject matter is, and the subject matter is in turn brought to the light and forces everybody who looks at it, or nobody at all, to confront the photograph.
Becker - I had a hard time understanding what she meant by tabloid? When I think of tabloid, I think of National Enquirer, or those trashy magazines at the grocery store. When I looked up the definition, it just said a tabloid newspaper. Illustrations in magazines had broder content, but photography in the tabloid sold so much more because people want to see images, they want to see real life. We are nosy creatures by nature, and if there is something that we can see that makes everything more real, then of course that is going to sell. The example I'm referencing, is the Daily News VS Graphic, on the execution of Ruth Synder. This just proves that a picture can be awful, and the article can be beautifully written and eloquent, but people would still rather look at the picture to sum up the whole day.
Photographs of Agony by John Berger
ReplyDeleteShocking photographs are no longer shocking and do not have the effect it used too. Photographers like mccullin “serves as an eye we can not shut”. Bring us sudden moment of agony and terror. The “other” is suffering.
What does he mean by its discontinues in time? And feelings inadequate and feeling responsible as we dissolve back into our normal lives. ?
Trigger applied both to the rifle and the camera. Both are violent in a war setting.
Moments of agony to maximize concern. This moment exist by themselves. But once you mix it with morals the discontinued disappears and so does the shock because the shock is now moral inadequacy. ¬¬¬
Lis Henderson
Consent.
1. Photographer and subject
Taking photos of people they do not know – the strategy in which you get these photos. Preparation, meditation ultimately consents. Consent is not always clear? The photographer’s usage of the photo may not be clear. Sitter is simply agreeing to have his/her photo taken. Just enough information is given to grant access (get you through the door), and then later comes the issue of consent to use.
To gain access “normal appearance” – present but of no concern
Territories to self
1 personal space
2 stalls
3 fixed and potable
4 use space
5 sheaths of skin and clothes
6 processional territories
7-information reserve
8 conversations reserve all: invasion of privacy is a violation of these.
The camera is the source of suspicion, weather good or bad.
Setting – familiarity, how well the photographer knows this setting? Front and back regions, theater term, relation to the stage.
A scolding is tolerable, being shot at is not – decide if the photo is worth it.
No subject is off limits.
¬¬
¬¬¬Photojournalism and the Tabloid Press by Karin E. Becker
Popular press vs. serious press
Helene ^
ReplyDeleteHenderson - It was interesting to me how she described photographers going to all these crazy places, yet still feeling like they need to hide behind the camera "in some cases a camera may reduce the threat of the stare by identifying it's proprietor as a photographer with a mission to look and a right to be there in the first place." I do think that all of the photographers that I know are great around other photographers, but always have this awkward, unsure of how to act behavior when it comes to be around 'outsiders,' just a perspective of the people I know at school. I don't think however, that a photograph can record someone's behavior, not in one still frame, and this also brings up a point I was thinking about in the Becker reading, don't people always pose in front of the camera if they know it's there. Aren't people always posing in public? I know I do, even if they are minor things like standing up straight. How can anyone claim they got a 'candid' photograph if the subjects knew they were being photographed?
ReplyDeleteBerger - My favorite quote from this reading, "The picture becomes evidence of the general human condition. It accuses nobody and everybody." To me that just sums up my view of photography but in a much prettier way of saying it. The photo is evidence of whatever it's subject matter is, and the subject matter is in turn brought to the light and forces everybody who looks at it, or nobody at all, to confront the photograph.
Becker - I had a hard time understanding what she meant by tabloid? When I think of tabloid, I think of National Enquirer, or those trashy magazines at the grocery store. When I looked up the definition, it just said a tabloid newspaper.
Illustrations in magazines had broder content, but photography in the tabloid sold so much more because people want to see images, they want to see real life. We are nosy creatures by nature, and if there is something that we can see that makes everything more real, then of course that is going to sell. The example I'm referencing, is the Daily News VS Graphic, on the execution of Ruth Synder. This just proves that a picture can be awful, and the article can be beautifully written and eloquent, but people would still rather look at the picture to sum up the whole day.