I look at a photograph I took this past summer when my family was on vacation on Block Island. I remember when I took it: on a hike with my mother and aunt. I see the dusty dirt road sunken on either side- testimony to the tires that groove the path daily. I hear the crunch of the leaves and rocks underneath my sneakers, browned by collected sand and dirt. I remember looking into the distance towards the ocean and thinking to myself “Hey- that would make a good picture.” I remember that I laughed a lot because it was one of those days. Perfect weather; the kind you get maybe once a summer, if you’re lucky.
Try getting that kind of emotional response from a painting or sculpture- I think not.
Photography is an art unlike any other. It goes
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His name is Alphonse Arsenaut. He was born on PEI Canada and moved to the state of Maine with his family. His date of birth is August 1, 1912. He died Sept 20, 1992. He was 80 years old when he died and a year later I was watching the 50 anniversary of D-day. My father talked about all the time, at times I would even dare another story. He never said anything about the real horror of it all. A year before he died he gave me his infantry book and made arrows of himself in the book. On the show that I watched I thought, "Wouldn't it be a miracle if I saw him?" At this point, I still mourned him so much I had a hard time talking about him without crying. All of a sudden the picture came up… my heart was beating out of my chest. I knew it was he. (Viger, 1) Suzanne Arsenaut is the daughter of Joseph Arsenaut, the infantryman featured in Robert Capa’s “D-Day, Omaha Beach”. Capa took the photograph as he was swimming ashore with the first assault wave of infantrymen on June 6, 1944 in Normandy, France. He was armed that day with two Contax 50 millimeter cameras and a few rolls of spare film. In total, he took one hundred and eight photographs that day, but only eleven survived. “D-Day, Omaha Beach” became Capa’s defining shot and the embodiment of the war when Life magazine ran it as their cover in April of 1944 (Wikipedia …show more content…
If someone today took a photo of a young boy flying a kite on a beach with two odd men nearby, there would be a social uproar. In the days when “Stinson Beach Boy” was taken, there would have been social approval. There was more innocence in society in the days before technology, when a child’s kite was the most technological form of entertainment. Now, children lose their innocence when they play graphic video games with killing and destruction. They are simulating today what Alphonse Arsenault lived during World War II.
By comparing these pieces of art to each other and to our current society, I achieved what Malcolm Gladwell said is seldom effectively accomplished. In his most recent book Blink he states “…most of us aren’t very objective about ourselves.” (38). He feels that members of our society are unable to consider themselves objectively. By taking a closer look at the artwork and using it to connect our present to our past, I made objective observations about the state of our society. I believe that this is the most important use of photography: using it to connect and compare our past and present
...sm: in a sense, photography enlivens the dead and gives immortality. The latter is a quality which make a photograph work as a fetish, its immobility and silence its ability to preserve a past moment, are the same qualities associated with death as is rendered rather obvious through Susan Sontag “All photographs are memento mori.”
It’s his compassion for his subjects and his commitment to them that surpasses the act of making a pretty picture. Spending days with his subjects in the slums of Harlem or the hardly developed mountains of West Virginia, he immerses himself into the frequently bitter life of his next award-winning photo. Often including word for word text of testimonials recorded by junkies and destitute farmers, Richards is able to provide an unbiased portrayal. All he has done is to select and make us look at the faces of the ignored, opinions and reactions left to be made by the viewer. Have you ever been at the beach safely shielded by a dark pair of sunglasses and just watched?
I glance amusedly at the photo placed before me. The bright and smiling faces of my family stare back me, their expressions depicting complete happiness. My mind drifted back to the events of the day that the photo was taken. It was Memorial Day and so, in the spirit of tradition my large extended family had gathered at the grave of my great grandparents. The day was hot and I had begged my mother to let me join my friends at the pool. However, my mother had refused. Inconsolable, I spent most of the day moping about sulkily. The time came for a group picture and so my grandmother arranged us all just so and then turned to me saying, "You'd better smile Emma or you'll look back at this and never forgive yourself." Eager to please and knowing she would never let it go if I didn't, I plastered on a dazzling smile. One might say a picture is worth a thousand words. However, who is to say they are the accurate or right words? During the 1930s, photographers were hired by the FSA to photograph the events of the Great Depression. These photographers used their images, posed or accurate, to sway public opinion concerning the era. Their work displayed an attempt to fulfill the need to document what was taking place and the desire to influence what needed to be done.
"A photograph is not merely a substitute for a glance. It is a sharpened vision. It is the revelation of new and important facts." ("Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History."). Sid Grossman, a Photo League photographer expressed this sentiment, summarizing the role photography had on America in the 1940’s and 50’s. During this era, photojournalism climaxed, causing photographers to join the bandwagon or react against it. The question of whether photography can be art was settled a long time ago. Most major museums now have photography departments, and the photographs procure pretty hefty prices. The question of whether photojournalism or documentary photography can be art is now the question at hand. Art collectors are constantly looking to be surprised; today they are excited by images first seen in last week’s newspapers as photojournalism revels in the new status as art “du jour” or “reportage art”.
The impact of discovering something for the first time can often broaden our understanding and lead to new innovations. In Simon Nasht’s documentary; Frank Hurley: The Man Who Made History, Hurley spent most of his life trying to capture the beauty of nature as well as capture photos of war to create emotion and illustrate the hardships that was experienced in WWI and WWII. Representations of discovery can vary one’s understanding of the physical aspects encountered in the process of discovering and this has been portrayed through the montage in the early scenes of the documentary. The combination of archival footage with non-diegetic
Photography allows us to maintain memories and relish them whenever we desire. Although some advocates might argue that people are no longer enjoying experiences instead taking more pictures, in the essay, “Why We Take Pictures”, by Susan Sontag, she conflates that photography can be used as a defense against anxiety and a tool of empowerment. I agree with Sontag on the significance of photographs and how it allows us to store a part of our extended relatives so we are able to hold on the memories of family. Therefore, we must appreciate how photography allows us to manage anxiety, express feelings and remember our loved ones.
A picture is more than just a piece of time captured within a light-sensitive emulsion, it is an experience one has whose story is told through an enchanting image. I photograph the world in the ways I see it. Every curious angle, vibrant color, and abnormal subject makes me think, and want to spark someone else’s thought process. The photographs in this work were not chosen by me, but by the reactions each image received when looked at. If a photo was merely glanced at or given a casual compliment, then I didn’t feel it was strong enough a work, but if one was to stop somebody, and be studied in curiosity, or question, then the picture was right to be chosen.
There is an old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” which is very true. In the article, "Against Neutrality", by Teju Cole mainly focuses on how a photograph can change a person perspective in an entire different way. Coles states, “The camera is an instrument of transformation”. A photographer has the power to create multiple different perspectives, which can be good and bad. It depends on the person who takes the picture and with the intent of the photo. A photographer is like a writer because they want to send some time of message to their audience.
The desire to stop time and preserve the way things were are the primary reasons why the majority of photography in the late nineteenth century focused on documenting dying traditions, practices, and ways of life...
... time passes and the observer looks deeper into the piece, several feelings or emotions may arouse. Some feelings such as warmth, comfort, anger, hostility, calmness, sadness, and indifference can spring from just seeing certain colors in an image. The overall effect created by the artist could vary from person to person; however, it can be seen how a painting can psychologically affect people.
Have you ever seen a painting or picture that captivates you and directly stirs up emotion within you? More than likely, you have. Usually, viewers merely observe the picture and enjoy the way it looks and how it makes them feel. But, have you ever asked yourself, “why?” What about the picture makes it pleasing to the viewer? With each strategy the photographer uses creates their own touch and passion that floods all over the picture. The emotional connection nearly goes unnoticed for when the picture is well photographed, the viewers experience the sensation in their subconscious. This is one of the most powerful tools that a photographer holds in their hands. If one can become a master of manipulating how the photo affects its viewers, the said photographer can potentially maneuver people’s minds and thoughts with one click of a button. The time spent with my mentor has opened up the door for me to tap into that power though the use of background, focus, shutter speed, angles, and most importantly, lighting. Even with all these techniques, the person behind the camera must remember that creativity must be at the forefront of all operations. Caleno (2014), when writing about the basics of capturing a beautiful moment in a picture commented, “If we want to be creative we must drop these pre-conceptions and start looking at things from a small child’s innocence.”
Photojournalism plays a critical role in the way we capture and understand the reality of a particular moment in time. As a way of documenting history, the ability to create meaning through images contributes to a transparent media through exacting the truth of a moment. By capturing the surreal world and presenting it in a narrative that is relatable to its audience, allows the image to create a fair and accurate representation of reality.
What do you consider art? Paintings, sculptures, drawings, or maybe something else. I know, when I think of art, I think of photography. Photography Is used for business, science, manufacturing, art, recreational purposes, mass communication, and more. Photography is using light to do amazing things, and some people think of photography as a story that just needs to be told. Ansel Adams probably believed this. He said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” Photography has a long interesting history, like the fact that the word photography is made up of two greek words, photos meaning ‘light’ and graphein which is ‘to draw’ ! Photography also has some complicated techniques to get a hang of taking good photos. Have you heard of the rule of thirds? Or do you know how a camera works? Well, that will all be explained. Maybe, by the end you will take up photography too. This essay will explore the history and types of cameras and the basic rules for taking photographs.
Photography has created an outlet for the masses to story tell. It has a way of speaking without words like most art forms and is a manner of expression in itself. To eradicate photography from humans would be equivalent to taking away a limb from humankind. Our society has grown an immense amount of dependency on it. Photography has become almost a daily menial task such as brushing your teeth; where we must take pictures of the things we deem important or equally unimportant, even more so with the invention of social media outlets such as Instagram and Snapchat, where photography is the main source of communication between people who use them. Susan Sontag offers the basis of what taking pictures can undertake in both our daily lives and moments that are not part of our daily lives, such as travel. Traveling to places where one is not accustomed can flare pent up anxiety. A way to subdue that anxiety could be through taking pictures, since it’s the only factor that we have total control over in a space where we don’t have much, or, any control of our surrounding environment. On the other hand, taking photos can also be a tool of power in the same sense as it allows for it to be a defense against anxiety. With the camera in our hands, we have the power to decide who, what, where, when, and why we take a picture. This in turn also gives the person who took the picture power over those who later analyze the photos, letting them decide the meaning of the photo individually, despite the intended or true meaning.
Photography is a word derived from the Greek words “photos” meaning light and “graphein” meaning draw. The word was first used by John F.W Herschel in 1839. It is a method of recording images by the action of light, or related radiation, on a sensitive material (Bellis, N.D).