Sources Summary (3)

McCallum, Ellen L. "Toward a Photography of Love: The Tain of the Photograph in Anne Carson's Autobiography of Red." Project Muse- Postmodern Culture. Project Muse, May 2007. Web. 25 Feb. 2011. Print. <http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/postmodern_culture/summary/v017/17.3mccallum.html>.

I found this to be an interesting and a “new understand” source because of the idea brought up within it about the “end” of a photograph, and the factors of that moment taken in time. The factor that is brought up appealing this idea is that: “might photography’s end be a proliferation rather than a singular event” (McCallum). This means to me that a photograph forms new perceptions “outside the box/picture” after it has already been captured.

            Sontag, Susan. Susan Sontag On Photography. New York City: Picador: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1977. 3-24. Print.

I’m using this source of Susan’s in my paper because I believe it brings up very valuable points of cultural moral aspects that reflect the social impact of photography as a whole outstanding view. In her essay, “The Plato’s Cave” she explains the theory behind the actual drawing of the cave itself and the cognitive relationships in it; I feel as thought I can relate to this with my own ideas that I have gained in acknowledge through my participation in class. I will explain the issues that I find mind boggling with a sense of personal interventions in my life.

            Szarkowski, John. William Eggleston's Guide. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2007. 5-14. Print.

Szarkowski essay was another reliable source I felt I could use to connect my thoughts and ideas to. By using his quotes though out my essay, I will identify and make creditable account to my “unique” and “new understanding” of ideas- based off social and cultural impacts that are established through out the society and alike.

Susan Sontags Plato Caves Picture

This photo shows an eye pressed against the inside of a camera lens.  The "eye" of a film, in this case photography relates us to the segregation of life's conductivity. This relates back to what Susan Sontag's essay was capturing because of the sense that "we" individually are help back from life's tangible interactions.

Thesis Statement: Susan Sontag- Social/Cultural & Artistic Theroy of Photograpghy

Susan Sontags defines the meaning of photography in her book multiple ways. To her, its a whole another way of living. Susan captures more than just the intellectual part of photography as a historic piece but also an element of society. She see's the meaning to take a photograph and identify its social impact on itself, its the power to caught a moment that is personally appealing, something that is striking as unique. Susan talks about tourism and how its been such a thriving social event, that no one would think of leaving their camera behind. Why? She calls it, "memento mori", a way that photographing pulls one in to participate with another person's (or things) morality, meaning a way to physically and emotionally capture a moment. Photographers allow themselves to understand what is is like to freeze frame a moment in time and forever hold on to that feeling that was framed, catching the sentimental properties of that photo and display its every detail from an artistic point of view.

Thesis Statements

1. Throughout history the role of art in photography has been proven to capture more than just a visual image of a place, time, moment or even feeling. Its been framed by photographers that believe photography can be an art form all by its self. With the help of lighting, camera angels and other fundamental elements that go alone within a photo, the message that falls into it develops a story of its own. The truth comes out in a way only the photographer themselves understand, and its up to the observer to translate the meaning behind it. We all have our own ways of reading the truth and that's what makes it so impacting to discover. Like reading a book, getting caught up in the story of why such a piece was created helps to broaden the outlook of a certain feeling or idea, allowing the mind to expand on a whole new content of imagination. 
2.  As we take steps into the photography world we discover more and more messages that are brought to our attention. Our society is reflected in the photos purposely taken by photographers, because unlike them, we do not pay attention and document the little things that are apart of our bigger world. For example, kids playing on the street with trash cans and pieces of wood with nails sticking out of them would be a brief indication of the societies poverty. A picture of a couple together with the sunlight shining behind them can translate into multiple sentimental thoughts and pre-notions of the two individuals, however it's how they socially take a role, are the couple happy? Are they impacted by something else to be positioned they way they are to each other, and so on. What we don't see from our day to day lives can be reflected in photographs highlighting key images of reality in our culture, and allowing us to see and feel outside the box of visual understandings.
3. Susan Sontags defines the meaning of photography in her book multiple ways. To her, its a whole another way of living. Susan captures more than just the intellectual part of photography as a historic piece but also an element of society. She see's the meaning to take a photograph and identify its social impact on itself, its the power to caught a moment that is personally appealing, something that is striking as unique. Susan talks about tourism and how its been such a thriving social event, that no one would think of leaving their camera behind. Why? She calls it, "memento mori", a way that photographing pulls one in to participate with another person's (or things) morality, meaning a way to physically and emotionally capture a moment. Photographers allow themselves to understand what is is like to freeze frame a moment in time and forever hold on to that feeling that was framed, catching the sentimental properties of that photo and display its every detail from an artistic point of view.

Photo essay

Researching Photographers

Robert Adams, May 8th, 1937

Orange, New Jersey

Attended University of Colorado - transferred- University of Redlands in California

Photographed Western landscapes of North America

Human influence, neutrality, neutral position

For 5 years (1974) experimented. Photographed at night  for opposite of high altitude daylight

"element of risk"

In Robert Adams pictures I find a connection amongst all of them in a focused reality that freeze frames the image to observe the life happening at the specific time. What i found interesting was his experiment that he started taking photos in colorist tones then went off taking photos only at night to catch natures nocturnal lifestyle and to show us the side of patterns and colors that create whole different feelings of darkness.

 "Venetian Canal" 1894

 

"Winter- Fifth Avenue" 1893

"The Terminal"  1893

Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1890)

Hoboken, New Jersey

Charlie Institute (Private School in New York)

Wrote regularity for the The American Amateur Photographer magazine 

Joint exhibition of the Boston Camera Club, Photographic Society of Philadelphia and the Society of Amateur Photographers of New York

Two of his best known images, "Winter, Fifth Avenue" and "The Terminal".

In Aldfred Stieglitz photographs I feel a reality in witch conveys his use of the serpia color element. At one  time it can sofen an event or structure, a calm canal in a city, or while in others captures the cold and brittle feel of the snowy blizzard.

 

Helen Levitt 

(August 31, 1913 – March 29, 2009)

Brooklyn

Dropped out of High School, taught herself Photography

American photographer, 70 years

"Street photography" New York City 

..."the most celebrated and least known photographer of her time."

Children street culture: Chalk drawings

Still photography

The feelings I get from Helen Levitt photographs is the unlimited reality of city life and all the aspects that make it so impacting to us as civilians. In a few photo's I posted the color stands out stating that physical exsitance of the objects and their connection to what is actually happening in the picture. The pattern I see most after observing Levitts photos is the repetitive image day to day encounters.

Major, the pitbull/boxer mix

I chose this picture of my friends dog, Major, because its a simple yet descriptive image that captures a meaningful memory where I've once spent a lot of my time. The simplicity of the close up shot has a person to focus on that one object, to directly think about what the dogs reaction is and the relationship between the dog to the photographer. When it comes to identify the photograph there is really more behind its direct figure than what is said, just how William Eggleston's samples in his own series of photographs in his book.