Photography theory

stephen.w said:
Not intended as a riposte. This started out as a thread to help someone with a few reading choices. I took issue with what seemed like browbeating by some here. I didn't set out to have an argument with men with multiple-thousand internet forum posts. I will leave you to it.
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... I see myself as old actually, but anyway, perhaps you could assist my post ladened brain with a précis of On Photography as even having gone to the trouble of reading my, sadly now well thumbed copy again I am still at a loss as to her conclusions (other than the bit about the Yashica GX being a ray-gun and simultaneously a penis [although not sure if thats Freudian or Quantum theory actually]) and tellingly there are few explanations on the interweb so I expect I'm not on my own.

Oh, and actually it did come across as a riposte ... and resorting to original purpose of a debate is the "last refuge of a scoundrel" as somebody once said :)
 
My advice read and learn as much as you can. Dismiss what you think is not valid after you read it. I just can't get my head around arguments for remaining ignorant. Just because A found something worthless doesn't man that B might find it to be the most valuable thing they have read.

I say study the history and the two books I mentioned are great starts. Read what the photographers had to say about the medium and their work. Read what others had to say about the work. Look at the work and the best place is to view actual prints in galleries. Then decide for yourself. You will be MUCH better for the journey.
 
So, read it and decide for yourself. Don't let others decide what you should read or not read and whose words are valid and whose aren't. Read and learn so you can think for yourself.
 
airfrogusmc said:
So, read it and decide for yourself. Don't let others decide what you should read or not read and whose words are valid and whose aren't. Read and learn so you can think for yourself.
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Very well said. As much as I believe that Sontag's book was a waste of time for me, I read it so that I could make that decision for myself. What I will say, it may not be the best move to pick a book like this one for your introduction to the topic.
 
Some of what she said in the 1970s actually came true, most didn't and I disagreed with much of what she wrote, still do but one thing she did bring up is, there was and still is a lack of real conversations about content in photographs and those conversation take place consistently in all other art forms. But the OP should still read it and decide what is valid and what isn't for him/herself.
 
airfrogusmc said:
Some of what she said in the 1970s actually came true, most didn't and I disagreed with much of what she wrote, still do but one thing she did bring up is, there was and still is a lack of real conversations about content in photographs and those conversation take place consistently in all other art forms. But the OP should still read it and decide what is valid and what isn't for him/herself.
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... yes but she was claiming that photography disproved Plato's assertion on reality ... it was about philosophy not photography ... or the author perhaps :)
 
So because you don't agree the op shouldn't find out for his/herself? She also talked about Plato's Cave. You'll never know what is out there until you see the world for yourself. Or you'll never know what an apple tastes like until you taste it yourself. So he shouldn't ready something because you don't agree? Again to the OP read and learn as much as you can and your mind and time will allow. It's a big world put there and you never know what might spark something great within yourself. Even On Photography might. You just don't know until you try. You might love or hate the apple but ya gotta taste it to know for sure.
 
Yep, it's the cave thing she claims photography negates ... and to be fair I did offer Kenneth Clark first ... he did ask for advice and I offered Clark over Sontag, I'm happy with that advice :)
 
Sparrow said:
... yes but she was claiming that photography disproved Plato's assertion on reality ... it was about philosophy not photography ... or the author perhaps :)
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HI,

But if you knock out Plato then everything that follows has very shaky foundations. Would a true philosopher knock out everything that has gone before or build on it with minor corrections? Is there such a thing as a true philosopher for that matter?

I can't see that there can be a philosophy of photography since it's merely a means to an end, like a pencil and paper, or chalk and so on and so forth. You might as well suggest a philosophy of knives and forks...

Just my 2d worth, discuss.

Regards, David
________________________
I snap, therefore I exist...
 
Well her theory about the shock factor and it's impact on all media have in some ways come true. But that still doesn't change the fact someone shouldn't decide what the OP should or shouldn't read based on his/her personal bias. THe OP should decide for his/herself. I say read it.

To the OP look and read everything you can. Just not things that the majority agree with or things that you agree with going in. I have learned as much from things I didn't agree with as I did about things I did. Maybe more and I might have learned a few things about myself and my work as the journey has progressed. Philosophy in photography was not not waist of time for me. I like the fact I know exactly why I shoot the way I do and why I decide what part of the world to turn the lens towards. So let the journey find you with an open mind. You have the rest of you life to become more narrow minded and resistant to knowledge. Because you can learn a lot from things that you even disagree with. You read and then decide for yourself what is or isn't relevant to you. What A might think is absolute crap might be the very thing that sparks your next big project.
 
airfrogusmc said:
So because you don't agree the op shouldn't find out for his/herself? She also talked about Plato's Cave. You'll never know what is out there until you see the world for yourself. Or you'll never know what an apple tastes like until you taste it yourself. So he shouldn't ready something because you don't agree? Again to the OP read and learn as much as you can and your mind and time will allow. It's a big world put there and you never know what might spark something great within yourself. Even On Photography might. You just don't know until you try. You might love or hate the apple but ya gotta taste it to know for sure.
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Entirely fair. I'd have done far better to suggest, in my first post in this thread, "Do not be intimidated by the pseudo-philosophers. Give them a try. Do not persist in reading them, though, if they strike you as uncongenial or hopelessly unrealistic."

I am unduly influenced by the rubric to this part of the forum, because it reads, 'One of the best authors on the subject is Susan Sontag in her book "On Photography."' For "best" I'd substitute "worst".

Cheers,

R.
 
I would say she has written essays in the 1970s on the subject that she combined into a book that some things that she talked inspire debate (as seen in this thread) still to this day which I'm sure was the intent and the fact real conversations about photography as an art form and content of images is rare even today. You can hate it, love it but it will make you think. And one should for their own opinion. And for that reason i would recommend it and its only 200 pgs long.
 
airfrogusmc said:
I would say she has written essays in the 1970s on the subject that she combined into a book that some things that she talked inspire debate (as seen in this thread) still to this day which I'm sure was the intent and the fact real conversations about photography as an art form and content of images is rare even today. You can hate it, love it but it will make you think. And one should for their own opinion. And for that reason i would recommend it and its only 200 pgs long.
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... have you read it? including all those interminable quotations at the end
 
Still doesn't change the fact that the OP should decide for himself and will be better for reading it. There is no substitution for real knowledge and the ability to decide for ones self.
 
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