Thesis

Photography has become a massive art form and done much for the industry, but without effects, in its most basic form it is simply evidence or a reminder of what has occurred.

Assignment #4

“The equivalent of its temporal photography would be a giant film depicting the temporally interconnected events from every vantage point.” – Kracauer p425

            It may have taken four pages of reading but I finally understood a concept that Kracauer was conveying.  The historicists believe that an event cannot be truly depicted unless EVERY aspect is presented.  I like the example he gives in relation to film that the equivalent would be film with different points of view of the same event.  It reminded me of the movie Vantage Point in which a bombing was replayed over and over from different characters’ points of view.  The movie was fairly annoying to see some the same parts but it was an interesting effect that I had not witnessed.

“A portrait painter who submitted entirely to “natural necessity” would at best create photographs.  During a  particular  period,  which began  with  the  Renaissance  and  may now  be approaching its  end,  the ‘artwork’ is  indeed  faithful  to  nature  whose specificity reveals  itself more  and  more  during this period.  But by penetrating this nature the artwork orients itself toward ‘higher purposes.’” – Kracauer p427

            I understand the point that Kracauer is making, that to paint something that duplicates the actual object is not too different than a photograph.  But I do not agree that it is any less artful.  Sure, it may take less of an artistic mind to create such an image but they are both still art.  I guess to summarize my feeling about this excerpt is that they are separate but equal forms of art; neither has a “higher purpose.”      

The newest purchase for my truck to make it G.O.O.D. ready- 5 1/2 gal. jerry can

Assignment #3

“What is the signifying structure of ‘illustration’?  Does the image duplicate certain of the informations given in the text by a phenomenon of redundancy or does the text add a fresh information to the image?” – Barthes p273

I have never really given thought to this question asked by Barthes.  What came first the chicken or the egg?  I’ve always thought the illustration added to what the author has written, but it seems that we place a very large emphasis on images that we might depend on them to substitute our imagination.  Obviously, I’m on the fence with this question.  What do you think?

“the operation of the drawing (the coding) immediately necessitates a certain division between the significant and the insignificant:  the drawing does not reproduce everything (often it reproduces very little), without its ceasing, however, to be a strong message; whereas the photograph, although it can choose its subject, its point of view and its angle, cannot intervene within the object (except by trick effects). In other words, the denotation of the drawing is less pure than that of the photograph, for there is no drawing without style. – Barthes p 277

            This reminds me of a comment I posted on someone’s first blog assignment.  It brings up a thought that I have had before about photography being an art.  I feel that painting, drawing, sketching, etc. a scene or an object to be more of an art than just photographing it.  That is not to say I don’t appreciate photographs of pretty scenery, because I do and I will often purchase them in forms of postcards.  I just believe that the time, effort, and talent that it takes to create such a picture is more valuable than a photograph.

 A little off season adjustment that had to be made... I wasn't very happy at first, but I'm still excited to watch football in the fall

Assignment #2

“Having a photograph of Shakespeare would be likehaving a nail from the True Cross.” – Sontag p154

            Sontagfeels very strongly that people hold photographs to be very important.  It is true that society places a high valueon pictures, as she later explains; we won’t even throw away pictures out of asort of superstitious belief.  I foundthis quote interesting as a Christian/ not a huge Shakespeare fan.  Personally I believe that one of three nailsthat held the Messiah to the cross where he died for our sins holds more significancethan a 16^th century playwright. I know Sontag wrote this sentence to get a rise and make the readerthink… it worked.

“photography implies instant access to the real. Butthe results of this practice of instant access are another way of creatingdistance.” – Sontag p164

            When  I first began reading the essay I doubtedthat it would have  much relevance as itwas written in 1973, but I find this excerpt to be directly applicable to ourcyber-society.  We have access to so muchinformation, including photographs, via the internet.  It seems that this easy way to “experience”things has become preferred to actually going outside.  It is sad that people prefer watching,viewing, or reading about something than actually going out and doing it.

Max- so excited for the hike up Mt. Pinos

Hi,

My name is Jordan Payne. English 305 is awesome!!

Jordan