“Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created. It is a major force in explaining man to man.” ~Edward Steichen
Steichen is stating that photography reveals the truth that is happening in the world. It records the beauty, such as relationships, love, and nature, as well as the ugly. Steichen believes man has created a mess of the world with the technology and greediness . He thinks the wealth and confusion mask the beauty of the world. By stating this last, he gives me that impression. There is truth to "the wealth and confusion man has created." But it is important to also make documentation of the wonderful progress humans have made and the good created and shared.
#6 In your opinion, when is it beneficial, ethical, or appropriate to digitally alter photographic portraits? When do you think it is inappropriate or ethically wrong?
When the work is for the photographer's personal and will not effect anyone's story or character in a harmful or false way, it is ok then to digitally alter photographs. It can be beneficial to enhance the story being told or make a point more clear.
It is inappropriate for the photographer to alter a photograph when he or she is trying to make a statement based on something false. It is also wrong if he or she is misrepresenting a culture, event, or person. Especially if they do not have the person's consent.
#7 Pay close attention to the types and number of photographic portraits you see in one day. Where did you see them? How do you think that the content of the portrait changes based on the context in which you see the image (news, facebook, magazine, advertisement, television, youtube, etc)? In other words, what is the difference between the portraits you see on facebook vs. those on the news? What is the difference between the “viewpoint” of the photographer in each situation? What is the difference between their “intents”?
I see most portraits through advertisement and magazines. There are a lot of portraits on the internet that I don’t pay attention to, and of course when I get on facebook, I see an overwhelming amount. Most that I see are not candid, they are posed to represent something. I suppose you never know for sure the authenticity of any of it. On the news, you assume there is validity in the events that are captured through photography. You cannot trust that what you see on facebook is the truth. The biggest difference is trusting that you are seeing what is real. But both alter what they choose to show to better their story, or in facebook’s case, how much fun the person’s life looks virtually.
#8 “My portraits are more about me than they are about the people I photograph.” ~Richard Avedon.
This man has a style, or way of taking photographs that is more important in his work than the subject itself. The portraits he takes must be influenced by his personal taste and rendering. It would be interesting to give ten photographers the same camera, subject, and room, and see how their photos differ and how they represent the subject differently.
#9 “You don't take a photograph, you make it.” ~Ansel Adams
The photographer is in control of what is being portrayed. He or she can alter the framing, the lighting, the subject, to enhance the direction he or she wants the photograph to take.
#10 “All photographs are there to remind us of what we forget. In this - as in other ways - they are the opposite of paintings. Paintings record what the painter remembers. Because each one of us forgets different things, a photo more than a painting may change its meaning according to who is looking at it.” ~John Berger
#10 “All photographs are there to remind us of what we forget. In this - as in other ways - they are the opposite of paintings. Paintings record what the painter remembers. Because each one of us forgets different things, a photo more than a painting may change its meaning according to who is looking at it.” ~John Berger
Ahh this confuses me a bit. There is validity in this for some people. I don’t think I have enough experience in either field to take a position. The process in creating both is completely different. I guess I see that Berger is saying you can leave a lot of information out in a painting that cannot as easily be deleted in a photo. But both can greatly alter reality. I have started to believe that it is rare that a photograph captures reality. Especially when it comes to portraits because who knows what is real in reality. People are so complex; it is bold to say you’ve captured who a person is within one photograph. But if it does happen, how do you know when it is real? It has become a guessing game for me and I have altered the focus of my thoughts when viewing photographs.
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