Response to "Criticizing Photography" by Terry Barrett

Response to Chapters 4 & 5

Since the very beginning photography was an art to be categorized, sometime controversially. Traditionally photography was categorized between a science and an art. In the past on the art side of the spectrum there are two main subcategories referenced the pictorialists and the purists. Pictorialist mode is one that is a fabricated image, that is staged and in many cases looks like a painting. The purist mode maybe considered straight photography, found and not fabricated, documented from real life. But to simply split photography into these two categories and leave it at that wouldn't serve to justify the complexity of photography as an art.

There are many approaches to photography to be considered; straight, formalistic, and documentary. The straight approach is one in which the camera records the exact image with rich texture and great detail. These photographs have something to interpret about man and nature. This approach never looses contact with reality. The formalistic approach organizes and isolates form for it's own sake, without the use of a camera and without concern for the photograph. The documentary approach records without intrusion of the photographer. Its goal is to inform honestly and accurately. These approaches are yet another way to further categorize photography.

There are other conceptual ways to categorize photography, like Szarkowski's process. Szarkowski embraces photography from both the science and the art perspective. In his book The Photographer's Eye, he discusses five characteristics that are exclusive to photography. First is that photography deals with the actual, second he explains that photography embodies detail and is tied to the fact of things. The third unique characteristic is the choice of frame, it is a choice and is selected not conceived. The fourth attribute that is distinctive is the timed exposures that describes a certain piece of time. And lastly, the vantage point, the ability to view the world in new ways. Szarkowski also explains his interesting continuum of mirrors and windows by which he uses to categorize photography. According to this method photographs fit into one of the two distinct groups, either mirrors or windows. Mirrors represent the more romantic tradition and expresses the view of the world as being dependent on our own personal understanding. Mirrors explain more about the artist through formal elegance and suggestions. Windows on the other hand represent the realist tradition and that the world exists independent of human attention. Through this the photographer reveals patterns and intrinsic meanings while expressing how the artist is joined to a larger intelligence- the universe. Windows explain more about the world through description and evidence of a specific time and/or place. Szarkowski dichotomy of mirrors and windows is indeed interesting and challenges the viewer to see more about the intent of the image when viewed this way.

Furthermore, there are even more possible categories to be acknowledged. The six newer categories recognized aim to help the viewer think about the photograph and interpret them. The six categories are descriptive, explanatory, interpretive, ethically evaluative, aesthetically evaluative, and theoretical. It is generally up to the viewer to figure out which category or categories the image best belongs. In most cases it is important to interpret the photograph before we categorize it, there must be a logical explanation that can be supported by fact or visual evidence as to why a photograph fits best into a certain category. It seems as though to interpret, categorize, and then reinterpret process. For once the image is categorized the viewer takes on a greater of understanding of what the photograph is about. The descriptive category is one where the photograph shows evidence of attempting to accurately record subject matter, many photographs do this, but best represented in the medical field also art that is a reproduction of other "original" art. Photographs that fit into the explanatory category represent a visual explanation of a question. These explanations are generally verifiable in scientific grounds, some, but definitely not all, press photography is an example of this. The interpretive category is also explanatory, but is not scientific. Usually is an explanation of personal and subjective interpretations, this is many times expressed through the directorial mode. This category is more like "mirrors" as it says more about the photographer. Photographs that belong in the ethically evaluative canon describe ethical judgments, these may be scientific or personal and can translate as both positive and negative. The aesthetically evaluative category makes judgmental about aesthetic issues. These are photographs considered to be worthy of aesthetic observation and contemplation. Barrett explains it as "beautiful things photographed in beautiful ways". This type of photography is generally the most recognized, it is trite and portray images in ways that most people have seen before. The most common is photography still life, nudes, and landscapes. Theoretical photographs are photographs about photography. Making comments on art and art making, the politics of art and the modes of representation. This category is art about art.

In most cases the viewer must have a certain amount of prior knowledge about the photograph before they can properly categorize it. They may need to know who made it, when, where, and for what purpose. It is important to know the context of the image to properly interpret it. Contextual information can be broken down into three categories, internal, original, and external. The internal context refers to what is descriptively evident within the photographs, this includes subject matter, form, and medium. The original context is the knowledge of what was psychologically present to the photographer at the time the exposure was made. This context considers the photographer and the social times as well as the intent. This is a context that is also based on the past. This would include knowledge of other work by the photographer, as well as social, art and individual photographer's history. The external context is based on the how the photograph is presented or found. The meaning of the photograph is highly dependent on the means in which it is presented. interpreting a photograph is a matter of building a reasonable understanding based on demonstrative evidence.