Week 5 // Photography
The focus of week 5 is upon photography and all of the aspects in which influence our insight and usage of this media. The main reading, ‘Camera Lucida’ written by Roland Barthes , provides an opinionated insight to some of the views and interests of photography. Within the first page, Barthes specifically explains how he is intrigued by the cultural side of photography, specifically his “‘ontological’ desire: I wanted to learn at all costs what Photography was ‘in itself,’ by what essential feature it was to be distinguished from the community of images.” (Barthes) . Continuing his research on this aspect of photography, he found himself being unsatisfied by the books on photography in which he was reading. This was due to that fact that most photography based books focus on areas such as historical, sociological and technical practices, not exploring anything passed the referent (the photograph). All of these aspects are important to understanding photography, however none of them explore Barthes idea of the emotions and experiences behind the image.
In regards to his research of this cultural and emotional world of photographs, Barthes developed three practices in which the photo is an object of. The first practice is, the operator. The operator is the photographer, the one taking the image. The second practice is the the spectator, these are the people who look at the taken photo, this can be in many mediums whether in a magazine a photo album or just the photo on its own. The final practice is the target or the Spectrum which is the person or subject being photographed. These categories are still valid within todays modern world of photography, however some one could be classified as being all three practices. The example of the selfie reiterates this idea as some one takes their own photo, being the operator , is in the photo , being the spectrum and also being the spectator as they look at their own photo. This modern day example displays how Barthes research of the cultural aspects of photography have led to a development in the way we think and pursue our photographs today.
In regards to his research of this cultural and emotional world of photographs, Barthes developed three practices in which the photo is an object of. The first practice is, the operator. The operator is the photographer, the one taking the image. The second practice is the the spectator, these are the people who look at the taken photo, this can be in many mediums whether in a magazine a photo album or just the photo on its own. The final practice is the target or the Spectrum which is the person or subject being photographed. These categories are still valid within todays modern world of photography, however some one could be classified as being all three practices. The example of the selfie reiterates this idea as some one takes their own photo, being the operator , is in the photo , being the spectrum and also being the spectator as they look at their own photo. This modern day example displays how Barthes research of the cultural aspects of photography have led to a development in the way we think and pursue our photographs today.
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