Photography art theory essay

(i): Photography Photography is the method or action of creating still pictures by recording light frequencies on a sensitive medium, such as a photographic film, or an electronic sensor. These Light frequencies are reflected or emitted from objects and activate a sensitive chemical or electronic sensor during a timed exposure, usually through a device known as a camera that also stores the resulting information chemically or electronically. This product of human creativity was created by many scientists and enthusiast who wanted to learn more about this strange technique of capturing light. The aesthetics of photography continue to be discussed regularly, especially in artistic circles. While photography has been in the art world since the early 20th century, many artists still argue that photography is the mechanical reproduction of an image, a place, a thing, its exact reproduction. In my opinion and in the context of the knowledge I have gained from my program of studies, it is impossible to produce an image that is definitive or perfect. (ii): Perfect Even if one contends that the camera does not lie, the image that is produced nonetheless does not correspond to reality, because of the decisions made by the photographer.

The camera itself is able to reproduce nature or the scene in front of it and In most cases it will even be able to reproduce the light that is on the subject and on its surroundings. However an image also has framing, which will always be decided by the photographer. Framing is the “ four views” of the object, front, back and the two sides and the shutter time-lapse. The photographer can decide whether to make the image capture rays of light for a second, 250th of second, 3, 000th of second or even several minutes. These two separate framings give the image a reality of it’s own, which does not correspond to the reality that we see. How can seven minute correspond to the real world in photograph, or 3, 000 of a second? Our eyes cannot even register 250th of a second.

Does this break from reality, make photography art? (iii): Time-lapse Hanes describes that art is a game of appreciation. The aim of the game of art is the game of make-believe that you must appreciate and discover. He describes time lapse in the make-believe world as part of the game that you play. Like a game of soccer that has no past, just present. In a photograph, the image has no past just present; even if the image is seven seconds long it is still one image or one game of appreciation. He also describes that the game of appreciation has boundaries like a garden or a canvas.

Like a painting of a garden a photograph has it’s boundaries in it’s world of make-believe. (iv): What makes it art Photography has so many uses in today’s society, uses that surpass art. Theses uses are sometimes mixed within art and are criticized for not being art. If you could look at three photographs of a face and determine which is an identification photo, a photo of an artist or a photograph for advertisement, how would you decided which is not art or which is art? For the photograph to be considered as art it must hold the esthetic qualities to begin the game of appreciation. (v): Painting with Light A writer has a pencil and paper to express himself.

A painter uses brushes with paint on a canvas. Could we consider that a photographer uses the camera and the film in the same context? (vi) Imitation