Final Selects

Book Theme Idea

For my book's theme, I would like to showcase photos taken with a prism that create a trippy or psychedelic effect. Throughout this course, we as photographers are taught to exploit the properties of light while taking our photos. We are also taught the way in which light reflects onto the glass elements in our cameras and translated onto the digital sensor to create these images. By using this tool, I can manipulate the way light is reflected in my shot to create very interesting effects. I have explored images with this prism such as portraits, nature scenes and use of colored lights that I will use in my book. I will also include images with broken up perspectives that I really enjoyed taking throughout this course.

Barrett Reading Response 2

Mackenzie Gibson 

Barrett Reading Response 2 

1. 1. In Barrett’s thesis, he argues that all photographs require interpretation to be fully understood and respected. He also suggests that as a culture, we are more influenced to interpret paintings or poems instead of photographs. Even simple or all nature photographs demand to be interpreted maybe even more so than abstract and bizarre photographs.  
   
   

2. 2. Barrett uses the example of Joel-Peter Witkin’s photographs. These photos are bizarre and interesting with themes of death and mystery. Barrett claims that because these photos aren’t normal to common experiences, they attract a lot of interpretive questions. He also battles the claim that photos of a natural scene don’t turn any heads because they are familiar to us. Because of people’s cultures and background, these are sometimes themes that can pop into an average everyday-scene photo and therefor deserve interpretation.  
   
   

3. 3. Barrett defines interpretation as a matter of understanding the meaning of photographs. To interpret is to take the described aspects of a photo and bring meaning to them.  
   
   

4. 4. According to Barrett, interpretation is important in criticism of photographs because as a critic, when you interpret a photograph, you are setting the tone, sense or mood of the photo to the audience. Critics are seeking out the photograph’s most important parts and sharing this. They offer a “language” about an image to create a new meaning to the photograph.  
   
   

5. 5. The Feminist Interpretation of Harry Callahan’s pictures of his Eleanor stood out to me because it wasn’t what I would have originally thought about while looking at these beautiful images. The interpretation comes from Diane Neumaier, who developed this thinking regarding women, particularly the wives of some photographers, as subject matters. She speaks on the double standard that men have when it comes to photographing their wives as opposed to women photographing their husbands in the same manner. Neumaier claims that the photos of Eleanor are oppressive and demeaning. They fit the bill of women being possessions to men. She claims that when the artists make their wife wives strip nude and getting famous off the images he’s exposed of her, he’s using this as a way of dominating her. I found this interesting because to me, these were just beautiful images out of adoration for his wife. I saw these images of being act of appreciation and art.  
   
   

6. 6. In “Right’ Interpretations”, Barrett makes some good points. The first one being that better (and worse) interpretations exist and are possible. Barrett explains that if someone was to understand a photo better than him, it would be desirable for him to want to know more about that photo. Not all interpretations are equal, some are better than others and good interpretations are convincing whereas weak ones are not. Barrett also talks about correspondence and coherence. To correspond, one must account for all aspects and facts about a photograph or else the criteria is flawed. Coherence is ought to make sense in and of itself apart of the actual photograph.  
   
   

7. 7. One of Barrett’s main points in “Interpretations and the Artist’s Intent” is if the photographer has achieved his or hers intent within the photo, then the photo is good. If they haven’t then the image in unsuccessful, which leads to the photographer being their number one critic. Barrett also argues against intentionalism as a critical method because you don’t always know the photographer’s original intent of the photograph. He also mentions that some photographers aren’t even aware of their intent while capturing images. His final point in the section is that, we shouldn't consider an interpretation more privileged just because it came from the artist.  
   
   

8. 8. One other key point I learned in this reading was that feelings are just as important to understanding and interpreting an image as facts are. Feelings provide a way of showing us clues to learn more about the image. If feelings are evoked, we can acknowledge them and break down what in the image is making us feel that way, thus understanding it better. Another key point I learned in this reading was that there’s a difference between meaning and personal significance in the photograph. Significance can refer to the way we are affected by a photograph. Whereas the meaning is referred to as what the photograph is about in and of itself.  
   
   

9. 9. Barrett’s conclusion is that interpretation among the community won’t be accepted unless it is sensible and contributes to knowledge. He also concludes that over time our interpretations of art will change, subtly but sometimes dramatically.   

  

Assignment 2, Shutter Speed

ISO 800, f/3.5, 1/40

ISO 800, f/3.5, 1/400

Barrett Reading Response 1

Mackenzie Gibson 

Barrett Reading Response 1 

1. 1. I believe Barrett’s thesis is the idea of learning the descriptive process of criticism within in art and sorting and highlighting descriptive data in the writing of critics.  

2. 2. Barrett uses critic examples of Richard Avedon’s photographs, “In the American West” to prove his thesis of using the descriptive process.  

3. 3. In your own words, how does Barrett define:  

1. a. Barrett describes Description as a way of understanding the facts behind something such as a photo. A description can be the answers to questions unknown. These answers are sometimes obvious and not so obvious.                                                             

2. b. Barrett describes subject as being the implicit meaning or theme in a photograph. This can be interpretive and different for everyone. Subject Matter is described as the actual events or people that are being taken place in the photo. 

3. c. Form according to Barrett is how the events or people in the photograph are presented.  

4. d. Medium according to Barrett is what a piece of art is made from. Medium is important in understanding a piece to its full potential.  

5. e. Style according to Barrett is said to be recognizable in art, artists, or time period through characteristics of subject matter and formal elements.  

4. 4. In your own words, summarize what Barrett means when he refers to: 

6. f. Comparing and Contrasting according to Barrett is a way of critically analyzing and artist and his or hers work to other artists. This method shows how certain artists are similar and how they differ. This is very common among art critics.  

7. g. Barrett describes Internal Sources of Information as what the photograph displays such as the style, form, or medium. This is information you can pick up just by observing the photograph. External Sources of Information are things you must research further than just looking at the photo to get the information you are looking for.  

5. 5. In your own words, summarize Barrett’s position on the relationship between: 

8. h. Description and Interpretation are very important to each other. In interpreting any work of art, you must understand what you are observing first. Within describing, you are already making assumptions on you are seeing.  

1. i. Description and Evaluation are important to each other because anytime you judge a work of art critically, you must use descriptive language to back up your argument. Whether speaking either positively or negatively, descriptions are still accurate to the work of art and your judgment comes from those.  

6. 6. One point I believe Barrett was questioning was the idea of critics debating the importance and desirability of external sources of information and the means of gathering it. The question arises of whether the critic should have some sort of personal connection to the artist in any way. Barrett argues that the use of external sources is a matter of relevancy according to the critic. Another point Barrett brings up is that when engaging in criticism, you shouldn’t substitute the artists biography or life for criticism. This could make you lose sight of the actual art work for interesting facts about the artist. I learned from Barrett that labeling photographs in a more interpretive way is less controversial than a straight forward and descriptive way. I also learned about formal elements that photographers identify with such as black and white tonal range, subject contrast and point of view. I believe Barrett’s conclusion is that description is criticism. Carefully constructed critical language used by critics offer informed discourse about photographs to increase our understanding and appreciation. I really enjoyed this reading. It is very informative to people who enjoy photography and wish to further their passion for it. Being critical of art is important to your understanding of it and this reading showed us how to do that.  

Oral Presentation- Mick Rock

Mick Rock is a British photographer. Specializes in rock n roll photography. He is often referred to as "The Man Who Shot the Seventies". Some of his most notable work are the images he captured of David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust. He's photographed a number of rock legends such as Iggy Pop, Queen, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Joan Jett, Motley Crue, Blondie, Syd Barrett, Talking Heads and the list goes on. He's made a lot of iconic album covers such as Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs. He was the chief photographer on the films The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Hedwig and the Angry Itch. He captured the spirit of the underground music scene of New York and London.