No longer a viewer but automatically a photographer.

From reading, art critic Roberta Smith opinion on the increasingly common use of cameras, I have to say that I completely understand her position and opinion. In fact from reading her perspective of camera use in the New York Times, it’s hard to say that people are not becoming photographers themselves, because they are. I totally agree with Roberta Smith because when people attend exhibits they are no longer the ” viewers”. My perspective on this topic is that the camera becomes the
“viewer” and the person captivating the picture through the camera automatically become the “photographer “. Don’t you agree?

In addition, from viewing the photographs provided in  the article, it obvious that photography is gradually changing. The art critic herself stated that people are no longer holding their camera close to their eyes. Just as the articles title ” When the Camera Takes Over for the Eye.”  They are now, looking from a distance and that distance is through a “digital” screen. Viewers, now have the opportunity and ability to of taking a picture from their own perspective. The viewer, the “photographer” is now able to position the camera in a way that he/she sees the art.

Although at the same time, it is safe to say that taking pictures of pictures is a way of connecting and almost “staying in the moment”.  Taking pictures of pictures is in fact the new way of “remembering “what is and definitely what was. Everywhere, people go and the places people visit, people are taking their portable digital camera. This category may include, digital camera, phone, even an IPOD these days have cameras. It’s amazing! With this said, the portable camera is easier especially faster for the viewer. In 2012, a picture is literally a click away.

 

Student Maria Zambrana

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Discussion Topic: Old Processes, New Advertising

Robert Christian Malmberg's "Converse sneakers"

Many photographers today are reviving the photographic processes of the Civil War era. A California news article reports on several photographers in San Francisco who are producing photographs with the wet-plate process. Even Louis Vuitton highlights wet-plate photography in his digital project Double Exposure for the Fall/Winter 2011/2012 ad campaign. Notice how both the news article and film clips emphasize the portrayal of character in wet-plate photography. What do you think are some reasons for the nostalgic return to nineteenth-century processes?

Read the article on San Francisco-area photographers here:

Watch a video on Sam Taylor-Woods, one of the photographers on the Vuitton campaign:

Explore the official site of Louis Vuitton’s Double Exposure campaign on Facebook:

Don’t forget to log in to your OpenLab account and join the class (request membership!) in order to add a blog post.

See instructions on how to “post” and “comment” under “Blogging Guidelines” above.

Please post your responses by Saturday, March 3.   

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Discussion Topic: Pictures of Pictures

In a New York Times article, the art critic Roberta Smith notes the increasingly common use of cameras, especially cellphones by viewers when interacting with art. In particular, she discusses the behavior of visitors to the Venice Biennale, an exhibition of contemporary art that is held every two years in Venice, Italy. Many countries, including the U.S., are represented with their art displayed in national pavilions. Do you agree with her opinions on the usage of cameras in relation to art? What is your opinion on taking pictures of pictures?

Read Roberta Smith’s NYT article here

Explore the Venice Biennale website and videos of installations in the pavilions

Don’t forget to log in to your OpenLab account and join the class (request membership!) in order to add a blog post.

See instructions on how to “post” and “comment” under “Blogging Guidelines” above.

Please post your responses by Saturday, February 18.

 

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Welcome!

Hello ARTH 1100 students! Welcome to the course website for Professor Sandra Cheng’s course on the History of Photography. The OpenLab is an integral component to our class. I look forward to our reading, writing, discussion, and LOOKING this semester. During our first class we’ll go over how to get everyone signed up on the site, and we’ll take it from there.

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