9.2
PHOTOGRAPHY
88
3
Identifying arguments
Find arguments in the article
that support the idea that photography is an art form.
4
Work with a partner and discuss the questions.
1
What does the article say about the difference
between photography and paintings?
2
What reasons are given in the article for
photography not being an art form?
3
Do you think photography is an art form?
1
Do you take photos? When? Why? Do you prefer
colour or black and white photos?
2
Read the article and choose the best title.
1
What makes a good photo?
2
The best photo in the world.
3
Is photography an art form?
P
aintings are almost always considered an
art form, but what about photography?
The
Frenchman Henri Cartier-Bresson, possibly the
most famous photographer of the 20th century,
emphasised the difference between painting as
art and photography as art. In 1957, he told
The
Washington Post
that ‘There is a creative fraction of
a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye
must see a composition or an expression that life
itself offers you, and you must know with intuition
when to click the camera. That is the moment the
photographer is creative.’ He is, of course, referring
to the immediacy of photography – the absolutely
unique moment, never to be repeated, when the
exposure is taken.
A further characteristic of photography, unlike painting,
is that more can be captured in a photograph than was
intended by the photographer. Fine details, entirely
unexpected and often invisible to the naked eye, can be
revealed.The photograph ‘does not lie’ because it has
not passed through the brain of the photographer.This
is completely different from the brain processes of the
painter,whodecideswhathe isgoing topaint,howhewill
make the subject interesting andhowhe is going to paint
it.
Somecriticsof photographyclaimthatmoderncameras
reduce photo-taking to an automatic process.They say,
‘Just point and shoot. The camera does the rest. You
will get a good photo.’
However, those who see photography as an
art form say that the critics are completely
wrong. They argue that the camera cannot
decide between an ordinary, functional,
regular photo and a really excellent,
cleverly composed photo, consciously
constructed. Rather, it is the photographer
who has the skill to pick out the essential
qualities of the subject at a particular
moment and brings creativity to the
process.
Not all photographers are primarily
interested in producing photos that are
art – some take photos to record the world
for scientific purposes or to capture a
news story. But occasionally, these types
of photos can become iconic works of art
because they are so stunning. Examples of this are
the very unusual photographs taken by explorers in
the Antarctic for geographical purposes, which often
reveal the wonders of nature by showing contrasts
between ice and water. They can also become iconic
because they come to represent an important
moment in time. Iconic photographs often depict
deeply moving scenes of suffering and pain but
there are also many uplifting photographs which are
equally memorable. A classic instance of this is the
photo of Buzz Aldrin walking on the surface of the
moon. The white space suit and grey surface of the
moon contrast brilliantly with the bright red and
blue of the American flag. Neil Armstrong wasn't a
professional photographer, but the photos he took
are both historically extremely important and also
beautiful works of art.
