Reading Assessment 1

1. The author's thesis of this chapter is that there are many different elements to a photograph, and ways to describe them. He demonstrates how to describe what you see, and characterize it. Being able to describe things that aren't so clearly seen in the photo helps someone gain appreciation for the image, as well as better understand its purpose.

2. To support his thesis, he uses specific examples of different critics analyzing photographs, such as Douglas Davis describing Avedon's "In the American West", Arthur Danto describing self-portraits of  Cindy Sherman, and a few others. By analyzing these descriptions, he is able to explain the different elements and characteristics of the photos these critics have chosen to examine. He also highlights their creative use of describing words, which shows the artistic value of examining a picture, and how in-depth you can really go.

3. a. Barrett defines description as a data-gathering process, or a list of facts. To describe a photograph is to answer the questions "What is here?" "What am I looking at?" "What can I say with certainty about this photograph?". A description also includes things such as perspective and subject matter.
    b. Barrett describes subject matter as giving character and meaning to what you can see in the picture. It is important to understand what the focus is, and look beneath the surface. He uses the example of Cindy Sherman's self-portraits, stating that in one way, the subject matter is herself. However, after citing descriptions from other people, he refers to the subject matter as "the cultural construction of femininity".
    c. The form refers to how the subject matter is presented. This includes the position of the camera, scale, arrangement of objects, juxtapositions, and the tone/ mood of the whole picture. All of these aspects come together to create the form of a picture.
    d. The medium is the actual context in which the picture is being viewed, or what an art object is made of. This could include the materials used, size of the film/ print, or the positioning of subjects. The medium can have a great contribution to the impact and purpose of the photograph.
    e. Style refers to how the medium is used, and how the picture is formally arranged. Barrett states that style indicates resemblance among diverse art objects from an artist, time period, or geographic location and is recognized by a specific handling of subject matter and other elements.

4. a. Comparing and contrasting is describing what the picture has in common with other works, as well as how it stands out, or differs from the rest. Someone could compare and contrast a picture with others taken by the same artist, or with other photographers. By comparing and contrasting a picture with others, it puts it in a much different perspective than just looking at it alone.
    b. Internal information is what can clearly be seen within a photograph, but many critics use external sources to better understand it. External sources can include research on the artist, knowledge on photograph history, and the context in which it was made. Knowledge of a photographer's life can illuminate a photograph.

5. a. Descriptions contain facts, while evaluation explains what these facts could represent, and can include its relevancy within the picture. Evaluating helps to explain the meaning behind what you are describing.
    b. Interpretation is adding your own personal judgement or understanding behind the elements you are describing. When interpreting, it is important to limit what can be said to what is relevant to providing an understanding and appreciation of the picture. Blending description and interpretation is how to artistically critique and analyze a photo.

6. In conclusion, this chapter includes many points about how to talk or write about a picture. Two other points the author made are that reading someone else's evaluation can help form your own opinion based on agreement or disagreement, and that describing words can have both positive and negative connotations. From this reading, I learned the relevancy of knowing a photographer's life/ background, which I previously thought was unimportant. Now I can see that it can add somewhat of a story to the picture. Another thing I learned was that medium can greatly affect a photo. I never realized that the context in which you are viewing it can change your interpretation. The authors conclusion is that relevancy is a determining factor in describing photographs. There is so much that can be said about a picture, but the only things that are important are the ones that create a thoughtful understanding. My reaction to this reading is that I will now be able to look at photographs in a much more in-depth and informative way than I previously have. This will help me gain a greater appreciation for photography, as well as advance my skills when taking my own pictures.