Photographic Study

[cliveh]

A few years ago, I was sent a photography publication from a University that will remain nameless. It had a glossy cover and I think it had about 86 pages of text and contained about three images. Am I missing something here?

 

[cliveh]

That is hard to say based on your sparse description. If it was supposed to be an exhibition catalogue, then yes, it was missing photographs. However, there are many essays, critiques, and books on photography that contain very few actual photographs.

Allow me to expand. This was not an exhibition catalogue, but a general publication published by the photographic department.

 

[jp498]

Susan Sontag's "On Photography" book is pretty devoid of illustration.

 

[Rick A]

Are you disappointed because you actually had to read on the subject rather than just being able to look at photos.

 

[cliveh]

Susan Sontag's "On Photography" book is pretty devoid of illustration.

I noticed that.

 

[cliveh]

Are you disappointed because you actually had to read on the subject rather than just being able to look at photos.

Yes.

 

[cliveh]

So without knowing the purpose of the document, I cannot comment on the validity of the publication or participate in what I can only assume is a thread wanting to mock the usefulness of university photography departments.

I am not wanting to mock the usefulness of university photography departments. I just want to understand what is going on with placing more emphasis on description and analysis than communication through visual imagery.

 

[removed account4]

if you put together a publication for a photography department
what would you put the emphasis on ? would you have any text?
would it be only a certain type of imagery ?

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I am not wanting to mock the usefulness of university photography departments. I just want to understand what is going on with placing more emphasis on description and analysis than communication through visual imagery.

Would you think the same if you were studying Medicine or Law at university?
Reading and study are huge components of both. And there is ample real-world experience as time goes on. Same with Visual Arts at Universities. Mine was heavy on reading but also had a lot of darkroom, legal, business and photographic work.

 

[blansky]

A few years ago, I was sent a photography publication from a University that will remain nameless. It had a glossy cover and I think it had about 86 pages of text and contained about three images. Am I missing something here?

I feel your pain, Luckily you didn't sign up.

3 out of 86 pages for a visual medium is pretty ...well, non visual.

But you also have to remember that there are two types of photographers (probably more) , the artsy types that are visual, and the engineer types that are far less so.

The old right brain vs left brain. The first is very visual, hates number and formulas and is drawn to the visual aspects of photography almost exclusively.

Then there is the engineer types who love the theory, formulas, loves tinkering with gadgets, and is less likely to pursue people photography.

Obviously there are crossovers.

That's the reason we have great product, architectural and scenic photographers and on the other hand we have great portrait, photojournalists and people photographers.

Again, obviously there are crossovers.

But a people photographer would be miserable setting up a food shot for two days and a architectural photographer may hate to do weddings.

C'est la vie.

 

[keithwms]

Again, obviously there are crossovers.

I don't know, I haven't seen that many crossdressers in photography.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Or does he mean double-crossers??

 

[blansky]

I don't know, I haven't seen that many crossdressers in photography.

Don't get out to California much huh?

 

[Jim Jones]

Susan Sontag's "On Photography" book is pretty devoid of illustration.

Rather devoid of any significant content, too. Cohabitation with a notorious semi-papparazi does not make one an authority on photographty

 

[cliveh]

Rather devoid of any significant content, too. Cohabitation with a notorious semi-papparazi does not make one an authority on photographty

I wonder what Thomas Chippendale would think about reading a book by someone with little knowledge of cabinet making but intellectualised the ideas about making cabinets.

 

[zsas]

Clive - under the same vein, should A.D. Coleman be stripped of his accomplishments considering he is a respected critic and has published much re photography; although, I believe, he does not photograph himself? I sense a level of disregard for educational/critical offerings in this thread? This thread is quite vague to me, it doesn't seem like from the beginning there was a deep enough 'ethical/philosophical' observation for us to discuss/debate? What are you trying to impart?

 

[cliveh]

Clive - under the same vein, should A.D. Coleman be stripped of his accomplishments considering he is a respected critic and has published much re photography; although, I believe, he does not photograph himself? I sense a level of disregard for educational/critical offerings in this thread? This thread is quite vague to me, it doesn't seem like from the beginning there was a deep enough 'ethical/philosophical' observation for us to discuss/debate? What are you trying to impart?

I apologise for the vagueness of this thread, as I realise I am treading on dangerous ground and may upset some people with what has been said thus far. However, I just want to understand what is going on in photographic education with placing more emphasis on description and analysis than communication through visual imagery.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Rather devoid of any significant content, too. Cohabitation with a notorious semi-papparazi does not make one an authority on photographty

According to Wikipedia, "...After Sontag's death, Newsweek published an article about Leibovitz that made clear reference to her decade-plus relationship with Sontag, stating: "The two first met in the late '80s, when Leibovitz photographed her for a book jacket...."

'On Photogrpahy' was published in 1977.

Not that I would disagree with either one of your sentences (although the first one could use more context), but I do think you intended to make a connection, and history throws a wrench in this attempted connection.

 

[MattKing]

I expect that "On Photography" was at least part of the reason that the relationship between Sontag and Liebovitz actually ocurred.

And I have no difficulty with an un-illustrated examination of photographic issues - it makes as much sense as an examination of music that lacks sound clips.

 

[alex66]

I would not be too worried about a lack of photographs in a prospectus, a lot of what you would study will be analysis of photography. It has been the background reading that has given me greater understanding of what I am trying to create. I would not judge a photography degree until I had an interview/met the course leaders and looked around the facility. I chose my MA as the interviewers were challenging in their looking through my portfolio and I felt a real passion for the art. Of course having some cracking darkroom facilities was an important factor.

 

[jp498]

Rather devoid of any significant content, too.

I certainly agree. It's a good primer in getting one acquainted with that particular area of photography B.S. though. I suspect it's a popular and common school textbook for photo or photo history students.

 

[Jim Jones]

Yes, I was compelled to read it in a photojournalism class when it and the author were the latest rage. A professional author has to write about something, and Sontag chose photography, Her prominence in literary circles assured its success. The book was perhaps less about photography than about photography's effect on non-photographers. This was appropriate for its intended audience. Long ago Robert Taft did much the same in his Photography and the American Scene, which is still a valuable reference on 19th century American photography. Taft knew his subject, and even included photographs! Sontag pales in comparison.