What is consider a photograph?

Mainecoonmaniac · Jul 28, 2017

This is an analog image, but is it a photo.

https://petapixel.com/2017/07/27/photographer-wins-20000-prize-photo-scratches-spit/

Saganich · Jul 28, 2017

She should give the $$ to Grandma. I suppose that it's a developed piece of film so would technically qualify as a photograph.

ntenny · Jul 28, 2017

I think if you acknowledge Man Ray's "rayographs" as photography, you have to acknowledge this piece too.

Whether it's *good* photography, or good art, is a whole separate and obviously subjective question. Personally I fail to see the point.

-NT

Sirius Glass · Jul 28, 2017

Not a photograph.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jul 28, 2017

Photo means light. Graph means to write. No light was used so maybe it isn't technically a photograph?

Craig75 · Jul 28, 2017

If people didnt do things like this we would be sentenced to an eternal purgatory of pictures of road signs and trees.

dpurdy · Jul 28, 2017

I actually like it, reminds me of Cy Twombly one of my favorite painters. I am sure he was criticized heavily for his work and questioned whether it was painting or not. I can't bring myself to be interested in the question of whether it is a photograph or not.

miha · Jul 28, 2017

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Photo means light. Graph means to write. No light was used so maybe it isn't technically a photograph?

How come no light was used? Of course this is a photograph or at least the film is, providing the print was done via RA4 and not inkjet, the end product also qulifies as s photograph.

Bob Carnie · Jul 28, 2017

Craig75 said:
If people didnt do things like this we would be sentenced to an eternal purgatory of pictures of road signs and trees.

rocks, waterfalls, mountain scenes and the dreaded group nude photo shoot.

OptiKen · Jul 28, 2017

This is my comment on it:

To me, this is notable ONLY with the accompanying artist's statement. I believe that a photograph (sketch or painting for that matter) should be able to stand alone. Sort of like if you have to explain a joke, it isn't funny. The photograph should be able to convey mood and emotion. This only conveys that to the photographer. Without her statement, it conveys none of that. Somehow, this reminds me of the story about THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES.
Give the money back

MattKing · Jul 28, 2017

I can understand a part of the controversy - it may not fit within the "Conditions of Entry" definitions:

"2) ENTRY ELIGIBILITY: Entry must be:
· A new portrait completed since 1 April 2015, owned and created by the artist; not
previously exhibited (including online but excluding the entrant’s personal webpage or
social media platform), shown in competitions or awarded a prize;
· Photographic, archivally sound, still and two-dimensional;
· Within the size limits and able to be hung on or pinned to Gallery walls.
The Judge will be looking for excellence in photographic technique, creativity and originality
to the standards prescribed by the Director, Tweed Regional Gallery."

But IMHO, it is sufficiently interesting to be worthy of display.

moose10101 · Jul 28, 2017

Saganich said:
She should give the $$ to Grandma. I suppose that it's a developed piece of film so would technically qualify as a photograph.

Yes, she should, since Grandma actually created the "image". Processing the film and printing it doesn't make you the photographer (or whatever "-ographer" applies here).

blockend · Jul 28, 2017

dpurdy said:
I actually like it, reminds me of Cy Twombly one of my favorite painters. I am sure he was criticized heavily for his work and questioned whether it was painting or not. I can't bring myself to be interested in the question of whether it is a photograph or not.

I also like the image very much. Whether it's a photograph or not depends if the interventions are conditional on the the light sensitive materials. The use of stretched canvas does not make an artwork a painting, not does the immersion of an unexposed film in pre-wash make it a photographic negative. I would describe the interventions of Stephen Gill as photographs, but this work is trickier. If a print was made from the negative or slide it would seem to be a photograph of something.

bsdunek · Jul 28, 2017

ntenny said:
I think if you acknowledge Man Ray's "rayographs" as photography, you have to acknowledge this piece too.

Whether it's *good* photography, or good art, is a whole separate and obviously subjective question. Personally I fail to see the point.

-NT

I agree. It is like a "rayograph" or a photogram or a chemigram, etc. I just look at the end result, which in this case, I like.

bsdunek · Jul 28, 2017

ntenny said:
I think if you acknowledge Man Ray's "rayographs" as photography, you have to acknowledge this piece too.

Whether it's *good* photography, or good art, is a whole separate and obviously subjective question. Personally I fail to see the point.

-NT

I agree. It is like a "rayograph" or a photogram or a chemigram, etc. I just look at the end result, which in this case, I like.

OptiKen · Jul 28, 2017

"There is no accounting for taste"

faberryman · Jul 28, 2017

Alternative process?

Cholentpot · Jul 28, 2017

No effort expended mental or physical. It's an insult to creativity.

Theo Sulphate · Jul 28, 2017

Ah, well - it is what it is. However, I'd bet that if she photographed the paper containing her grandmother's pen-test scratchings, it would've looked better and been more appealing.

There is a story, true or not, of an artist who was so angry about his works not selling that he threw something at one of his finished works (or he ripped it or cut it) and that one became his most valuable work simply because it expressed emotion so well.

pentaxuser · Jul 28, 2017

I could not believe what I was reading. It has to be a joke surely. I was able to laugh because none of the prize money came out of my bank account.

Give me a road sign any day

pentaxuser

eddie · Jul 28, 2017

I've often been told my photographs aren't really photographs, so I have empathy for the artist. I also find it an interesting image, ( I'd like to see it in person) most likely worthy of the prize. Personally, I'm a fan of people who push the envelope.

Sirius Glass · Jul 28, 2017

OptiKen said:
"There is no accounting for taste"

But this is a case of no taste at all.

Sirius Glass · Jul 28, 2017

Cholentpot said:
No effort expended mental or physical. It's an insult to creativity.

+1

Patrick Robert James · Jul 28, 2017

That is one ugly grandma!

eddie · Jul 28, 2017

Cholentpot said:
It's an insult to creativity.

I think the insult to creativity is disparaging something because it doesn't fit your predetermined beliefs.

What is consider a photograph?

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