The Photogiaphei's Eye The Photogiaphei's Eye

1ohn 1ohn Szaikowski Szaikowski (1964) (1964)

Photogiaphy as Ait Photogiaphy as Ait
Szaikowski's Szaikowski's book aigues that photogiaphy is ait but instead of tiying to book aigues that photogiaphy is ait but instead of tiying to
make elements of the ieal woild appeai in a diffeient foim make elements of the ieal woild appeai in a diffeient foim as is the case as is the case
with painting and sculptuie with painting and sculptuie a photogiaphei is choosing the elements of a photogiaphei is choosing the elements of
the ieal woild to take and cieate ait. the ieal woild to take and cieate ait.
He went on to aigue that photogiaphy has five key chaiacteiistics that He went on to aigue that photogiaphy has five key chaiacteiistics that
make it an ait foim. make it an ait foim.
Aitistic Chaiacteiistics Aitistic Chaiacteiistics
The thing itself. The thing itself.
The detail. The detail.
The fiame. The fiame.
Time. Time.
The vantage point. The vantage point.
The Thing Itself " The Thing Itself "
The fiist of these is what he The fiist of these is what he
calls calls thc thtng ttsclf thc thtng ttsclf. By this he . By this he
means that photogiaphy means that photogiaphy
piovides iepiesentations of piovides iepiesentations of
the ieal woild, and the the ieal woild, and the
photogiapheis ait is one of photogiapheis ait is one of
seeking out and ievealing seeking out and ievealing
that which is alieady theie. that which is alieady theie.
An An inteiesting dichotomy inteiesting dichotomy
aiises heie between the aiises heie between the
public peiception (now public peiception (now
shatteied, of couise) of the shatteied, of couise) of the
photogiaph's inability to lie, photogiaph's inability to lie,
and the photogiapheis and the photogiapheis
awaieness of this not ieally awaieness of this not ieally
being the case. being the case.
The Detail" The Detail"
Photogiaphy is tied to depicting ieality Photogiaphy is tied to depicting ieality
and fuitheimoie depicting ieality as it and fuitheimoie depicting ieality as it
happens, in the piesence of the happens, in the piesence of the
photogiaphei. photogiaphei.
The The photogiaphei cannot 'pose the tiuth' photogiaphei cannot 'pose the tiuth'
but meiely captuie fiagments of that tiuth but meiely captuie fiagments of that tiuth
as it unfolds befoie him/hei. as it unfolds befoie him/hei.
Photogiaphy Photogiaphy theiefoie has to be content theiefoie has to be content
iepiesenting the iepiesenting the /ctatls /ctatls of a naiiative oi an of a naiiative oi an
event, iathei than attempting to iepiesent event, iathei than attempting to iepiesent
the entiie thing the entiie thing..
As As such, photogiaphs cannot tell stoiies, such, photogiaphs cannot tell stoiies,
but they but they can can captuie details of things that captuie details of things that
have symbolic significance, and that might have symbolic significance, and that might
pieviously have been oveilooked pieviously have been oveilooked..
Szaikowski Szaikowski claims that such details can claims that such details can
ieveal depths of undiscoveied meaning ieveal depths of undiscoveied meaning
that may be lost in a stiaight naiiative that may be lost in a stiaight naiiative
account, and that the function of account, and that the function of
photogiaphy is not to tell a stoiy, but to photogiaphy is not to tell a stoiy, but to
make a stoiy make a stoiy rcal rcal..
The Iiame" The Iiame"
%hc framc %hc framc iefeis to the edges of iefeis to the edges of
the photogiaph, and is the the photogiaph, and is the
demaication between the demaication between the
elements of the ieal scene that the elements of the ieal scene that the
photogiaphei decided to include, photogiaphei decided to include,
and the elements he/she decided and the elements he/she decided
to leave out to leave out..
The The photogiaphei can look at the photogiaphei can look at the
woild like a scioll painting, woild like a scioll painting,
offeiing an infinite numbei of offeiing an infinite numbei of
possible compositions as the lens possible compositions as the lens
is moved up and down, and left is moved up and down, and left
and iight. and iight.
This This obseivation is closely ielated obseivation is closely ielated
to the initial one iegaiding to the initial one iegaiding
photogiaphy as a piocess of photogiaphy as a piocess of
sclccttcn sclccttcn iathei than iathei than synthcsts synthcsts, with , with
fiaming being a pait of the fiaming being a pait of the
piocess of selection. piocess of selection.
Time" Time"
The fouith chaiacteiistic is that of The fouith chaiacteiistic is that of
ttmc ttmc
Photogiaphs Photogiaphs aie not instantaneous aie not instantaneous
but iathei a iendeiing of the scene but iathei a iendeiing of the scene
ovei a disciete paicel of time. ovei a disciete paicel of time.
Iuitheimoie this time is always the Iuitheimoie this time is always the
piesent, so photogiaphs cannot piesent, so photogiaphs cannot
diiectly iepiesent the past oi the diiectly iepiesent the past oi the
futuie, but meiely allude to it futuie, but meiely allude to it..
Szaikowski Szaikowski desciibes two ways in desciibes two ways in
which time exposuie pioduces which time exposuie pioduces
unique images and insights. The unique images and insights. The
fiist one is when long time fiist one is when long time
exposuies (e.g. in the eaily days of exposuies (e.g. in the eaily days of
slow lenses) pioduced images that slow lenses) pioduced images that
had nevei been seen befoie had nevei been seen befoie bluiied bluiied
figuies, dogs with two heads and so figuies, dogs with two heads and so
on. The second is when shoit time on. The second is when shoit time
exposuies allowed us to see details exposuies allowed us to see details
pieviously lost in the blui of pieviously lost in the blui of
movement. movement.
The Vantage Point" The Vantage Point"
The final chaiacteiistic that The final chaiacteiistic that
Szaikowski Szaikowski identifies is that identifies is that
of the of the ;antagc pctnt ;antagc pctnt. .
The The photogiaphei has photogiaphei has
to to photogiaph the subject photogiaph the subject
fiom one of whatevei iange fiom one of whatevei iange
of vantage points happen to of vantage points happen to
be available, and these may be be available, and these may be
less than ideal. Rathei than less than ideal. Rathei than
this being a failing of this being a failing of
photogiaphy howevei, this photogiaphy howevei, this
has pioven to be a boon, as has pioven to be a boon, as
photogiaph has shown us the photogiaph has shown us the
woild fiom a vaiiety of woild fiom a vaiiety of
unusual and unique angles unusual and unique angles
and peispectives, and in doing and peispectives, and in doing
so has alteied oui peiception so has alteied oui peiception
of the woild. of the woild.
In Conclusion... In Conclusion...
Szaikowski Szaikowski is essentially mounting a case foi the place of photogiaphy as an is essentially mounting a case foi the place of photogiaphy as an
ait ait--foim and defining the unique chaiacteiistics that diffeientiate it fiom othei foim and defining the unique chaiacteiistics that diffeientiate it fiom othei
visual ait visual ait--foims such as painting. His essay is an exposition of the Modeinist foims such as painting. His essay is an exposition of the Modeinist
idea idea of medium specificity applied to photogiaphy. of medium specificity applied to photogiaphy.
Ioi example, gieat emphasis is placed on how photogiaphy is a piocess of Ioi example, gieat emphasis is placed on how photogiaphy is a piocess of
selection iathei than synthesis. One could easily aigue though that the paintei selection iathei than synthesis. One could easily aigue though that the paintei
also engages in a piocess of selection, in that he/she must also engages in a piocess of selection, in that he/she must sclcct sclcct what to paint. what to paint.
Szaikowski Szaikowski would say that the paintei selects fiom theii imagination, wheieas would say that the paintei selects fiom theii imagination, wheieas
the photogiaphei must select fiom the ieal woild, howevei the iise of the photogiaphei must select fiom the ieal woild, howevei the iise of
constiucted and staged photogiaphy ovei the last few decades laigely destioys constiucted and staged photogiaphy ovei the last few decades laigely destioys
this distinction this distinction..
Similaily photogiaphy's concentiation on the detail, and the consequent Similaily photogiaphy's concentiation on the detail, and the consequent
necessity of seeing it as a symbolic iathei than a naiiative medium, could also necessity of seeing it as a symbolic iathei than a naiiative medium, could also
be said to be a chaiacteiistic of painting. The diffeience of couise, is that the be said to be a chaiacteiistic of painting. The diffeience of couise, is that the
paintei can aiiange all elements of the scene in such a way that a naiiative can paintei can aiiange all elements of the scene in such a way that a naiiative can
be constiucted, but once again, wheieas in be constiucted, but once again, wheieas in Szaikowski's Szaikowski's time such an appioach time such an appioach
to photogiaphy was unheaid of, it is now an established to photogiaphy was unheaid of, it is now an established piactice. piactice.