Fred Ritchin

After reading Fred Ritchin's After Photography, I think these three sections caught my interest the most.

"Reflecting the world of 0's and 1's from which it comes, the digital photograph may be also said to explicitly acknowledge time as integer, not resonant with the continuity of time as flow. As such, it can enable other temporal models, ready to incorporate a more contemporary post-Einsteinian space-time, where divisions between shutter speed and frame are less relevant and the relative position of the observer is key. Rather than a "decisive moment" selected from an advancing continuum, the digital photograph can acknowledge a more elastic sense of time, where future and past can intertwine and be as decisive as the present (the digital family portraits where parent and child are shown at the same age next to each other testify to this). Its Cartesian pixel grid may also eventually be reconceived, extended to limn the twenty-six dimensions of string theory or to explore the possibilities of parallel universes, so that as a result the two-dimensional photograph may seem rather basic."

I think this passage gives a good description of what digital photography is and how it changes our perception of time. Digital photography allows for a connection between different times. It is representing more than the moment the picture is taken. However, we also need to understand that digital photographs are a result of binary data and that we can easily manipulate with modern technology.

"There are those who have photographed the stone hitting the water and rejoiced in the camera's ability to freeze the pivotal event in a fractional second. These have been the conventional photojournalists. Then there are those who focused on the ripples that the force of the stone hitting the water produces, distrusting the event itself but seeing its significance in its impact on people and place. These are more likely to have been the photo essayists, or, more broadly stated, the documentary photographers. When Henri Cartier-Bresson was offered an exclusive ticket to attend the coronation of King George VI in 1936, for example, he would have had a scoop. But by turning it down to focus on the reactions of poor people lining the streets outside, he made some of his most memorable photographs - and did so for Ce Soir, a Communist daily. He chose the ripples, not the stone."

This passage from After Photography caught my attention because it made me wonder if I choose the ripples or the stone when I photograph. This is something I would like to keep in mind for the future when I take pictures. Also, what is the difference between photojournalists and photo essayists? I would like my pictures to tell a story, and represent more than a moment.

"Paradoxically, the subject of the photograph is often voiceless, unable to contest his or her depiction. Often the photographer barely knows the person, yet the image could be used to define the person or to represent a certain theme."

Fred Ritchin brings attention to a problem of a photograph. As a photographer, we often frame and take a picture to focus on a subject and create a theme we have in mind. But the way we form a story around a picture does not necessarily mean the people are represented correctly. It is all a one sided act. How are people able to know the truth behind these photographs?

Adam Ansel at the Long Island Museum

I visited the Ansel Adams exhibit at the Long Island Museum along with the class. The museum actually had multiple buildings that we did not get to visit. During my time at the exhibit, I was able to learn more about Ansel Adams, his technique and photography. We have previously learned about Ansel Adams and studied his black and white landscape photographs. I think the short video they showed on the television screen was very helpful. I was able to see a detailed description of some of the cameras and techniques used by Ansel Adams.

I especially liked the photograph taken at Yosemite, that was also painted by Thomas Hill 36 years earlier. It was nice to learn about the ways Adam Ansel photographed his landscape pictures. Sometimes it is easy to forget how we are very blessed with technology and are able to change a picture just with a click of a button.

I noticed a few things around the exhibit that really adds to my knowledge of Ansel Adams. They specifically mentioned how the exhibit is in dim light because it could affect the photographs, that are very sensitive to light. They also included books on a table with a lot of references to Ansel Adam's work. Moreover, there was also the painting done by Thomas Hill on the other side of the exhibit. The two pictures are taken or painted at different times in different seasons. However, it is interesting to compare and contrast the beauty of Yosemite 33 years apart.

Alex Webb

Alex Webb, born in 1952, San Francisco, California, is a street photographer. He began by photographing in black and white but made the transition to color photography. Most of his work is done in color and is famous for its orderly chaos. Many of his photographs have bold contrasting colors and multiple subjects. While some may think these elements can be distracting or overdone, they are usually depicted intentionally.

http://www.webbnorriswebb.co/#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=4&a=0&at=0

The South Caucasus is one of my favorite projects from Alex Webb. Picture #23 of this collection demonstrates the elements I have previously mentioned. There are the bold blue hues of the sky and the water. There are multiple people in the photograph, however, no one is covered by another. Everyone is doing something different and the audience can take a better look at the overall moment than just one subject. This picture emphasizes Alex Webb's technique of layering. There are the three men in the background doing a flip, two men in the midground looking at the sea, and the four men in the foreground getting ready. Last but not least, there is also the sea and sky background that adds another layer to his photograph. There are multiple details for us to notice and it is interesting how one picture can include all these elements without being too overwhelming.