Example Photo Essay
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The document discusses different types of photographs and their artistic value. It describes two types - the "time capture" photo that simply records an event, and photos with a "deeper meaning" that elicit emotional reactions. It analyzes two black and white photos by Elliot Erwitt - one of a church near a Native American massacre site that has deeper meaning, and one of a man and child on a bicycle that is a time capture. While Erwitt claims not to intend artistic meaning, the document argues he has an unconscious artistic eye and the bicycle photo is still art due to its perfect setting, despite falling in the time capture category.
Example Photo Essay
- 1. Essay about Photography The Test of Time: The Power of the Photograph What is a photograph? The simplicity of taking a photograph leads many to ponder its artistic value. Yet, it is undeniable that there are some photos that cause an emotional reaction deeper than simply observing a recorded point in time. Surely, there are photographs that cause more reaction than some modern art pieces. There seems to be two types of photographs. The first classification is the 'time capture' photo – an image with the sole purpose of recording a particular event or point in time. The second nature of a photo carries a 'deeper meaning,' which has the ability to change the observer's mood and cause a reaction. But what distinguishes these two varieties? There are a...show more content... There is clearly an artistic value to this image – it is taken at the location of a massacre of over 200 members of the Great Sioux Nation. However, did Elliot Erwitt intend a 'deeper meaning' for this photograph? In an interview recorded on his official website, Erwitt declares, "If it turns out to be entertaining what I do, I'm very pleased. But it's not conscious." It seems that Erwitt claims to not possess artistic intent in his photographs. However, it is clear that he simply boasts an unconscious artistic eye. It is obvious that the photograph of this church on hallowed ground falls in the 'deeper meaning' category. The second Elliot Erwitt photo is taken from his official webpage. It too is captured in black and white. The photo, shown in Figure 2 was taken in France and depicts a man and child riding a bicycle down a road lined with trees. This seems to be a 'time capture' photo; this particular event can never be perfectly replicated again. Despite the category in which this photo clearly falls into, it is undoubtedly still art – the setting is too perfect to be unintentional. However, according to Erwitt in his interview, unintentional is exactly the correct word. Erwitt states, "I take pictures of anything that interests me as I walk around with my camera." This means that many of his photos are taken on a whim; the right place at the right time. In this case it is the viewer who makes the distinction between Get more content on HelpWriting.net