Month: February 2013

History of Photography in the 20th Century Journal Entry – 27 Feb 13

The professor crossed into another world today by bringing forth Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem.  The theorem is actually 2 parts – the first states that no mathematical system can prove every truth about itself while the second states any system that can prove itself using its own logic will contain contradictory statements within that system.  It is this first part of the theorem that holds the interesting application to photography (and, perhaps, art in general).

The process of photography is not complete without the photographer.  The mind and eye of the photographer shape the image that appears in the viewfinder.  The shutter is releases and the scene records, yet there is a piece missing from the frame.  That piece is the photographer.  It is assumed the photographer is there, but it cannot be proven.  In order to prove the photographer, another image (system) must be created in order to prove the photographer’s truth.  Of course, this creates a problem because a new system would need to be created in order to prove the complete truth of the preceding image.  The photographer cannot validate himself within the image he creates.

Proving everything requires infinity.

Let’s put it another way.  The frame provides the boundary in which the image (system) exists.  What falls outside the frame is still part of the image.  This is so because the photographer (who is part of the image as the creator) made the decision of whether to include it or not in the scene.  The system given cannot prove the elements outside the frame. Proving the elements requires a new image (system) to be created.  But then some of the elements of the original image cannot be proven (they are part of the new image) as well as those elements, not related to the original image, that were left out of the new image, as they were consciously left out by the photographer.

This application to photography is fascinating.  Perhaps, on some unconscious level, we know the above is true, and we (collectively) attempt to record as much as possible through a camera.  This is definitely going to require some more thought.

Here is a photograph I took at Rice University a couple weeks ago that demonstrates what I discussed.  I chose to exclude the buildings of the Texas Medical Center, which would appear on the right edge of the frame, in this panoramic image of the student quad at Rice University.  They are part of the image because of this exclusion, just as I, the camera operator, am part of the image as its creator.

photo(6)

History of Photography in the 20th Century Journal Entry – 26 Feb 13

Up to this point, I have only heard 1 dimension of Cartier-Bression’s “Decisive Moment.” The dimension revealed was that the photograph hinged on catching that particular moment that defined the image.  I was never aware that Cartier-Bresson wrote in-depth about this topic.  Admittedly, I never really looked into it until I had the excerpt from his own writings in front of me.  In reading Cartier-Bresson’s own words regarding “The Decisive Moment,” it is revealed that Cartier-Bresson not only looked for that magical moment, but he also obsessed over the composition of the photograph.  It still all boils down to that one moment, but this adds depth.

Composition, according to Cartier-Bresson, is a reflexive action – the photographer knows instinctively when everything comes together.   It is in that instant that the shutter is released.  Of course, there are times when the “snap” of the photo is delayed because the photographer knows that an element is missing (or out of place) that does not complete the composition.

Geometry is also an important factor in composition.  It is the geometry that ties all the elements together.  This could be seen as conflicting with the “missing” element, but it’s easy to realize that proper geometry may be the missing element that causes the photographer to refrain from releasing the shutter.

Cartier-Bresson, in talking about the Decisive Moment, seems to tell photographers that it’s ok to rely on instinct when shooting.  Much like the actions of a soldier in combat or a basketball player on the court, the reflexive knowledge of when the moment is right based on composition is more a product of instinct and training than anything else.  This becomes hard to resolve as in art school the students are taught to eschew their instincts in favor of carefully consideration of the scene before them and only shooting after an intellectual analysis has been performed.  To wit, one student in class even mentioned that she couldn’t shoot under conditions where she wasn’t able to plan the shots.

A lot of the other photographers we’ve seen up to this point (with some exceptions) in this class have constructed their shots (Rothstein comes to mind) or, in the case of many FSA photographers, have shot according to a script.  Cartier-Bresson, while he may have been on assignment (with or without a script), reacted to the scene before him.  While I can construct a scene, I find much more freedom in being able to react to what’s in front of me.

One final note – Cartier-Bresson regards cropping as ruinous to photography.  It can be inferred that cropping is almost akin to second-guessing one’s instincts as it ruins the flow of what made the photographer release the shutter in the first place.  In the very first photography class I ever took, the professor prohibited cropping of any kind on our silver gelatin prints.  Her rationale was that we did not learn how to compose in the viewfinder by cropping in the darkroom.  This is definitely in line with Cartier-Bresson regarding composition.  Cartier-Bresson also opines that a poorly composed photograph is never going to be saved by cropping.

HCB1951025W01282/24C

This is perhaps the best example of what Cartier-Bresson is trying to communicate in his essay.  The geometric shapes create self-contained units, with each having a quantity of people assigned.  The people are arranged in such a way that they form their own discreet lines.  Cartier-Bresson is helping us to cultivate the instincts needed to achieve images like this, but how does art school help us in that?

Below are 2 versions of one of my photographs – the original version and the cropped version – taken less than 2 months ago.  In this case cropping was necessary in order to remove the camera tilt from the scene.  If the camera tilt had remained, the scene would not have been accurately represented in the frame.  I wonder if Cartier-Bresson ever had to shoot a football game and find a way to operate within a specific area of the field and under technological limitations (this case being the reach of the lens).  Also, let’s not forget that these 2 rather large men are barreling toward me at a rate of speed that does not allow for very quick stopping.

_MG_2952

Meineke Car Care Bowl 2012-20

Untaken – 7 Feb 2013

I was driving home this evening, having cursed myself for missing the exit.  In my defense, the normal exit has been moved for construction and the signage is a little off from the norm.  Ultimately, though, I should have been paying attention to the signs.  Not only did that cost me a little more gas, but since I was on the toll road, it cost me $1.75.  The sky was orange with the setting sun.  At the time there were some low stratocumulus clouds just over the horizon, which were light violet due to their relative position to the sun.  Above those were some cirrus clouds, which were to be the stars of this image.  The main body of the cirrus formation was a cluster that formed a nearly solid mass of cirrus, making them feel almost solid when looked at.  Extending from this main mass were four fingers, all curved and nearly parallel.  Just off those fingers were 2 smaller masses of cirrus clouds.  The whole scene in front of me, as I waited at the stoplight, appeared as if the hand of a god was reaching to snatch something from the scene.  The only problem was my situation – I was driving!  The stoplight quickly became a “go” light.  By the time I was able to stop long enough to compose a shot, the clouds, as they are wont to do, changed and the image had fleed from existence.

Not Available Graphic