In the first part of the class we discussed some previous comments on the story. Questions such as What is Reality? What is beautiful? took some time and this will continue in future meetings.

Introduction to the camera

I avoided the technical terminology and tried to stress the impact that the camera through the mechanics and functions has on  the images we create. But by this virtue, it follows that it also heavily influences our actions and perceptions. Do this mean they also influence the way we see the world?

This seems to be the idea behind Dorothea Lange’s affirmation : “The camera is an instrument that teaches us how to see without a camera” (here is the quote and some others by her).

What are the implications of this? here we can think of a previous conversation from last week: Does the camera make us live more in the present, or does it create a distance with our surrounds?

I spent some time talking about my own experiences with cameras in order to reflect on Lange’s idea. My intention was to make you reflect on your own relation to yours: the camera is not just a device that sits there and you use it. As with any other technology (think your mobile) they also change us (in some cases they use us) in rather profound ways.

Here is a site for anything camera-related. Is a great reference for your next purchase but also to look at how different makers interpret the notion of ‘digital camera’

All this took a long time, but I hope that this awareness will have an impact in what we do in the future.

Here are some photographers we looked at today:

Dorothea Lange

Bill Brand

Robert Cappa

Richard Avedon

Ralph Gibson