I think the importance of Szarkowski’s experience as a maker can't be overstated in this specific context and in his critical perspective overall. It's also important to realize that picture-making always came first, and theory second
I agree George, although it's often hard to separate making, knowing and theorising. Szarkowski seems to have been fluent in several domains and moved between them with apparent ease. Perhaps this is why his writing and curating are so sensitive to the medium. He seems to be better known as a curator and historian than as a photographer.
Mirrors and windows is a very interesting way of describing photography! I will use some of your exercises while looking at my own photography. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this Jon. I’m at the student end of the spectrum and the generosity of this idea as quoted really resonated — “The intention of this analysis has not been to divide photography into two parts. On the contrary, it has been to suggest a continuum, a single axis with two poles. Many of the pictures reproduced here live close to the centre of that axis, and can at the reader's pleasure be shifted mentally to the other side of the book's imaginary equator.” Again thanks. Wonderful food for thought.
Thanks, Jon, yes - very helpful and full of possibilities in the classroom. Of course, a window can also act as a mirror, and mirrors can show us what is behind us - which, when put like that, is perhaps what all photographs do.
I tried this with my A level students this week and the feedback was generally very positive. I printed out photos from Stephen Shore's book 'The Nature of Photographs' and split them into small groups to arrange them along the axis on three tables. At the end we did a (victory) lap of the classroom looking at each others' work pinned to the wall and analysed where the work fitted into the scheme. In hindsight I could have made the last part less labour intensive by using a non-verbal response (e.g post-it notes) and letting them analyse in their own time. Altogether an interesting task and big thanks for your inspirational post!
Hi Daniel. Thanks so much for sharing this and glad the experiment yielded interesting results. Great choice of book too. I definitely see Stephen Shore as being in the same tradition as John Szarkowski, a lucid advocate for the particular qualities of the photographic image. Love the 'victory lap'! Will you get the students to reflect on their own pictures using a similar strategy?
I think the importance of Szarkowski’s experience as a maker can't be overstated in this specific context and in his critical perspective overall. It's also important to realize that picture-making always came first, and theory second
I agree George, although it's often hard to separate making, knowing and theorising. Szarkowski seems to have been fluent in several domains and moved between them with apparent ease. Perhaps this is why his writing and curating are so sensitive to the medium. He seems to be better known as a curator and historian than as a photographer.
Mirrors and windows is a very interesting way of describing photography! I will use some of your exercises while looking at my own photography. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this Jon. I’m at the student end of the spectrum and the generosity of this idea as quoted really resonated — “The intention of this analysis has not been to divide photography into two parts. On the contrary, it has been to suggest a continuum, a single axis with two poles. Many of the pictures reproduced here live close to the centre of that axis, and can at the reader's pleasure be shifted mentally to the other side of the book's imaginary equator.” Again thanks. Wonderful food for thought.
Glad you found it useful Anne. Szarkowski is such a great writer. Thanks for reading and good luck with your studies.
Thanks, Jon, yes - very helpful and full of possibilities in the classroom. Of course, a window can also act as a mirror, and mirrors can show us what is behind us - which, when put like that, is perhaps what all photographs do.
True indeed. When the axis becomes a circle, mirrors and windows are touching.
I tried this with my A level students this week and the feedback was generally very positive. I printed out photos from Stephen Shore's book 'The Nature of Photographs' and split them into small groups to arrange them along the axis on three tables. At the end we did a (victory) lap of the classroom looking at each others' work pinned to the wall and analysed where the work fitted into the scheme. In hindsight I could have made the last part less labour intensive by using a non-verbal response (e.g post-it notes) and letting them analyse in their own time. Altogether an interesting task and big thanks for your inspirational post!
Hi Daniel. Thanks so much for sharing this and glad the experiment yielded interesting results. Great choice of book too. I definitely see Stephen Shore as being in the same tradition as John Szarkowski, a lucid advocate for the particular qualities of the photographic image. Love the 'victory lap'! Will you get the students to reflect on their own pictures using a similar strategy?