Reading Assignment 1

Reading Assignment 1: Barrett Chapter 2, Describing Photographs

1)    Thesis: The author describes that criticizes and analyze photos in many ways to describe about photographs and photographer.

Narrow mindset could hinder the ability to interpret photographers.

2)    The author supports the thesis to describe and proof by using examples of some different photographers and their works from Avedon’s American West series. He shows how they present their work to provide a viewpoint to look photographs.

3)    a. Description

Barnett defines explanation for information of subject and the photograph.

b. Subject and Subject Matter

Barnett defines subject as “theme and mean.” The subject matter is who brings message or point that occurs in a photograph.

c. Form

“Form refers to how the subject matters is presented” (26). It’s composed by the elements; line, shape, light and value, color, texture…

d. Medium

Medium is the subject that the photograph or art is made up of. It’s important because medium significantly inflects meaning or expresses meaning itself.

e. Style

Style is how artist treats the subject to be recognized by its characteristics handling of subject matter and formal elements.

4)    a. Comparing and Contrasting

Comparing and Contracting is used to other work by the same photographer, to other photograph’s work, or to works by other artists.

b. Internal and External Sources of Information

Internal of Information sources of information is to gather descriptive information that increases understanding of that photographs. They are used to critic that affects the photographs legitimacy.

5)    a. Description and Interpretation

Barrett writes “it is probably impossible to describe without interpreting as it is to interpret without describing” (34).

b. Description and Evaluation

         Description and Evaluation refers the critique to make others understand the subject clearly

         And also it must be persuasive.

6)     In this chapter, Barrett writes the elements that describe photographs. We should research, critique, compare and contrast other artists’ work to better understand the relevance the works. I leaned that compare and contrast of some different photographers is important to bring the elements and techniques to make own work. He concludes, in the way of learning taking photographs, it will help each photographer to look for what they want in their work and make them better educated. I thought this material help us to understand basic of photograph and make us to get an opportunity to have own opinions and description about artwork.