Activity #09 The Camera

REWRITE:

The challenges presented by the camera and photography contributed to the development of nonrepresentational or nonobjective art. These art movements originated “from the search of the true essence of art”, (Getlein, p 40). Prior to the camera, visual art was more representational of the current time. The focal point of many artists was humans, human events, and landscapes. With the introduction and later advancements of the camera what was at one time capture on canvas, could be capture on paper in a fraction of time. In the early days of the camera and still photos, the subject had to stand still for as long as twenty minutes for the photographer to obtain a shot, this was still an improvement over a subject sitting for hours for a portrait to be painted. Hence, photography, allowed artist to explore with content and focal points that were not objective. The introduction of compact cameras in 1888, by American George Eastman made the camera portable and the artist was able to capture life in the natural, in all forms and places. Photography was practiced as an art, and techniques such as gauzing was used to remove the objectivity of the camera. The camera change visual art from representational to more expressive and abstract.

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Is it live or is it Memorex, was a popular slogan for a manufacturer of audio tape, with the technological advances in photography, there should now be a similar slogan for digital photography; is it real or retouched. Digital photography that is prominent in print, magazines and advertising has capitalized on techniques such as airbrushing to manipulate a photo into the perfect portrait. The axiom, “the camera does not lie”, is no longer true for photography. In today’s world it is questionable if any “photography is “pure” or “straight” photography as championed by Aldred Stieglitz. Pure photography is free from any type of manipulation, airbrushing, cropping, or re-coloring” (Getelien, p220).

Photography has advance tremendously since the days of still photos, where the subject had to stand still for as long as twenty minutes for the photographer to obtain a shot. High-speed cameras are now capable of capturing a photo in as little as thirty seconds. In addition to the improvements in speed, the medium for which photography can be printed or published has advance from metal, to glass, to paper, film or computers.

The two most significant advancements in photography was the introduction of compact cameras and color. “In 1888, American George Eastman, developed the Kodak camera, it was compact and portable and the slogan you press the button, we do the rest was used to market the Kodak. In the 1960’s and 1970’s the introduction of color to photography was introduced” (Getelien, p215 - 217).

No doubt photography has a significant impact on history and art. Photography has help to record time, giving us history. Photography has provided us with optical illusions and creativity to bring us art. The only question that we are left with today, is it real or retouched?

Getlein, Mark. Living With Art 8th. Ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 2008.