Photography and Cinema (ANSWERED)

QUESTION

Required Resources

Read/review the following resources for this activity:

Textbook: Chapter 11
Lesson 1, 2
Minimum of 1 primary or scholarly source (from photographer or critic – either will count as your scholarly source requirement for discussions)

Initial Post Instructions

For the initial post, address one of the following options:

Option 1: In the 19th century, the camera was a revolutionary invention, and many artists were concerned about the effect that photographs would have on the art world.

Did the invention of the camera change the arts? Why or why not?
Choose an artistic movement that you believe was influenced by the camera and discuss how the movement was affected.
Include at least one example of an artist and artwork in your response.
Include a statement from a current photographer or critic to support your points.

Option 2: In the 21^st century, the smartphone camera changed the way we use and view photography. In addition, apps and social media have changed the way we share photography.

How has the invention of the smartphone camera changed photography?
How have apps and social media changed the way we share photos? Are they positive and/or negative changes? Explain.
Include a statement from a current photographer or critic to support your points.

ANSWER

Photography and Cinema

Option 1

Impact of the Invention of the Camera on Art

Invention of the camera changed the arts because it gave rise to new artistic movements and changed how the world perceived arts. Kim (2022) indicates, “Photography fundamentally changed the role and value of portraitures by producing a more realistic image and by making it more affordable and accessible to the growing middle class, thereby democratizing its access and consumption.” The camera’s ability to represent reality more accurately forced artists to reinvent themselves. Artists shifted their focus from depicting reality in their paintings to portraying impressions and emotions (Silva, 2022). Today, we view art as something that can evoke emotion and thinking. Photography eliminated the need for art to be realistic, prompting various artistic movements to explore other methods of expressing themselves.

Impact of the Camera on Artistic Movements

The camera affected movements such as Impressionism. Photography caused the impressionism movement to deviate from the realistic art norms and start experimenting with other painting dimensions such as color, light, and movement. Instead of esteeming realism, impressionists focused on expressing impressions and conveying movement.

Artist: Claude Monet, Gare Saint-Lazare, oil on canvas, 1877.

Monet was an impressionist artist. In the above image, he tries to capture the impression of the middle class’s urban life during the industrial revolution. The artist did not use photography, meaning he interacted with the subject matter daily to capture the depicted impressions appropriately. He also uses fast and loose brushstrokes to create an unfinished look of figures and objects. This unfinished look contrasts the visual accuracy of photography. Although it was initially criticized, the captured ephemeral movement in the portrait was later accepted by impressionism (Silva, 2022).

Option 2

Question 1

A new wave of photography, e.g., selfies, has emerged due to smartphone cameras. Selfies are an extension of the traditional self-portrait medium that emphasizes experience instead of composition and framing (Keep, 2014). Selfies or personal photography are signifiers of personal experience: they communicate our stories and lived experiences.

Smartphone cameras have also remodeled traditional photographic practices. Smartphone images can be easily reconstructed, deconstructed, and re-imaged through digital filters. Individuals can alter the appearance of their photos, bringing in new interpretations of the original image. With smartphones, image capturing is no longer a consciously planned activity but a spontaneous one. Public and private spaces are now considered sceneries for capturing and recording images.

Question 2.

Before apps and social media, mobile carrier charges made image sharing prohibitively expensive. Networking capabilities inherent in Apps and social platforms have made it easier for people to instantly share photos with a large group of people at a low cost.

Social media and apps have also become important avenues for people to pursue social inclusion, self-expression, and enjoyment. We often use photographic images to communicate and express ourselves. Often, social media comes up with trends, and people participate by sharing their own experiences related to the trend. These online trends allow people to participate in dynamic visual communication culture, which, in turn, helps them maintain social relationships and construct personal and group identities.

Social media and Apps also have their pitfalls. Apps and Social Media platforms, especially Facebook and Instagram, have editing capabilities to allow users to alter images. Stone and Zwolinski (2022) quote a critic saying, “we are entering a post-truth world where reality may depend on the whims and fancies of, for example, social consensus as opposed to the truth.” This quote implies that digital altering abilities promote misinformation, which is harmful. According to critics, digital manipulation diminishes the credibility of using photography as a communication tool. Social media and digital apps have brought both positive and negative changes.

References

Keep, D. (2014). The Liquid aesthetic of the cameraphone: Re-imagining photography in the mobile age. The Journal of Creative Technologies, (4).

Kim, E. H. (2022). Photography’s impact on art during the industrial revolution. https://ethanhyunjaekim.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ethanhkim_photography_research-paper.pdf

Silva, E. (2022, June 4). How Photography Pioneered a New Understanding of Art. The Collector. https://www.thecollector.com/how-photography-transformed–art/

Stone, C. B., & Zwolinski, A. (2022). The mnemonic consequences associated with sharing personal photographs on social media. Memory, Mind & Media, 1.