Jessica Dusseault

Period 5 Eng. 9 Adv.

David Patterson

February 29, 2015

Seen In Everyday Life: How the Meaning of Photographers and the Art of

Photography Are Deteriorating and How It Can Be Fixed

The Sunday newspaper is full of sports, headline news stories, and ads. The sports

section showing the local sports teams stats, the headline news stories discussing

some of the racy and interesting topics of today, but the ads are full of the latest

electronics of today. Best Buy, Target, and Walmart all show ads for electronics

including cameras. Prices for cameras can range from twenty dollars to two-thousand

dollars. Ads and todays generation can give people the idea that if they have an

expensive camera they can be “professional” photographers. This is not true. The true

meaning of what a photographer is and the art of photography has fluctuated negatively

because technology is advancing and providing everyday people with high-tech

camera’s. However, with a further understanding of ones own camera and studies of the

topic through credible classes, the true meaning of what a photographer is and the art of

photography can be understood.

Famous Influences

Famous photographers impact our day-to-day lives, and many people do not realize

it. For instance, Andy Warhol is a famous Pop-Culture photographer and said to be one
of the most influential artists of the late 20th century. His name is heard around the

world, and his art is viewed with the adoration of many. Warhol caught the eye of many

people by basing his artwork off of simple objects like soda bottles and dollar bills. He is

most known for repeating multiple variations of one image in a larger piece of work,

using monochromatic color schemes, and creating silk-screen paintings. In addition to

basing his work off of simple objects, he often created images with iconic figures such

as Jacqueline Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe. Warhol also became a filmmaker in the

mid 60’s, using what some would call “startling” projection techniques. Some of his later,

and most known films include Dracula and Frankenstein which were both made in 1974.

All in all, Andy Warhol has been a great influence on photography and is a great

example isn’t just someone who can use a fancy camera (“Andy Warhol”).

However, Diane Arbus’ name may not be as well known as Andy Warhol’s but she is

still said to be one of “America’s Best known photographers.” Some of her images were

greatly seen as controversial and disturbing. Arbus once said her pictures were out to

seek “the space between who someone is and who they think they are.” She didn’t take

photographs to please people, she took them to show a different side of life and to

capture different meanings even if it wasn’t well liked by the general population. Her

images often showed the side of life “that seem to reflect our deepest fears and most

private wishes” (DeCarlo). With her camera, Arbus captured vulnerability, depression,

discomfort, and isolation of her subjects (Kallen 28). Her artwork drew crowds, not only

to criticize but to praise the beauty of the work. Despite some of Arbus’ darker work, in

their younger years her and her husband, who was also quite an established
photographer, worked as a team. Arbus often was the set designer and her husband

took the photos. The power couple even had photos featured in Vogue Magazine. Arbus

herself was said to be an amazing woman, her personality bubbled with curiosity, she

was unpredictable, and incredibly intelligent. Though her personality and artwork shined

unexplainably, all of it was soon shadowed over by her suicide. She died in 1971 at the

age of 48. A year after she died the Museum of Modern Art in New York City showcased

some of her later work, which was considerably darker and more disturbing.

Nevertheless, through her hard times and unpredictable personality she opened the

eyes of many to the art in photography and was yet another example that a

photographer is more than just a person with an expensive camera. (DeCarlo).

The Appeal of Photography

Aside from famous photographers, many people today collect basketball cards,

baseball cards, and cards with their favorite celebrities on them. This originated from a

fad that started in 1860. For the time era, the “famous” people were usually royalty and

politicians not star athletes and boy bands. They were mass produced and sold to

normal, everyday people. Over the years the size of the cards have gotten gotten

smaller, and even bigger. The original size of the cards were about two and a half

inches by four inches, which is the size of most photo cards today. In the 1860’s photo

cards were even considered “fashionable” to carry around with you. In short, the photo

card fad has shown that there is much more to the art of photography than fashion and

eye catching photos, its about sowing everyday people its beauty and power (Kallen

31-48).
 Generally speaking, photography isn’t just about capturing the moment a super

model walks on the runway or the latest clothes in the fashion industry. Often times it’s

used as tool, whether that be in schools to have a visual representation or to get an

important message across. There are many different types of photography that are

practiced such as impressionism, surrealism, self-expressionism, and many more.

Impressionism is art that tries to capture an experience or feeling visually, whereas

surrealism can be considered strange because the art itself is made up of illogical

scenes that let the “unconscious” to express itself, concept, or idea. One of the more

common types of art is self-expressionism, where the artist creates an image through

photography, painting, sketching, and even writing to express their thoughts, emotions,

and the world around them (Kallen 31-48). All things considered, these different types of

art all play a major role in photography and art of all kind, and help create the true

meaning of the art of photography and what photographers are.

As a result from all the different themes in photography, there is a lot of criticism. Not

only is the theme or type of images criticized but also the photographer. For example,

Martin Parr’s creations are considered “offensive,” but that doesn’t stop him from taking

photo’s. Also, self-expressionism is often shamed and some say it is “outrageous to

express attitudes and odd opinions.” Over the years, photo’s have become “racier”

because of the society we live in. As a result of photos becoming “racier,” everyday

pictures are harshly criticized. On the whole, even though photographers and their work

are harshly criticized every, for both good and bad, the photographers brush it off and

allow only their opinion to justify their own works of art (Kallen 77).
 The Camera Itself

Above all, without the invention of the camera there would be no such thing as

photography. Dating all the way back to the 1820’s, light was recorded light reflected off

objects to make an image. Whereas today, “Digital camera’s record light onto a

computer chip while older camera’s preserve it on film, but all photography depends on

manipulation of light” (Kallen 8). In 1839 Louis Daguerre officially announced the art of

photography with his invention of the daguerreotype. “For the first time exact images of

people and objects could be stored and brought back whenever needed” (Eby 22).

Roughly five decades later, than first handheld camera was invented by George

Eastman with the help of Kodak in 1888 (Thompson 1). Mainly in the 21st century is

when the “do-it-yourself” idea of photography started. Not only did hand held cameras

become more advanced and popular, but in today’s world anyone can take a photo with

their mobile phone. Publishing rates and sales for the photography industry are rising

everyday because it is now a part of our everyday lives (Publishers). In the long run,

being a photographer is about more than having a fancy and expensive camera, its

about knowing the history and how the art came to be because its plays such an

important role in our everyday lives.

Taking Photos

Nowadays, anyone can take a picture but to be a photographer you need to

understand how to use and understand you camera. You also need to know tips and

tricks, especially when taking pictures in cold weather. Cold weather can effect the
batteries of your camera, so always keep extras handy in you pockets. The batteries in

cameras die faster in colder weather, so keep the extra’s in your pockets so they stay

warm. Camera’s can be very expensive to replace, and when they are taken from a

cozy warm house to the frigid temperatures of the winter, the moisture from

condensation can damage camera’s. (Sheremeta). Taking care of your camera and

knowing how to use it in all situations is one of the many tasks you need to know when

taking photo’s. All in all, being a photographer is about much more than having a

camera, learning how to take pictures and use your camera is one of the many critical

parts to becoming one.

Developing Photo’s

With attention to taking photos, since photography has been around, there have been

many different ways and methods of developing film. From hand developing film with

chemicals (which is still used today, but very rare), to what we know as polaroids with

“chemicals contained in individual film cards” allowing instant development. With the

advancements in technology today, you can print your photos right at home. There are

also websites like Shutterfly, that allow you to create collages, calendars, and scrap

books on the website and to be printed at a high quality. Developing photo’s has been a

high part of photography’s history because it has changed greatly along with the

advancements in camera’s (Rim). In brief, knowing different ways of photo development

is important when you are a photographer because different ways of developing can

change the way an image looks, not knowing how to use the automatic settings on a

camera.
 Is Photography More than a Hobby?

However, many people think nothing more of photography than it just being a hobby,

but it is so much more. Photography has helped with development of microscopes,

telescopes, finding shock waves, warm air currents and so much more (“Photography”

160 - 180). Sarah Dolley, an art teacher at Gorham High school talks about

photography, “I think it’s more of an impact than reading something,” relating to the

impact it has had and how it had been used as tool (Dolley). For example it was “used

by feminist in the 1970’s to show roles of women in a workplace” and a photographer

name Jo Spence used it to document her cancer experience to show the world what

she really went through. All things considered, without photography or film we wouldn’t

have the news spreading the word about current events that are important in our lives

and we wouldn’t have visual records that help teach us more about our history (Kallen

78).

Similarly, photography has helped showing the reality of real world situations to

people who are unaware. It has helped spreading the word about diseases, disorders,

and deaths. It has also shown how times have changed and how the world has

transformed views and values over time. It has opened up the worlds eyes to

homosexuals, punk rockers, hippies and other outsiders from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.

Most of these pictures were taken by these “outsiders” showing the pain, suffering, and

struggles they have gone through (Kallen 81). All in all, photography is much, much
more than a hobby or a career. It is part of our everyday lives whether we realize it or

not.

All in all, photography is so much more than just a hobby. It is used as a visual tool in

our everyday lives. Ads in the newspaper, pictures in textbooks, and expression of

emotion and events. The real photographers are the ones to be grateful for these

pictures. They take their work seriously and aren’t brought down by advancements in

technology that are taking away from their work. Just because you have a top of the line

camera doesn’t mean you take the best pictures or that you’re considered a

photographer. To be a photographer you have to know your camera manually not just

on automatic. You need to know the history and the great people that made the art of

photography what it is today. In conclusion, the meaning of what a true photographer is

and the art of photographer has deteriorated because high-tech camera’s are available

to everyone giving people the idea that if they have a nice camera, they are a

photographer. However, with a further understanding of ones own camera, and studies

of the topic through credible classes the true meaning of what a photographer is and the

art of photography can be understood.

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