Criticizing Photographs : An Introduction to Understanding Images

by Barrett, Terry

ISBN13:

9780874849066

ISBN10:

0874849063

Format:

Paperback

Pub. Date:

3/1/1991

Publisher(s):

McGraw-Hill College

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Summary

This brief text is designed to help both beginning and advanced students of photography better develop and articulate thoughtful criticism. Organized around the major activities of criticism (describing, interpreting, evaluating, and theorizing), "Criticizing Photographs" provides a clear framework and vocabulary for students' critical skill development. The fourth edition includes new black and white and color images, updated commentary, a completely revised chapter on theory that offers a broad discussion of digital images, and an expanded chapter eight on studio critiques and writing about photographs, plus examples of student writing and critique. .

Author Biography

Terry Barret is Professor of Art Education at The Ohio State University.

Preface	p. xi
About Art Criticism	p. 1
Defining Criticism	p. 2
Sources of Criticism	p. 4
Kinds of Criticism	p. 5
The Backgrounds of Critics	p. 7
Stances Toward Criticism	p. 8
Relations Between Critics and Artists	p. 10
Criticizing Criticism	p. 11
The Value of Criticism	p. 13
Describing Photographs	p. 15
Defining Description	p. 15
Descriptions of Avedon's "In the American West"	p. 16
Describing Subject Matter	p. 20
Describing Form	p. 26
Describing Medium	p. 28
Describing Style	p. 31
Comparing and Contrasting	p. 31
Internal and External Sources of Information	p. 32
Description and Interpretation	p. 34
Description and Evaluation	p. 34
The Importance of Description to Readers	p. 35
Interpreting Photographs	p. 36
Defining Interpretation	p. 37
The Objects of Interpretations	p. 39
Interpretive Claims and Arguments	p. 41
Interpretive Perspectives	p. 42
Three Interpretations of Eleanor	p. 42
Other Interpretive Strategies	p. 45
Combinations of Interpretive Approaches	p. 48
"Right" Interpretations	p. 48
Interpretations and the Artist's Intent	p. 50
Interpretations and Feelings	p. 51
Interpretation, Meaning, and Personal Significance	p. 52
The Community of Interpreters	p. 52
Types of Photographs	p. 53
Categories of Photographs	p. 54
New Categories	p. 56
Descriptive Photographs	p. 58
Fxplanatory Photographs	p. 61
Interpretive Photographs	p. 70
Ethically Evaluative Photographs	p. 76
Aesthetically Evaluative Photographs	p. 82
Theoretical Photographs	p. 91
Photographs and Contexts	p. 96
Internal Context	p. 96
Original Context	p. 97
External Context	p. 99
External Contexts and Connotations	p. 101
Interpreting Barbara Kruger's Untitled ("Surveillance"), with Contextual Information	p. 103
"Surveillance" and Internal Context	p. 105
"Surveillance" and Original Context	p. 105
"Surveillance" and External Context	p. 109
Barbara Kruger's Untitled ("Surveillance"), and the Categories	p. 111
Descriptive Photographs	p. 112
Explanatory Photographs	p. 112
Interpretive Photographs	p. 112
Ethically Evaluative PHotographs	p. 112
Aesthetically Evaluative Photographs	p. 113
Theoretical Photographs	p. 114
The Interpretive Process: A Summary	p. 114
Evaluating Photographs	p. 116
Examples of Judgments	p. 116
Judgments and Reasons	p. 117
Judgments and Criteria	p. 119
Different Criteria	p. 120
Realism	p. 120
Expressionism	p. 122
Formalism	p. 123
Instrumentalism	p. 124
Other Criteria	p. 126
Choosing Among Criteria	p. 126
Differing Judgments	p. 127
Judgments Are Arguments	p. 128
Reappraisals	p. 128
Judgments and Preferences	p. 128
Intentionalism and Judgments	p. 129
The Objects of Judgments	p. 130
Judgments of Robert Mapplethorpe's Photographs	p. 130
Hilton Kramer's and Grace Glueck's Views of Mapplethorpe's Work	p. 131
Other Critics' Views of Mapplethorpe's Work	p. 134
Conclusion	p. 138
Theory: Is It Art?	p. 140
Aesthetic Theory	p. 143
Theories and Critics	p. 144
Theories and Photographers	p. 145
Theories and Historians	p. 146
Theories and Curators	p. 146
A Survey of Theoretical Positions	p. 148
Realism and Conventionalism	p. 149
Modernism and Postmodernism	p. 155
Marxist Theory and Criticism	p. 162
Feminist Theory and Criticism	p. 163
Conclusion	p. 166
Writing and Talking About Photographs	p. 168
Writing About Photographs	p. 168
Observing the Work and Taking Notes	p. 168
An Interpretive Paper	p. 169
An Evaluative Paper	p. 171
The Process of Writing	p. 175
Talking About Photographs	p. 177
Discussions of Art in the Presence of the Artist	p. 178
Studio Critiques	p. 179
Notes	p. 183
Bibliography	p. 195
Index	p. 205
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Criticizing Photographs : An Introduction to Understanding Images

9780874849066

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Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents