Ectoplasm

In this essay, there were many really intriguing statements about photography that we haven't ever discussed before. One in particular I'd like to talk about: "Whatever its nominal subject, photography was a visual inscription of the passing of time and therefore also an intimation of every viewer's own inevitable passing" (352 of R). We see photographs from decades ago that are records of time passed and people who have passed and it is true: they reveal the transitivity of our own lives and everything in our lives. It reminds me of the scene in Dead Poet's Society where Robin Williams is telling his class to seize the day. He says this as they look at old black and white pictures of boys who went to the school who knows how many years ago. That scene has always stuck with me and I think it's because of how powerful looking at old photographs or even recent photographs can be. Pictures from our childhoods reveal how much we've grown and how fast the time goes. Even looking at pictures from my parent's childhoods brings a sadness of how gone those days are and how fast my days are going to go. Photography can be a morbid subject, revealing some truths we'd rather not accept. Some might say thats one of the best things about it.

I also thought some statements about digital photography were interesting: "...digital images are actually closer in spirit to the creative processes of art than they are to the truth values of documentary" (353) The reason the author says this, I think, is because of all work that goes into "touching up" or refinishing a digital work, or maybe even manipulating it, whether its the color, format, or contrast. I would tend to disagree, although I do agree that it takes a skilled person to make a great digital picture. I think that film photography needs a lot of patience and work that is different but still "using the digits" and creates photographs that are just as impressive as some digital pictures. I am sad that film is becoming obselete and the dark room is becoming something of the past.