Are we capable of altering the way we see, and therefore altering

the way we take snapshots?

spring 1998 / planet of the arts 33

CULTURAL DIALEC

34

Notes From The Ledge

Xero

36

State of the art.

Digital Iceberg Ryan Tunnicliffe

A non-plot oriented look at the megalosaurus ‘Titanic.

37

Film Review Worth 1,000 Words

Lucas Gustafson

True love doesn’t sink.

LL

“That's me there!

(Be)coming Through the Snapshot

By Rand Berthaudin

heeeeeese! As children we came to recognize this as the call of the photograph. The reason we say “cheese” seems to have little to do with its actual meaning, and everything to do with the fact that uttering the word produces the appearance of a smile. As children we learned the possibilities of photographic appearances. Nearly every adult in the industrialized world owns a camera, and most of us actively take pictures or “snapshots”. While some only have a handful of snapshots stuffed away in a drawer, others have stacks of photo albums or stacks of slides which serve to document their individual and family histo- ries. But what do these snapshots actually reveal about us?

Morag, a character in Margaret Laurence’s novel The Diviners, puts it this way: “I keep snapshots not for what they show but for what is hidden in them.”’ Like Morag, most of us see snapshots as mysterious entities where meaning is not easily decoded but remain valuable objects nonetheless. We tend to take snapshots at certain moments in our lives: weddings, graduations, religious celebrations, birthdays, and vacations. However, we tend not to take snapshots at moments of uncertainty: divorce proceedings, failing examinations, funerals, periods of isolation, and times of illness.

The snapshot thereby privileges certain experiences over others. The spaces between the snapshots tend to go undocumented in favour of a more positivist record. What is it about the function of the snap- shot that causes us to record certain experiences and not others? And how does the act of “looking” at photographs, and the practice of “taking” snapshots inform and affect who we are? Perhaps through the self-serving and culturally informed process of the snapshot, we and our “field of vision” have become hybridized with the photo- graphic experience. Hence, the very way we “see” ourselves and the world around us has, in large part, been constructed by the snapshot. The question is, Where is the line between us and the snapshot?

Is Photography Still Worth Writing About?

In many ways, critical writing about and around photography is well trodden territory. Some theorists have even proclaimed photog- raphy to be dead, allowing the more recent and contentious mediums of our time (e.g. digital imaging and virtual environments) to rise to the surface of critical discourse. Yet photography still remains an ever-present media in our lives to author our “subjective realities”. Therefore, it remains an important social practice deserving further examination. Perhaps the photograph, too, like its digital counter- part, can be seen as a “virtual space”, whose consequences may in fact be more dangerous. For today the implications of the photograph appear to go largely unquestioned by its authors and its consumers. I

suppose then the question is: Is the human/photograph hybrid void of self-consciousness and steeped in denial, or is the hybrid merely. ambivalently resigned to its post-human condition?

‘Looking’ at Photographs “I'm always mentally photographing everything as practice” —Minor White

Individuals would remain viewers of photographs long before they began to author their own images. Although photography was first introduced to the Western world in the middle of the last centu- ry, it wasn’t until the turn of the century that it was, in earnest, embraced by the masses to construct their own images. Therefore, we must examine the history of “looking” at photographs, before we can examine the act of “taking” snapshots, and ultimately our hybridiza- tion with the snapshot.

Daguerre’s Le Boulevard Du Temple (1839) captured the kind of detail only previously attributed to the direct perception of the human eye. This more technologically perceptible representation of events afforded the photograph an authenticity, and hence authority, never bestowed on painting. And the fact that these images could be indefinitely reproduced and distributed to the masses made the medium even more powerful. Hence, photography became the per- fect device for industrial expansion in the West and facilitated the

continued on page 37, see “That’s Me There”

Are we capable of altering the way we see, and therefore altering

the way we take snapshots?

spring 1998 / plonet of the arts 33

CULTURAL DIALECTICS

34

‘Motes From The Ledge

36

Digital iceberg

‘1000 words

“That's me there!”

(Be)coming Through the Snapshot

By Rand Berthaudin

heeeecese! AS children we came to recognize this 2 the ell ofthe photograph, The reason we ay “ehcese" seems to have litle to do with its acta meaning. and everything to do with the fat that uttering the word produces the appearance of 3 smile. As children we earned the posites of

Photographic appearances. Neary evry adult in ‘the industrialized world owns a camera, and most of us actively tke

Plctureso “snapshots While some ony ive a hand of snapshots stuffed away ina drawer, others have stacks of photo albums or stacks ‘of slides which serve to document their individual and family histo ries. But what do these snapshots actually reveal about ws?

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mysterious ettes where meaning is not easily decoded but remain valuable objects nonetheless. We tend to take snapshots at certain ‘moments in our lives: weddings, graduations, eligious celebrations, birthdays, and vacations. However, we tend not to take snapshots at

int: divorce proceedings, falling examinations, funerals, periods of lation, and times of illness

moments of uncer

The snapshot thereby privileges certain experiences ovr others. ‘Thespacesbetween the snapshots tend to go undocumented in fvour ‘of more positivist record. Whats it about the function ofthe snap

shot that cayses us to record certain experiences and not others? And hhow does the act of “looking” at photographs, andthe practice of “taking” snapshots inform and affect who we are? Pehaps through the self-serving and culturally informed proces ofthe snapshot, we and our “fed of vision” have become hybridized with the photo

sraphic experience. Hence, the very way we "see" ourselves and the ‘word around us as in large par, been constructed by the snapshot

‘The question is, Whereis the line between us and the snapshot?

1s Photography Still Worth Writing About? In many way, eritcal writing about and around photography i wll trodden estoy. Some theorists have even proclaimed photog

raphy tbe dead allowing the more recent and contentious mediums ‘of our time (eg digital imaging and virtual environments) to rise to the surface of critical discourse. Yet photography still remains an cverpresent media in ou lives to author our “subjective relies” Therefore, it remains an important soil practice deserving further ‘cxaminaton. Perhaps the photograph, 10, lke its digital counter par

an be sen a5 a“virtual space’ whose consequences may in fat bbe more dangerous. For today the implications ofthe photograph appear to go largely unquestioned by its authors and its consumers. 1

suppose then the question i I the human/photograph hybrid void of selfconsciousness and steeped in denial, or isthe hybrid merely ambivaently resigned to its pos-human condition?

‘Looking’ at Photographs “rm always mentally photographing everything as practice” Minor wnite Individuals would remain viewers of photographs long before they began to author their own images. Although photography was first introduced othe Western world inthe mide ofthe ast cent it wasnt until the turn of the century that it was, in earnest, embraced by the masses to construct their own images. Therefore, we ‘must examin te history of looking” at photographs, before we can cxamine the act of “akin” snapshots and ultimately our hybridiza tion with the snapshot Daguerre’s Le Boulevard Du Temple (39) capture the kind of etal only previously attributed to the direct perception of the

human eye. This more technologically perceptible representation of ‘vents afforded the photograph an authenticity, and hence authority, never bestowed on painting. And the fat that these images could be indefinitely reproduced and distributed to the masses made the _medium even more powerful Hence, photography became the pe fect device for industrial expansion in the West and facilitated the