Criticizing Photographs

Overview

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.

Table of contents

Criticizing Photographs, Fourth Edition, Terry Barrett

Tentative (10/20/04)

1. About Art Criticism
Defining Criticism
Sources of Criticism
Kinds of Criticism
The Backgrounds of Critics
Stances Toward Criticism
Relations Between Critics and Artists
Criticizing Criticism
The Value of Criticism

2. Describing Photographs: What Do I See?
Defining Description
Descriing an Exhibition: Avedon's In the American West
Describing Subject Matter
Describing Form
Describing Medium
Describing Style
Comparing and Contrasting
Internal and External Sources of Information
Description and Interpretation
Description and Evaluation
The Importance of Description to Readers
Principles for Describing Photographs

3. Interpreting Photographs: What Does It Mean?
An Exemplary Interpretation
About Interpretation
Defining Interpretation
The Objects of Interpretation
Interpretive Claims and Arguments
Interpretive Perspectives
Three Interpretations of Eleanor
Other Interpretive Strategies
Combinations of Interpretive Approaches
"Right" Interpretations
Interpretations and the Artist's Intent
Interpretations and Feelings
Interpretation, Meaning, and Personal Significance
The Community of Interpreters

4. Types of Photographs
Categories of Photographs
New Categories
Descriptive Photographs
Explanatory Photographs
Interpretive Photographs
Ethically Evaluative Photographs
Aesthetically Evaluative Photographs
Theoretical Photographs

5. Photographs and Contexts
Internal Context
Original Context
External Context
External Contexts and Connotations
Interpreting Barbara Kruger's Untitled ("Surveillance"), with Contextual Information
"Surveillance" and Internal Context
"Surveillance" and Original Context
"Surveillance" and External Context
Barbara Kruger's Untitled ("Surveillance"), and the Categories
Descriptive Photographs
Explanatory Photographs
Interpretive Photographs
Ethically Evaluative Photographs
Aesthetically Evaluative Photographs
Theoretical Photographs
The Interpretive Process: A Summary

6. Judging Photographs: Is It Good?
Examples of Judgmental Statements
Positive Judgments
Negative Judgments
Implied Judgments
Opposing Judgments
Comparative Judgments
Jugments and Reasons
Judgments and Criteria
Different Criteria
Realism
Expressionism
Formalism
Instrumentalism
Other Criteria
Choosing Among Criteria
Differing Judgments
Judgments Are Arguments
Reappraisals
Judgments and Preferences
Intentionalism and Judgments
The Objects of Judgments
Judgments of Robert Mapplethorpe's Photographs
Hilton Kramer's and Grace Glueck's Views of Mapplethorpe's Work
Other Critics' Views of Mapplethorpe's Work
Conclusion
7. Photography Theory: Is It Art? Is It True? Is It Moral?
Photography Theory and Practice
Ontological Concerns: What Is a Photograph?
Digital Images and Ontology
Epistemological Concerns: Are Photographs True?
Realist Theory
Conventionalist Theory
Photographic Truth
Aesthetic Concerns: Is Photography Art?
Modernism and Postmodernism
Digital Images and Aesthetic Concerns
Ethical Concerns: Are Photographs Moral?
Marxist Theory and Ethical Photography
Feminist Theory and Ethical Photography
Multicultural Theory and Ethical Photography
Queer Theory and Ethical Photography
Postcolonial Theory and Ethical Photography
Conclusion
8. Writing and Talking About Photographs
Writing About Photographs
Observing Works and Taking Notes
Quick-Writes and Careful-Writes
Students' Interpretive Writings
Building Visual Interpretations
Making Personal Meanings
Judging Photographs
Writing Criteria Statements
Three Student Views of Immediate Family by Sally Mann
Metacritical Writing
Writing Artists' Statements
Processes of Writing
Talking About Photographs
Studio Critiques
Kinds of Critiques
Conducting Successful Critiques
Principles For Effective Critiques

Notes
Bibliography
Index