The Photography of The 21st Century
Introduction
Think about the fact, when photography had been discovered in 1839 and slowly matured over time, the painters of the late nineteenth century were forced to adopt a new style. This change resulted in a substantial shift in the forms — Realism to Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Expressionism, and Cubism, and so on. How different it is from paintings when photography, as a medium, is quite easily available and, everyone has access to it. Not much, I believe. In this article, The Photography of the 21st Century, I want to discuss how it is relevant in today’s photography context, comparing it with the evolution of different forms in paintings.
The Perspective
We have millions of photographs, if not billions, are being produced every day. For instance, if just 1% of the world population, which is 7 billion as we speak, take one shot with their camera, mobile device, or by any other means, we will be producing 70 million pictures in a day. Sounds crazy, right? That is to say, does not warrant that it is the time to come up with new ideas of visual storytelling — a complete paradigm shift, and an approach for new standards?
In the 21st century, science and technology do not wonder us anymore. We are fortunate to witness many innovations. As humankind, we have gone through a series of advancements subsequently. The technology behind capturing an image is no more a costly affair, and accessibility is not an issue anymore.
Certainly, it’s not a privileged tool as it used to be in 10 years back. Even a low-end mobile phone can capture a decent image now. And we can also print it on paper or canvas. Mostly, we use a mobile phone camera to capture photos for social media. As a result, we have too many photographs are being produced every day. All are good in terms of look and appearance.
Simplicity and Complexity
Having said that, it outwardly seems photography is the easiest art medium to pursue. At the same time, it is very difficult to make images that can stand out from the crowd. That is to say, it’s hard to make images that can be remembered and treasured for a long. Advancement of technology has imposed some challenges to serious photographers. It forced them to think out of the box, and come out with new standards, redefine their approach. On the other side, its simplicity has continually encouraged all the photo lovers to pursue photography as a medium for art. So, many newcomers want to give a try. It was never before like that in film days. In fact, all this is good for photography as a fine art medium. It is equally good for the evolution of a new set of standards.
A Lesson from History
History repeats itself. In the seventeenth century, artists used camera obscura, which is the Latin word for “room dark”. It is a darkened enclosure or box with a small opening or lens on one wall through which light enters to form an inverted image on the opposite wall. It is believed that some artists used this method to project images onto the canvas during the Baroque period (1600-1750). However, due to the inability to create a truly permanent image, this technology could only be used as a tool to assist artists in drafting their artwork. In 1839, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre used a silver iodide covered copper plate and mercury fumes to make a single fixed image. Since then, photography has truly become a fusion of science and creativity and matured over time.
Realism
With the development of photography, nineteenth-century painters were challenged to position themselves from the newly developed medium. It was the era of Realism (1850-1900) of modern art. At that time, the realist artists were interested in accurately depicting the human condition, with an element of social awareness. Realist artists had focused themselves to precisely represent the visual world. But then, a photographer could do this with a camera and flashbulb. Because of the camera, artists of the latter half of the nineteenth century began to experiment with optical realism and capturing of movement in a whole new way.
Impressionism
Impressionism (1870-1900), a new style was evolved in painting, a slight shift from Realism. The name of the style derives from the title of a Claude Monet work, Impression, Soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise). In Édouard Manet’s great painting, Bar at the Folies-Bergère (1881-1882), has a sense of the depth of field and blurriness, as they would be in a photograph, and is an indication of movement. In The Rehearsal on Stage (1874), Edgar Degas, an impressionist artist, painted ballet dancers featuring a dynamic form of the human body. It depicts two dancers in motion, limbs askew, blurry instructor’s coat, and dancer’s dresses. Soon after Post-Impressionism (1890-1910), again, there was a shift of style and form. Here in this era, we have great artists like Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin to name a few.
Expressionism
Vincent van Gogh is considered the greatest after Rembrandt van Rijn, and one of the greatest of the Post-Impressionists. The striking color, emphatic brushwork, and contoured forms of his work powerfully influenced the current of Expressionism in modern art. Vincent van Gogh produced emotional, visually arresting paintings over the course of a career that lasted only a decade. Rather than faithfully depicting his surroundings, he painted landscapes altered by his imagination, memories, and emotions evoked within him.
Different Styles of Paintings
The radical shift in paintings happened with Fauvism (1900-1930) and Expressionism (1900-1940). Henri Matisse’s work is an example. And finally, a substantial shift happened with Cubism. It is characterized by fragmented images or images that had been broken up and viewed from multiple angles. It was a truly revolutionary development in modernist art in the early twentieth century. Pablo Picasso is credited with developing Cubism. His Guernica, painted in 1937, is a visual representation of the atrocities of war — an accurate depiction of a cruel, dramatic situation. It rendered through nearly abstract figures that stepped into symbolism.
Influence of Photography on Paintings
Photography and its influence have definitely changed the style, form, and approach of paintings. It played a strong role in evolving new forms of paintings in the early nineteenth century. Similarly, easy accessibility of camera at mass level and excessive photographs produced every day, demand a change in photography. It should evolve in terms of innovative storytelling, forms, styles, and approaches.
In the 21st century, photography definitely needs a new roadmap, a whole fresh new medium. Now, photographs are not just being displayed on fine art paper, but many other digital forms like a webpage, PDF, slideshow presentation, and that makes it a different art medium altogether. The level of commitment needed to print and frame a photograph is much more than putting it on a webpage, or a blog, or simply on a social media site.
Personal Extension and its Importance
To give another perspective, let me take the example of a pen and paper. This is the cheapest medium available. Even though, every one of us is not a novelist, an essayist, or a columnist, or even a blogger. Because it requires a story to tell, or an idea to communicate, or a personal standpoint to share that should interest others. Similarly, today’s photography, at the peak of its technological avant-garde, in my point of view, is the communication of an idea and thought process involved with it. It could be to showcase a dreamland fantasy with a personal extension. That being said, colorful, good looking, and well-composed photographs are still not enough and adequate with the given perspective. In the 21st century, photography as a medium demands a new approach or a strategy to adopt.
Joel Meyerowitz once said –
“We think of photography as pictures. And it is. But I think of photography as ideas. And do the pictures sustain your ideas or are they just good pictures? I want to have an experience in the world that is a deepening experience, that makes me feel alive and awake and conscious.”
This echo with the current situation and absolutely relevant from the perspective where we stand now.
Some Questions
Questions often whirl in my mind — what should be the approach to photograph a subject. Is it the subject itself, or is it the way perceived by the photographer? It’s a weird concept. But when a personal extension is important, it is obvious to come up with this question. That would the quality which will make a photograph different from one another. If it’s important to fill up the frame with feelings, energy, frustration, wonder, or interaction of the subject with the photographer, we have to put a personal touch in the frame or series of the images, right?
Once again, I admire Joel’s viewpoint towards photography and his words. In his words —
“I think about photographs as being full, or empty. You picture something in a frame and it’s got lots of accounting going on in it – stones and buildings and trees and air – but that’s not what fills up a frame. You fill up the frame with feelings, energy, discovery, and risk, and leave room enough for someone else to get in there.”
This makes total sense to me. It indicates adding a third dimension in a two-dimensional photograph. In other words, it emphasizes having a personal viewpoint towards the subject, scene, situation, or whatever it is.
The Truth about Photography
I realized from my own photography practice that it is not as trustworthy as it seems. It may not be the absolute fact — it could be an altered version of what is being displayed. Imagine how difficult it is to alter a fact when Photoshop already released its Creative Cloud suite.
Joan Fontcuberta, one of Spain’s most prominent and innovative artists, produced a series of landscape photographs in his “Landscapes Without Memory” work where the landscapes do not exist in the earth. In fact, those aren’t the photographs but computer-generated images created by software initially designed to produce 3D images based on cartographical data.
Having said that, it is the photographer who you can trust — what he perceived, and how he realized the event or the scene. You just cannot trust what you see in the print or in the digital version. The photographer, his works, and reputation matters. This again justifies the importance of personal extension in the craft of photography.
Today’s photography, at the peak of its technological avant-garde, in my point of view, is the communication of an idea and thought process involved with it.
Storytelling
I believe our interest in stories — truth or fiction, will never demise. It never did in the past. However, the storytelling matters. We have experienced in the movies that even a simple story of a boy becomes interesting if presented with artistry and skill. The richness of a story and creativity in storytelling makes it more valuable and admirable.
Similarly, in photography, we can make stories of whatever we can think of, that has to be unique. But it needs to be presented in a way that generates interest. And it should not be a clichéd one. I was going through some YouTube videos on writing, and they also talked about avoiding clichéd similes or phrases, suggested discovering something new and fresh. In photography, developing a story and presenting it in a fresh new way itself could be a possibility.
Most importantly, it should have a message, or an idea, or a statement, or even a fantasy. However, it has to be unique, non-clichéd. There has to be an innovative approach to storytelling. In short, it has to delineate with a fresh style that touches our minds. There are bright minds. I am sure they will come out with breathtaking ideas and continually surprise us.
Story vs. Information
On the contrary, the story should not be mistaken with information. If I take a simple photo of my son standing in front of the Taj Mahal, it’s a piece of information that we visited the Taj Mahal. However, if I put it in a context, sequence it along with other photos, then the entire series will talk a story. We can use a photo for information or as a medium of storytelling.
Hypothetically, if I captured an alien with my mobile camera after the spaceship landed in a lonely sea beach and I was the only person present over there, would that be regarded as photography? Or the image that I captured would be seen as highly valuable information? I’m sure it’s a trophy. Finally, there is no solid line, no better way for demarcation.
It’s the evidence that I was there. It’s a piece of information. However, it carries valued information. To conclude — if we can put some standalone and fragmented information in a sequence, it can lead to a thesis, a or story, or even an abstract expression. It can be a valuable piece of art, a mind-blogging material with artistic values.
To conclude — if we can put some standalone and fragmented information in a sequence, it can lead to a thesis, a or story, or even an abstract expression. It can be a valuable piece of art, a mind-blogging material with artistic values.
Photo and Video
I think videography is the best medium for capturing information. In that case, photography needs a shift from video in terms of storytelling. Now we have 4k video technology available. Also, we have high-speed shutter cameras. We do not have any reason to believe that a good decisive moment is the actual credibility of the photographer. Technology has the power to capture decisive moments — only we need to choose the best from them later on. However, the advantages of technology have imposed some restrictions as well.
The Last Words
In conclusion, photography as a medium has been diversified — from fine art paper prints and books to various digital formats like slideshows, eBooks, PDFs, webpages, and social media platforms. Based on the media and format used, the level of commitment and involvement varies. If we want to make it to the same standard as a movie, or a novel, or a music album, we have to put a similar effort. Is that what are we doing? Do we have the realization where we stand right now on image-making pursuit? Instead of making individual leaves, I think, it is time to create a complete tree with leaves, branches, stems, and roots — a whole product using the advantages of tools and technologies.
To me, photography is a visual language for storytelling, making a statement, or passing a clear message, or sharing an idea; on the other hand, it is a medium for expression — like a piece of classical music with no lyrics, or as a scent of a flower, very hard to define in words.
Think about it. I would be extremely happy if you share your thoughts and leave a comment below. Please sign up for a new post. Thank you.
Another blog post of my personal photography though and practice.
Moderately detailed discussion about photography. Agree on some level to Merowitz. Liked it!
Thank you Debmalya 🙂
“…On the contrary, story should not be mistaken with information. If I take a nice portrait of my kid in front of Taj Mahal, it is an information that he visited Taj Mahal, or I visited Taj Mahal and my kid was with me. Hypothetically say, if I captured an alien with my mobile camera after the spaceship landed in a lonely sea beach and I was the only person present over there, would that be regarded as photography? Or the image that I captured would be seen as highly valuable information? It’s a trophy for me. It’s the evidence that I was there but most importantly it is worthy enough for the valued importation it carries. Now, many sequential, standalone information, fragmented information can lead to a thesis or story or even an abstract idea, and that can be a valuable piece of art, a mind blogging material with artistic value….”
This paragraph says it all! Excellent writeup.
Thank you Arijit da for your time and feedback on this. I am glad you liked it 🙂
its good that you have thought in this way … its informative as well as rich with pictorial depiction … thank you …..
Thank you Ambarnath da, really appreciate your feedback 🙂
A thoughtful discourse on the nature of photography. I enjoyed reading it, especially the simile with the different genres of painting. I do agree that what makes a photograph a work of art is the unique perspective of the photographer. Nowhere is this more evident than when clicking people and their varied moods. Some photographs I have taken over the years may not be remarkable from a technical perspective, but it is the thought and the emotion behind those photographs that makes me go back to them repeatedly.
While on the topic, the subject of art in photography reminds me of Robert Kincaid, the National Geographic photojournalist in ” The Bridges of Madison County.” Cheers to his tribe!
Very well documented article. I guess the fact that modern technology makes tool for creativity affordable will lead to mass mobilisation of a will to create. Now this according to me happens in all fields. Be it healthcare research, music, animation, the construction industry and so on. These are professional fields and has quality competition and a stronger will to develop better end products of techniques. I’m sure this happens in the art of image making too. Professional photographers compete in a different sphere. As for others like me, I’m happy getting Facebook likes (Anirban Saha dont giggle . Personally speaking I love to see people making images and getting a great deal of satisfaction out of it. If they are happy getting face book likes, nothing wrong in that either. Do they love showing off an expensive SLR, no problem. Are all these leading to the loss in quality photography around the world? Dont think so. To round it up I really believe that we operate in diff layers as far as photography is concerned. The simple fact as you mentioned that billions of images are being created everyday should not dilute the goal of a good image maker. We have enough subjects to create new meaningful images that satisfies the photographer first and then hopefully sends out proper messages for the betterment of our planet as a whole. Let there be billions of images, for me atleast the sweet sound of a camera shutter is all that I love to hear. Happy clicking.
There was a part of my life
where I used to put more importance on curation than on the creation of images.
I remember getting into an argument with a very well renowned photographer on the advancement of modern technology and how it was breaking down the high pillars of photography. The argument was photography on it’s earlier stage tried to mimic paintings . So if one calls it the mechanical branch of a pure art. One should not be stopped from it .
But after all those hullabaloo of my younger years , as someone who is practicing photography to earn his bread. I welcome the challenge. On a philosophical level I believe that we are not producing nothing new but at the same time. The way we are projecting our ideas has reached a more intimate style. The fourth wall that some of the photographers try to conquer is a commendable act.
The point of view is not to judge
but to observe
I think that it will be impossible to separate story from photography. A lot of the photographs which make the news these days rely a lot on the distinctiveness of the software used to edit them, the specialized lens used to take them, or the specialized camera used to take them. So yes they pop, and yes they have amazing detail but they have very little if anything appealing about them. Consequently, as quickly as they appear, they disappear, replaced by another more exciting photograph. Yet, older images which were not taken with sophisticated equipment still endure. The convey an idea, a feeling a concept which is enduring and which we immediately recognize and never grows old no matter the era. Cameras have become ubiquitous. I think what is left is for effective storytelling to become ubiquitous as well. It is time to end images that just pop. I think we need to get images that inspire, that move, that motivate, that remind us that a photograph is not just a pretty picture.
A simple yet interesting article on the art of photography. Loved reading it.
Hi Fahim,
Thank you very much for going through the entire article, really appreciate your feedback, and I am glad you liked it ” Thank you.
Absolutely striking the right chord in today’s era of motion/still image making. Just like we have 700 million clicked photos everyday in the same way we have 700 million videos/short films/story boards / ad campaigns uploaded in YouTube.I guess we have reached a saturation level in both formats. It’s nothing new it has happened with all forms and practices of art in every eras. We have to think more about this art form if at all we want to persue development. Offbeat creation in art is bravery coz audience are whimsicals and development of art form dangerous.
We all need to understand, nothing grows out of comfort zone. It’s a line of ECG which means death of art.
Loved the article thoroughly.
Hi Debarshi, thank you for the vote of confidence. I am glad you liked the overall idea and intension of the post. Really appreciate your feedback and comment. I couldn’t agree more with what you have said in your comment. Once again, thank you very much.
Very important, critical and thought provoking write-up with a collection of mind blowing images.
Thank you Gaurab for the encouragement and support. I am glad you liked the article and the images 🙂