Entry 7 – Uses of Photography

In recent past, I came across a writer, John Berger, a man of letters who takes on many forms of writing. Berger is an author who is in touch with his intellectual senses on his surroundings; he writes about seeing from his experience, his viewpoint, and his way of looking at the world in depth of artistry. His essays revolve generally on the perception of things, such as paintings, photographs, cities, social and political issues.

In the chapter “Uses of Photography” in his book About Looking, John Berger writes his thoughts on this subject according to his responses to Susan Sontag’s book On Photography. In this essay, Berger unfolds his view of photograph as a reflection of memory. He is convinced that we use our memory to perceive photographs. Berger believes that the function of a photograph is not like any of other visual images, which serve as a rendering, an imitation or an interpretation; photograph is actually a trace of its subject.

Berger distinguishes photograph into two different uses; private photographs which serves as a reminder to trigger one’s mind of a person or a past event, and public photographs which offer information or a historical documentation. Private photographs, such as family portraits, provide a meaning because they evoke our memory. On the contrary, public photographs, such as news photos, do not supply meaning because their contents do not call up any of our memory, and for this reason, seeing public photographs is like seeing a memory of a total stranger.

I find that Berger’s observation in this essay neglected to include the use of photographs in art, which does not necessary deal with memory. Art photography does not fundamentally need to deliver the connection to social memory and experience in order to achieve its function. I believe that we can perceive meaning in photograph without having to reflect on our memory or our reality. The perception of art photographs is not accessing a stranger’s memory nor simply looking at the appearance of its subject.

Art photography, as it is a type of public photograph, provides information, but information in which express meanings. It operates similarly to painting; it is a mode of creative expression. Like paintings, numerous forms of art photography manifest the expressive perception and emotion of the photographer. Although this type of photographs is still just appearances, photographer could create, compose, fabricate and alter the content in order to produce a meaning and to deliver a message.

I agreed with how Berger addresses private photographs – serve a purpose as being a momento to recall reminiscence, and public photographs – offer reliable information, but I think that art photographs - present aesthetic visualization, should perhaps also be included under this observation.

Reference
Berger, J. (1980). Use of Photography. About looking. pp 52-67.  New York: Vintage International.