Photo Essay Reaction

   After reading Chapter 2 “Documents” I have a better appreciation for photography as well as a better understanding of its origin and how it evolved into what it is today. I was
most surprised to hear that it was not considered an art form at first. The quote from Lady Elizabeth Estlake saying photography is “beneath the doing of real artists” was especially surprising to me. I also learned the different uses for photography over the years such as helping document important events, the documentation and exploration of the human form, the documentation of
technology moving forward, and the study of social class.
    I found the “Photo Ops” reading more helpful in relation to this project. The sections on different ways of showing ideas through photographs helped me to decide what kind of location to place our letter forms in. The section on framing was especially helpful in choosing our natural location. The trees framed the word, drawing attention to it and giving it context without
overpowering it.
    The part of this reading that resounded most strongly with me was the idea at the beginning of the reading which said that photography has “altered creativity.” Photography has changed the way the world perceives information. A photograph can add texture, color, shape, shadow, and add context to the subject. Photography adds an extra dimension to any works they are included in.