Reading Assessment 1: Ch 2 Barrett

Barrett Chapter 2: Describing Photogrpahs

1. What is the author’s thesis?- The author’s thesis is to inform others how to critically think/talk about photographs. This reading helps to understand how a photograph is analyzed by critics, and how each deconstruction of a photograph is never identical to one another.  
   
   
2. What examples does he use to support the thesis? Barrett uses the examples of description, technical terms of photography, subject, interpretation, and evaluation to express different ways to view a photograph. He also uses examples from other critics analyzing different photographs to get the sense of how a photograph is deconstructed.  
   
   
3. In your own words, how does Barrett define: 
1. Description - Barrett defines description as answering the questions of what is in the photo, as well as who made the piece and at what point of time was the piece taken. Description states the facts of the piece and can be proven to be true or false. Critics find descriptive information by seeing the work and also finding out when, where, and who made the piece.
2. Subject and Subject Matter- Subject matter and matter do not have the same definition. Subject matter is the primary object(s) being photographed to create the subject. The subject of a photograph is the interpretation of what the photographer is trying to convey.  
3. Form- Form is the technical aspect of a photograph and how the photo is constructed visually. Form is not subjective and pretty straight forward when looking at the same photograph. There are formal elements in which a photograph’s form is deconstructed by using dots, lines, shapes, light and value, color, texture, mass, space, and volume.
4. Medium- The medium is described as the parts of the photograph that create the photograph to what it is. The medium is what makes the photo whether that be behind the scenes or what is in the photograph. 
5. Style- Style is described as recognizable characteristics within photos. Some examples of style are the subject matter, location, shooting angles, color tone/ lighting, and many more different styles that photographers use. 
   
   
4. In your own words, summarize what Barrett means when he refers to:
1. Comparing and Contrasting- Comparing and contrasting works are what many people do in their day-today lives. Many famous photographs are compared to each other to see what resonates with people, and why people are drawn towards certain photographs. This is also why photographs are contrasted to each other to see a different perspective of what could be the same subject matter or even the same subject. 
2. Internal and External Sources of Information- Internal and external sources of information are important when critiquing a photograph. The critic can only see what is on the photograph, but using external sources to find out what made the photograph and how the photograph was taken gives much more perspective and insight about the photograph.  
   
   
5. In your own words, summarize Barrett’s position on the relationship between:
1. Description and Interpretation- Description and interpretation go hand in hand. When a critic looks a photograph they want to list as many descriptions they can. However, every person has their own individual thoughts about a photograph based on their past experiences. A description of the same photograph can be different from person to person.  
2. Description and Evaluation- Description and evaluation also go hand in hand because when a person is describing a photograph they usually choose positive or negative descriptions to persuade others about a photograph. Not every description of a photograph will be neutral, while every individual's evaluation of the photograph will be different.  
   
   
6. Write a concluding paragraph that includes:
1. Summary of at least two other points you think the author was trying to make
2. Two things you learned from this reading
3. What is the author’s conclusion?
4. Your reaction to the material

Two other points the author was trying to make was how important a description is to readers as well as the concepts for describing photographs. When a photograph is being described the reader want to be able to imagine the same image that the critic/writer is describing. Creatively and effectively describing what the photograph is will help the reader envision the work easier. The concepts for describing photographs explain how a description of a photograph can convey multiple interpretations from the critic/writer. I really enjoyed reading the material because of the easy flow throughout the chapter. The first thing I learned from the reading is that there is no correct or incorrect way to analyze a photograph. The second thing I learned from the reading is how important the description of a photograph is to readers. The author’s conclusion is that photographs can be viewed/critiqued in numerous ways, and a description is a catalyst for interpretations, information, criticism, and evaluations.