Sketch Notes
Photographic Criticism: Richard Avedon a case study
1. Read the section "Defining Criticism". After reading, what are your thought about criticisms role in art? Criticism’s role in art is more than just critiquing. It is about the work of art, the way you interpret it, evaluate it, and theorize about it. I think critiquing art is important because you are able to get different perspectives and ideas on that certain work of art. In order to criticize art you must know the meaning of that piece of art.
2. Read the section "Kinds of Criticism". Explain the difference between Exploratory and argumentative criticism. Exploratory criticism is the delayment of judgement of a piece’s value and explore and criticize its aesthetic value instead. Argumentative criticism is criticism that builds an argument against a piece of work.
3. Read "Describing Photographs: Defining Description". When writing or talking about a photograph what are the three things that should be included? When writing or talking about a photograph the three things that should be included are describing, interpreting, and then judging.
4. Read "Describing Form". What are some formal design elements that can be described?
5. Read "Comparing and Contrasting" Look up one off the other photographers mentioned. Post and image and describe the comparison you see in the photos to the ones in the gallery above. Edward Curtis : In both of these photos below, the people captured are outsiders to the people captured at that point. That is how they are similar, in the fact that both of these photographers were taking on the perspective of the unpopular people of the time. These people are the folks who weren’t usually captured in the pictures of their times, so these pictures used that to make them unique.
2. Read the section "Kinds of Criticism". Explain the difference between Exploratory and argumentative criticism. Exploratory criticism is the delayment of judgement of a piece’s value and explore and criticize its aesthetic value instead. Argumentative criticism is criticism that builds an argument against a piece of work.
3. Read "Describing Photographs: Defining Description". When writing or talking about a photograph what are the three things that should be included? When writing or talking about a photograph the three things that should be included are describing, interpreting, and then judging.
4. Read "Describing Form". What are some formal design elements that can be described?
- dot
- line
- shape
- light and value
- color
- texture
- mass
- Space
- volume
- black and white tonal range
- subject contrast
- film contrast
- negative contrast
- paper contrast
- film formal
- point of view, which includes the distance from which the photograph was made and the lens that was used
- angle and lens
- frame and edge
- depth of field
- sharpness of grain
- degree of focus
- scale
- proportion
- unity within variety
- repetition and rhythm
- balance
- directional forces
- emphasis
- subordination
- Reflection
- natural color
- light
- color
- texture
- scale arrangements of objects
- juxtapositions
- textures as soft and hard
- textures as sensuous and elemental
5. Read "Comparing and Contrasting" Look up one off the other photographers mentioned. Post and image and describe the comparison you see in the photos to the ones in the gallery above. Edward Curtis : In both of these photos below, the people captured are outsiders to the people captured at that point. That is how they are similar, in the fact that both of these photographers were taking on the perspective of the unpopular people of the time. These people are the folks who weren’t usually captured in the pictures of their times, so these pictures used that to make them unique.
How to Give a Constructive Critique
1. What are the two main ideas of "What is a critique"? The two main ideas of "What is critique" are that critique is based off of an informed opinion and not a personal opinion, and that critique is used to find faults.
2. What is the minimum length a critique requires? The minimum length a critique requires is four sentences.
3. What are the three elements that go into a constructive critique? What are a few questions that resonate with you and why? Three elements that go into a constructive critique are describing, interpreting, and judging. A few questions that resonate with me are why did they paint this and what is the meaning behind the photo.
4. When delivering a critique “sandwich” what are the 4 elements? The four elements are your initial impression, positive feedback, negative feedback, and positive feedback.
5. What are things to consider in the difference between an online critique and a face to face critique? Things to consider in the difference between an online critique and a face to face critique are that online critiques are not as specific as oral critiques and that it can be hard to communicate what you like and dislike in the photo.
2. What is the minimum length a critique requires? The minimum length a critique requires is four sentences.
3. What are the three elements that go into a constructive critique? What are a few questions that resonate with you and why? Three elements that go into a constructive critique are describing, interpreting, and judging. A few questions that resonate with me are why did they paint this and what is the meaning behind the photo.
4. When delivering a critique “sandwich” what are the 4 elements? The four elements are your initial impression, positive feedback, negative feedback, and positive feedback.
5. What are things to consider in the difference between an online critique and a face to face critique? Things to consider in the difference between an online critique and a face to face critique are that online critiques are not as specific as oral critiques and that it can be hard to communicate what you like and dislike in the photo.
Formal Photographic Critique
1. Describe the Photograph: This photograph was taken in black and white. It has three men, one of them being Abraham Lincoln, standing in front of a makeshift tent and trees. Abraham Lincoln is dressed very nice. One of the men is wearing what looks like a solider's uniform the other man is dressed a little more casually. On the far left a man is photo bombing them. It looks like they are at war. Their campsite looks very messy because of the paper on the ground and the clothes hanging on the clothesline. The two men surrounding Abraham Lincoln have their hand in their jackets.
2. Reflect/ Interpret the Photograph: My interpretation is that the war is going on and Lincoln is visiting the campsite to see how the solider's are doing and make plans for the next battle. I think that the man on the right is a general and the man on the left is a solider who is fighting in the battle. I think that the man who is photobombing is a solider who just fought in the battle.
3. Formal art elements are used in the Photograph: Formal art elements that are used in this photograph are framing because the tent is framing Abraham Lincoln, balance is also used because both of the men are on either side of Abe making it balanced, line is also used like the lines of the tents and the clothes lines and the lines holding the tents up. There is also shape, the tent makes a triangle. Point of view is used as in eye level of the men.
2. Reflect/ Interpret the Photograph: My interpretation is that the war is going on and Lincoln is visiting the campsite to see how the solider's are doing and make plans for the next battle. I think that the man on the right is a general and the man on the left is a solider who is fighting in the battle. I think that the man who is photobombing is a solider who just fought in the battle.
3. Formal art elements are used in the Photograph: Formal art elements that are used in this photograph are framing because the tent is framing Abraham Lincoln, balance is also used because both of the men are on either side of Abe making it balanced, line is also used like the lines of the tents and the clothes lines and the lines holding the tents up. There is also shape, the tent makes a triangle. Point of view is used as in eye level of the men.