What is the windows and mirrors theory?

“Most of my likeness [daguerreotypes] do look
unamiable; but the very sufficient reason, I fancy,
is because the originals are so. There is a wonderful
insight in heaven’s broad and simple sunshine. While
we give it credit only for depicting the merest surface,
it actually brings out the secret character with a
truth that no painter would ever venture upon, even
if he could detect it.”
(Holgrave in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House o f the Seven Gables, 1851)

we approach the photographs in the show either as mirrors, reflecting the photographer’s consciousness and concerned primarily with self- expression, or windows, openings onto the external world concerned primarily with exploration.

The idea of photographs functioning like windows makes total sense. Like a camera, windows frame our view of the world. We see through them and light enters the window so that we can see beyond. Photographs present us with a view of something. However, it might also be possible to think of photographs as mirrors, reflecting our individual view of the world, one we have shaped with our personalities, our subconscious motivations, so that it represents how our minds work as well as our eyes. The photograph’s surface reflects as much as it frames. Of course, some photographs might be both mirrors and windows.

Windows

a window in photography is an objective view of the world around this could include documentary, realism, candid, optical photography.

With window photography it is difficult to infer much about the photo and requires little to no creativity to create.

this would be considered a window photography because it is an honest, unedited, unfiltered view of the world around.

Mirrors

A Mirror is a reflection of the photographers subconscious and conscious self expression.
“Mirrors” were images meant to mirror the photographer’s own sensibility.

this image is very subjective and clearly the photographer is trying to communicate a deeper message than is objectively presented in the image

Cross-Over

of course in some photos there is cross over between the two contrasting approaches to photography where the photo at first seems objective and could be considered a Window to the outside world but upon deeper inspection the could also be considered Mirror because of the subtle inference and and underlying themes.

when first approaching this image i believe it to be an objective photo taken of perhaps and football pitch, with the chalk lines framing the photo but upon further research i discovered this is a image by Richard Long and is named– A line made by walking, England 1967, this image was created through longs performance after of walking in a line over and over and and killing/treading down the grass bellow his path and then documented through photography. so in fact despite its appearance this image is quite subjective.
I believe it to be a combination of both approaches.