The origin of photography originated in 1822 where Nicéphore Niepce created a photography technique named heliography. Since this phenomenon, multiple interpretations of photography have also been discovered. Such as the process of the Daguerreotype created by Louis Daguerre, is created after capturing the image exposing it to mercury vapor which brings the visible image to life. There was also another significant photographic process in history named the Calotype created by Henry Fox Talbert. The Calotypes is a negative-positive process which is also known as the ‘paper negatives’, created by using different light sensitive chemicals and salts such as silver nitrate and silver chloride. These Calotypes differed from the Daguerreotypes due to people in the photos looking ‘on the edge of being present’ and seen as looking not quite alive due to a low sharpness and graininess, this caused a loss of fine detail. Whereas Daguerreotypes being very detailed and clear, making them stand out amongst other images. I believe that Daguerreotypes represent ‘mirrors’ in a multitude of ways. This is due to the fact the images produced by Louis Daguerre are very reflective and change when exposed to different angles of view. This is very well symbolized through the sharply defined one-of-a-kind photographs on silver-coated copper plates. They are also usually packaged behind glass and kept in protective cases like a mirror is. I also believe Calotypes signify windows as these images were mainly popular due to the fact they captured a moment in time, this relates to windows as whilst looking through a window you are witnessing a moment in time that will never occur again. Like the camera viewfinder, windows frame our view of the world. We see through them and light enters the window so that we can see beyond. This idea is supported through the quote “The photograph is seen either as a mirror- a romantic expression of the photographers sensibility as it projects itself onto the things and sights of this world; or as a window- through which the exterior world is explored in all its presence and reality” ¹ I believe there is a direct contrast within the concept of windows and mirrors due to the fact tableau focuses more on picturesque or dramatic effect and appear absorbed whereas documentary photography focuses more on straightforward and accurate representation through reality not fantasy. 

Paragraph 1

This image is a mirror due to the framework and people posing that have been used to produce it. This photo demonstrates a girl who is not especially rich, but her friends are. The girl is dealing with the pressures of the world and struggling with keeping up with it all. However, due to her beauty, she is able to enter the popular, higher-class group of people. However, she believes in substance over beauty and did not want to be included only for her looks and instead for her personality. This photo creates a mirror in the image as the main character in the photograph is seeking more than what the eye can see. This also demonstrates tableau photography as the models are arranged in a certain way to create a dramatic effect on the viewer, simply by posing and displaying in a potential stage-like setting. The photographer Laura Greenfield photographs acclaimed chroniclers of youth culture. These photographs reveal insight into the daily lives and rituals of women. Her photos range from extreme to more genuine photographs. She photographs girls of all ages from pre-schoolers to post-grads, with a multitude of different jobs. The thing I admire most about Lauren Greenfield’s work, is her exploration of the peer pressure, exploitation and sexualization which women experience, and how it may affect their emotions of self-worth, these themes can also be reflected through tableau photography. This topic she explores is clearly demonstrated through her photographs due to the specific scenes she chooses which show the hardships women face throughout life. I chose this photograph especially as it portrays a mirror metaphorically as it is reflecting the females place and feelings in the group as she is displaying how young people grow up quickly under the influence of Hollywood. A quote from John states “the difference between the thing that is shown in a photograph or the subject of the photograph and the photograph is the actuality in the acceptance of fact by the photographer”² this quote particularly inspires me as it reinforces the idea that the photograph might be more important than the thing itself and how every person interprets a photograph differently. This relates to a photo being a window as the image will act metaphorically as a window for the viewer to look through and create an opinion on it immediately.

Paragraph 2

This image demonstrates a ‘Window’ due to the fact it demonstrates an objective expression of darkness, sombre and danger rooted in a sense of realism. The slum in which it was photographed is named ‘The Bend’ which is known well for being filled with abuse and murder being a casual everyday occurrence. After viewing this photo, the viewer automatically feels a sense of uncomfortable and uneasy feelings as the ‘gang’ portrayed in the photo looks eerily at the camera leaning on curbs and stairs, having a not-so-welcome atmosphere. The photo also includes a woman with her child, leaning out the window, this makes the photograph even more sinister and unsettling as the idea of innocent and helpless people may face the idea of being killed due to it being a common occurrence in this area. This creates a ‘Window’ or documentary style photograph as the viewer can easily see through the photograph a sense of poverty and desperation for safety and security whilst also revealing the terror and the sorrowful lifestyle of urban immigrants facing the Mulberry Street ‘bandits’.  John Szarkowski’s words “A window is a device that invites the outside world in” ⁴, explain how windows serve as both literal and metaphorical frames in photography. This also explores how windows connect the interior world with the exterior world. This idea of ‘Windows’ through photography explores photography allowing observation and interaction with the outside environment through a picture. This relates to Bandits’ Roost as the camera lens with a slight vignette style, accompanied with the harsh light and ‘haphazard’ compositions convey the chaos of living in poverty.” 

Conclusion.

In conclusion, both of my chosen images represent the way photographs can be both ‘mirrors’ and ‘windows’ of the world as they represent human experiences and viewpoint of the world and how they are affected by issues. John Szarkowski’s theory of photography as a reflection of the Photographer’s Inner world and being a window onto the world overall, continues to create an impact and shape multiples opinions on understanding the variety of ways in which photography can engage with both the world and the self. Although Pearl might highlight the limitations of Szarkowski’s approach, he also highlights how the rise of digital photography has changed images as photos can be manipulated, layered and changed due to how images are created and consumed in the modern day. Although both of my chosen images demonstrate the ideology of ‘windows’ and ‘mirrors’ effectively, I believe the second photograph, (Bandits’ Roost, 59 1/2 Mulberry Street- Artist Jacob Riis) which portrays a well- known neighborhood famous for poverty, crime, and overcrowding, is a stronger demonstration of the metaphorical term ‘window’. The photograph demonstrates a powerful statement about the need for urban reform. This use of displaying the harshest of conditions serves as a tool for social justice, by documenting these conditions as an advocate for change. Although the first image ( Mijanou and Friends- Laura Greenfield) also demonstrates a powerful message of women’s’ lives and how they differ from men’s, I believe Bandits’ Roost conveys a more ‘real’ message as It captures a moment of social reality without any sense staging or preparation compared to tableau photography, I like how it is an example of pure documentary realism.  

Footnotes.

1. Mijanou and Friends from Beverly Hills High School on Senior Beach Day, Will Rogers State Beach | Cleveland Museum of Art ↩︎
2. The Thing Itself | COMD2330_Digital_Photography_spring16 ↩︎
3. Documentary Photography Movement Overview | TheArtStory ↩︎
4. John Szarkowski | MoMA ↩︎