Reflecting on the origin of photography, the practice of it has been evolving for many hundreds of years through the first use of the Daguerreotype in the 1840s-50s(gaining widespread popularity, particularly for portraiture), to the use of Calotypes invented in 1841.

According to John Szarkowski, photography can be viewed as either a mirror or a window. A mirror reflects reality as it is, while a window offers a view into another world or perspective. Daguerreotypes can be seen as mirrors, capturing a detailed reflection of reality, while Calotypes function more as windows, inviting viewers to explore and interpret the image beyond mere representation.

Both processes use much of the same equipment though a daguerreotype is a sharply detailed image preserved on a copper plate. In contrast, a calotype is a negative image developed on paper. Apart from that Photography has gone through many changes such as the evolution of Heliography to Daggurretypes to Calotypes to the first permanent photography being taken “View from the Window at Le Gras” to the first Kodak camera being invented in 1888.

One quote from John Szarkowski that stands out is: “It can be argued that the alternative is illusory, that ultimately all art is concerned with self-expression. If so, the illusion of this alternative is no less important, and its character
perhaps defines the difference between the romantic and the realist visions of artistic possibility. The distinction may be expressed in terms of alternative views of the artistic function of the exterior world. The romantic view is that the meanings of the world are dependent on our own understandings. The field mouse, the skylark, the sky itself, do not earn their meanings out of their own evolutionary history, but are meaningful in terms of the anthropocentric metaphors that we assign to them”.

I agree with this idea; he tells us that some art seeks to show the world as it is, while other pieces of art are reflections of what the artist feels and thinks about the world.. Through both processes, photography not only documents reality but also enhances our understanding and perception of it. Even though these perceptions can blur, the opposition between seeing the world and seeing it how we interpret it gives us distinct artistic experiences.

Photography can serve as a means for reflection and self-expression. The mirror metaphor emphasizes the “subjective nature” of photography, where the image becomes a reflection of the photographer’s emotions, beliefs, and worldview. Photographs taken in this mode often reveal more about the individual behind the camera than the subject in front of it. This is particularly relevant in portraiture or self-portraiture, where the photographer uses the medium to explore identity, memory, and personal history.

The act of photographing can be deeply personal, allowing the photographer to project their inner thoughts or emotions onto the image. This idea is supported by theorists such as Roland Barthes, who, in Camera Lucida, writes about the notion of the “punctum”(a detail in a photograph that speaks directly to the viewer’s personal experience, triggering emotion or memory). For him, a photograph can reflect an individual’s subjective reality, a private connection that mirrors their world.

Moreover, photographers such as Cindy Sherman have used the camera as a tool to explore identity by creating highly stylized self-portraits that challenge societal norms and question the nature of identity itself. Her work in her Untitled Film Stills series reflects how photography can mirror societal expectations while simultaneously critiquing them. In this sense, photography as a mirror offers a way to interrogate identity, revealing as much about the photographer’s internal world as the subject being captured.

The image presents a subjective and staged approach to image-making, embodying what John describes as the mirror in photography rather than depicting reality. In the image itself, Cindy presents a female character that seems to be drawn from a 1950s dark film, placing herself within a carefully composed scene that hints at a bigger story behind it. The vagueness in the image is a critical aspect of Sherman’s work which often relies on staged elements to explore themes such as identity, gender, and media stereotypes. The photo is less about the subject e.g. the woman in the scene but more about Cindy Sherman’s exploration of how identity can be both constructed and deconstructed through visual symbols.

Szarkowski’s Mirrors and Windows supports this interpretation, as he says, “The romantic view is that the meanings of the world are dependent on our understandings.” This quote aligns with Cindy’s work as her images are constructed with her subjective vision which is shaped by the cultural/ societal expectations she explores. Her work invites viewers to consider how these “meanings” are imposed upon the image through a culturally constructed lens which can embody John’s concept of the mirror by reflecting society’s inner psychological landscape rather than an “objective” truth about the character she portrays.

Jed Perl argues that while Sherman’s images are captivating they also risk becoming “staged impersonations” that sometimes can lack the depth of genuine self-reflection. He suggests that such work can sometimes feel like performative constructions rather than genuine mirrors of the artist’s psyche. This critique introduces a layer of tension within Cindy Sherman’s approach that questions whether her work captures self-expression or simply recreates surface-level models

Overall, the image illustrates Szarkowski’s notion of the mirror. Yet as Perl’s critique suggests Sherman’s staged approach raises questions about authenticity and whether her images fully achieve the “self-expression” John envisions. This debate enriches the interpretation of Sherman’s work which emphasizes the complexities within staged photography as both personal expression and social commentary.

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On the other hand, photography can act as a window into the world, by providing an objective or semi-objective view of the external reality. In this example, photography is seen as a tool for documentation and observation, allowing viewers to witness events, places, or moments they might never personally experience. The window metaphor can highlight the transparent nature of photography where the camera becomes a medium through which the viewer can access the world beyond their immediate surroundings.

The origins of photography are deeply tied to its use as a window. Early photographers like Mathew Brady, who documented the American Civil War used the medium to capture historical moments with an eye toward objectivity. These photos served as windows into the reality of war, which offered viewers a direct glimpse into a brutal and chaotic world. This function of photography as a window persists in photojournalism/ documentary photography where the aim is to capture reality as truthfully and as authentic as possible.

According to John photographs that function as windows allow viewers to look beyond their personal experience and into the lives of others, which fosters a sense of empathy and understanding. Documentary photographers like Dorothea Lange, who captured the struggle of migrant workers during the Great Depression, used their cameras as windows to reveal societal issues and human suffering, hoping to inspire social change through the power of visual storytelling.

Additionally, photography as a window extends to the exploration of the natural world and landscapes. The works of photographers like Ansel Adams depict vast, majestic scenes of nature that offer a window into the sublime beauty of the world. These images provide viewers with access to places they may never visit, acting as visual windows that transport them to new environments and experiences.

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While photography can function as either a mirror or a window, many images blur the line between the two, serving as both a reflection of the photographer’s perspective and a view of the external world. The very act of taking a photograph involves a blend of subjectivity and objectivity. Even in documentary or journalistic photography, where the aim is to capture an objective reality, the photographer’s choices—what to include in the frame, when to take the shot, and how to present the image—introduce a level of personal interpretation.

Street photography, for example, often embodies this tension between mirror and window. The photographer captures candid moments in public spaces, offering a window into everyday life. Yet, at the same time, the choice of subject, angle, and framing reflects the photographer’s unique vision and interpretation of the scene, turning the photograph into a mirror of their worldview. The work of photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson demonstrates this balance, where the “decisive moment” captures reality while also conveying the photographer’s sense of timing, composition, and emotion.

Furthermore, in contemporary art photography, many images intentionally play with the concepts of mirrors and windows, inviting viewers to question the boundaries between reality and representation. Andreas Gursky’s large-scale photographs, for instance, offer expansive views of urban and industrial landscapes, functioning as windows into the complexity of modern life. However, his manipulation of the images—through digital editing—challenges the idea of photography as a transparent window, instead turning the image into a reflection of how we perceive and construct reality in the digital age.

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In conclusion, photography can be understood as both a mirror and a window, offering reflections of the photographer’s subjective reality while simultaneously providing views into the external world. The distinction between these two roles is not always clear-cut, and many photographs function as both—revealing personal perspectives while documenting the world in a way that invites interpretation and engagement. Theoretical approaches by figures such as Barthes, Szarkowski, and others highlight the complexity of photography’s relationship to truth, identity, and representation. As both a mirror and a window, photography remains a powerful medium for exploring the self and the world, constantly negotiating the boundaries between reality and perception.

Every photograph has an implication. Whether it is to express an emotion, or to demonstrate a beautiful landscape, a photo is taken by a photographer with the intention of showing people something. However, according to John Szarkowski, what the photographer shows is one of two things; a reflection of the photographer “reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it”, or an exploration of the exterior world. Even the world’s first experimental daguerreotype photographs from the early 1800s fall under this distinction.

A daguerreotype is essentially an ionized copper plate coated in silver that is sensitive to light. This makes it possible to create an image on the plate using a camera obscura, an effect which uses a pinhole in a dark box to create an inverted reflection of the world outside of the pinhole, the same effect that our eyes use to see. The plate is then fumed with mercury vapour to freeze the resulting image after the plate is exposed to light for a long enough time. The result is the image above. This photo was taken by Louis Daguerre, the inventor of the daguerreotype, in Paris. What we are actually seeing is a window into the past, a message speaking to us from nearly 200 years ago, and the first ever image of a human being. Through a window into the past, the mirror of a human reflects back at us, a testament to John Szarkowski’s belief that “the two creative motives that have been contrasted here are not discrete”, but ultimately can overlap each other and coexist in a single photo.

Here is an extract from Szarkowski’s book, a piece named “20 minutes in April” by Gary Beydler. Although a mirror is involved in this piece, in my opinion each photo is a window into the randomness of entropy, a snapshot in time that can never be replicated. This piece is rooted in the notion of realism, a demonstration of Gary Beydler’s love for the beauty of this chaotic world. John Szarkowski describes this as a “pursuit of beauty: that formal integrity which pays homage to the dream of meaningful life”, a romantic view of how a photographer can find meaning through the unpredictable nature of the world. However, an alternative realist view is provided by Jed Pearl in his review of Szarkowski’s book. Jed Pearl describes the photos in the book as “predictable images that tell us nothing of life”, demonstrating the realists acceptance of fact; that there exists no deeper meaning to the randomness of clouds, and that any meaning that is found is overruled by logic. In my opinion, I believe that the meaning of one’s life is subjective to their beliefs, and it evolves and changes through time as they develop a greater understanding of the world around them. “20 minutes in April” simply provides an insight into the chaotic and beautiful nature of clouds, however the meaning of this is not directly provided by the creator, Gary Beydler, instead it is meant to be inferred by the viewer to aid them in finding their own meaning to their own life. To state that this piece ‘tells us nothing of life’ is ignorant of this fact, but ultimately it is up to the viewer whether to find meaning or not.

Here is another extract from Szarkowski’s ‘Mirrors and Windows’, a photomontage named ‘A Special Place’ by Joseph Bellanca. The piece consists of two contrasting images, an outdoor photo that depicts a lone woman lying on the woodland floor, and an indoor photo of a bright chandelier hanging from a chain, cut out similar to the shape of a head. In my opinion, this piece is a mirror of human consciousness, an attempt at expressing how it feels to be human; trapped within the boundaries of our physical and mental limitations, lost somewhere in the expanse of a limitless world. To me, the image portrays the feeling of dreaming; when the imagination lights up inside the brain and creates an artificial world that perceptually mimics reality. This is something that is impossible to photograph physically, therefore the only approach to express one’s own subjective reality in photographic form is to stage it, or to make it artificially, like the way Joseph Bellanca does perfectly here as well as the many other photographers featured in ‘Mirrors and Windows’. “Much of the work included in this show is meant to strike us with its surprising imagery”, Jed Pearl states in his review, “yet few of the photographs are closely, richly detailed enough, or surprising enough, to be separated from the mediums past characterized as new – as a vision dredged up from the depths of consciousness”. This quote describes the majority of the photos in ‘Mirrors and Windows’ as boring and emulative of the works from the ‘Romantic vs Realist’ debate of the 19th century, rather than contributing a new perspective of photo analysis to the modern world. However, John Szarkowski argues that dulling a photo down to right or left, romantic or realist, merely describes a singular intention in a photo, hidden within the photographers whole conscious intent, whether they even know it or not, “One can draw many sections through a house that will help one better comprehend the structure of the whole. It must be understood, however, that these section views are merely analytical devices, and therefore, by definition, describe less than the whole”.

Essay plan

Paragraph 2 (250 words): Choose one quote from Szarkowski’s thesis and another from Jed Pearl’s review which either supports of opposes Szarkowski’s original point of view. Make sure you comment to advance argumentation in providing a critical perspective.

Conclusion (250 words): Refer back to the essay question and write a conclusion where you summarise Szarkowski’s theory and Pearl’s review of his thesis. Describe differences and similarities between the two images above and their opposing concepts of objectivity and subjectivity, realism and romanticism, factual and fiction, public and private.

Studio Portraits

I really liked doing studio portraits. The studio portraits include, butterfly lighting, chiaroscuro lighting and Rembrandt lighting. Butterfly lighting is when the key lighting is above the photographers camera, to ensure that the lighting is pointing down on the subjects face. The aim of this lighting is to achieve a butterfly-like shadow under the subjects nose. Chiaroscuro lighting is when there is a split of light and shadow on the subjects face to create a high contrast photograph. The last lighting technique is Rembrandt lighting, this uses a reflector and two lightings. The aim of this lighting technique is to gain an upside down triangle under the subjects eye.

I really enjoyed doing all of these lighting techniques because it was interesting to see the different images being made. I really liked the Rembrandt lighting technique in particular, because I liked how the images turned out dramatic however had a natural look to it. This is an image from one of my Rembrandt photoshoots:

I really like how this turned out because the upside down triangle is very noticeable. I also like this image because the foreground is dark which creates a high contrast with the face that is lit up. This helps the viewer focus on the subjects face and it makes it the main focus point of the image. The photograph is very dramatic because of the high contrast, however I feel as though the triangle under the subjects eye makes the contrast less harsh and the light and dark blend in with each other.

I also really liked creating the butterfly photographs. This lighting technique was quite difficult because the shadow under the subjects nose was hard to achieve because it had to be defined and look similar to a butterfly. However, I tried my best to achieve this lighting technique and this is how it turned out:

If I were to do this lighting technique again, I would try and get the shadow under the nose more defined like a butterfly. I would ask the subject to turn her head to the side and put the main lighting higher at an angle to achieve this technique. Overall, I think it turned out well and I really enjoyed doing this photoshoot. I liked playing around with the lighting to see which angle worked out the best.

The last one I did was Chiaroscuro lighting. I like this lighting technique because the images turned out extremely dramatic and the images are high contrast. This was another lighting that was quite difficult, however once I had played around with the lighting the images turned out really good. This is one of my images:

If I were to do this lighting technique again, I would make the image darker and have the subjects face slightly lighter. This way, the image would be more dramatic. This image also has a triangle under the eye which could be used as Rembrandt lighting and therefore next time I would make sure the image was distinctive to one lighting technique and not two.

Masculinity and Femininity

I really enjoyed doing this project because I enjoyed creating ideas of the photoshoots I could do and I enjoyed creating them. For this project, I went into the studio and took photos of the female subject being masculine and feminine. This was to create the idea that females can be masculine and feminine and just because a female doesn’t wear makeup, or dress like a girl doesn’t mean that she is less than any woman. This was also to portray how men see woman and how woman are seen to be pretty and to put makeup on. These are how the images turned out:

For this project the first thing I had to figure out was what I liked and what I didn’t. I realized I didn’t want to have this story based on repetitive photos of boats so I decided I wanted to use some of my more abstract photos and focus of specific items within the harbour and use the close ups of those objects and materials.

These were the final images I had selected to become part of my zine.

I also tried to switch the colours so if the image on the left was quite bright orange and the image on the right was dark brown the image on the left would have a dark brown background. I really liked this for a while as it added lots of contrast between the images.

Finally I had decided on using the actually image itself to go behind. I felt like that worked perfectly because it obviously had the same shapes so it matched very well and yet because the opacity was a lot lower it was drawing your attention away and it wasn’t like it was trying to just expand the image. The only thing I had to decide on was weather I was going to have the images in black and white or with the colour. I decided on using the colour for behind the images as I felt that the black made the the originally photo look different and it was kind of taking away my attention from the main image to the page as a whole which is not what I originally wanted.

Plan for Mirror Photos

For my ‘mirror’ photos I would like to take images of buildings and edit them by using photos of graffiti and layering them on top. These would be mirror photos as they are staged, due to the editing, and display a false environment.

This is my inspiration:

This is an image by a photographer called Matt Embee who went around the Baltic Triangle Area of Liverpool capturing street photos. This image has been edited using double exposures, displaying buildings and graffiti. For my own images, I would also like to experiment with photos of graffiti, creating altered landscapes of an already urban environment or perhaps even a building within a natural environment such as the little white hut in St Ouen.

Matt Embee

Matt Embee is a Manchester Wedding Photographer who has gained many awards is photography such as Masters Manchester and he has been selected as one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the UK. Furthermore, Matt has been doing wedding photography for around 13 years and he enjoys capturing human emotion and interaction. Although Matt is mainly a wedding photographer, when he has time spare he likes to test his photographic skills. In 2018, along with a group of wedding photographers, Matt travelled to Liverpool, specifically the Baltic Triangle, to experiment with double exposures and capture images of graffiti and the industrial heritage of the area. Here are some other images from this photoshoot:

Since I will be going to Liverpool, whilst I am there I will try to capture photographs of graffiti to use for my final products.

Plan for Window Photos

For this photoshoot, I would like to focus on the beauty of the natural environment, creating photographs that will contrast to the urban, manipulated environment of the previous ‘mirror’ photos that I will create. This links to previous projects such as Anthropocene and The New Topographics as my photoshoots will present 2 different landscapes, one that has been transformed by humans and the other which has been untouched. For this photoshoot, I am going to focus on photographing the movement of the sea at a slow shutter speed. I will have to do this at a time of day where it is dull and there is not much light such as early morning or in the evening as I don’t have an ND Filter. I will take these photographs by using a tripod and setting the camera to a low ISO and slow shutter speed ranging from about .4 to 2 seconds. Some locations I may go to include Plemont, Greve de Lecq, Bouley Bay and St Catherine’s Woods.

My Inspiration:

Glyn Dewis

Glyn Dewis is a photographer who lives in the South West of the UK. He also educates people on photography through YouTube and his 4 books:

Furthermore, Glyn is an ambassador for various companies such as BenQ, Westcott Top Pro and Calibrite. Glyn’s photographs have also been on the front cover of various magazines and he has presented at various conferences and exhibitions around the world for Photoshop and Adobe.

At the start of 2019, Glyn Dewis began his 39-45 Portraits Project which lead him to photographing surviving WW2 veterans. This resulted in Glyn to become an Ambassador in the Veterans Charity.

I learnt about Glyn Dewis through his seascapes project, in which he captures remarkable photographs of colossal waves crashing over rocks and brisk flow of the sea. He takes these photos on his iPhone using a tripod and phone grip then retouching them on his iPad in Lightroom.

Here are some of his photographs:

John Szarkowski’s theory highlights that photography can either show the world around us (windows) or express the photographer’s inner world (mirrors). Both the approaches offer valuable ways to see and understand photography as a viewer externally.

What is the difference between Windows and Mirrors?

The difference between Windows and Mirrors is that Windows are considered as documentation and reality/truth, meant to show the world as it is as looking outward from the photographers perspective. It is not set up and positioned for the photographers liking and self-expression but more for authenticity. As mentioned before they reveals theses truths about people, places and’ or events. It shows us a new perspective and insight to the world around us/ something we may not otherwise experience. An example of this could be a photographer/journalist trying to capture a war zone or a photographer that specialises in landscapes showcasing nature through photography (windows).

Mirrors are refections of the photographers “inner thoughts” or personal feelings and vision. The photos express their emotions as well as their interpretation of the world rather than showing the “objective” reality (more subjective so based on personal opinions rather than on facts). The photograph becomes a almost reflection of the artists inner world and/or personal vision. An example of this could be a photographers (conceptual) creating a surreal image to explore their emotions or a self-portrait ( meant to express identity).

The mindmap above I created for Windows as well as Mirrors includes such examples of photographers that do such work as well as examples of their work that I might take inspiration from and other photograpnhs that I think fit the theme and ideologies.

Key words associated with Windows: Candid, Factual, Truthful, Realism, Everyday, Clarity, Authenticity, Shared, Experiences, Depicted, Outwards and/ or Representation.

Key word associated with Mirrors: Manipulated, Posed, Artistic, Surrealism, Distorting, Provoke, Alternative, Extraordinary, Unfamiliar, Exploration and/ or Reflecting.

What are the differences between photographs that are MIRRORS and photographs that are WINDOWS?

Photographs which are ‘reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it‘ – John Szarkowski, 1978, are considered to be mirror photography, as they are giving insight to the artists personal life. Mirror photography is often subjective and open to interpretation. Whereas window photography gives you a view into someone else’s life and experiences. Window photography allows you to explore the world and it can be a form of documentation, which is often objective. It allows you to understand more about the world as John Szarkowski said, ‘through which one might better know the world’ –  John Szarkowski, 1978.

Mirrors:

• Subjective (open to interpretation)
• Reflects artist
• Reflections
• View into your own life
• Manipulated
• Synthetic
• Personal

I believe this image is a form of mirror photography as it is personal to the photographer. It is an image of the photographers freezer which contains their food, this makes it quite a personal image as it is showing the world what they have got inside of their own home, and what they eat. It is also subjective as people may have different opinions about the freezer and its content, making it a mirror image.

Windows:

• Objective (not open to interpretation)
• Outside world
• Documents
• Real
• Public

This is a form of window photography as it is a view of the outside world, and it is real. It can also be a form of documentation as they are photographing what appears to be factories, making it a window image.

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 ↩︎

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PHOTOGRAPHS THAT ARE WINDOWS AND MIRRORS?

Mirrors and windows are ideas of a binary opposite. ‘…two creative motives…’ [Szarkowski, 1978] that have conspicuous contrasting ideas.

Windows: photos meant to act as a window for the viewer to see something that is primarily factual and external to the photographer’s own sensibility. 

Mirrors: Reflection in photography is also known as mirror photography. Its basic premise is capturing an image that also has a reflective surface that is echoing the surrounding scenery.

KEY WORDS

Mirrors: subjective, reflections, visions, psychological, expressions, manipulated, synthetic, personal.

Windows: objective, views, documents, optical, straight, public, real.

BINARY OPPOSITES

FOLDER

2. Paragraph 1 (250 words): Choose an image that in your view is a mirror and analyse how it is a subjective expression and staged approach to image-making. Choose one quote from Szarkowski’s thesis and another from Jed Pearl’s review which either supports of opposes Szarkowski’s original point of view. Make sure you comment to advance argumentation in providing a critical perspective.
4. Paragraph 2 (250 words): Choose an image that in your view is a window and analyse how it is an objective expression rooted in a sense of realism. Choose one quote from Szarkowski’s thesis and another from Jed Pearl’s review and follow similar procedure as above ie. two opposing points of view and commentary to provide a critical perspective.
6. Conclusion (250 words): Refer back to the essay question and write a conclusion where you summarise Szarkowski’s theory and Pearl’s review of his thesis. Describe differences and similarities between the two images above and their opposing concepts of objectivity and subjectivity, realism and romanticism, factual and fiction, public and private.

My 3 Chosen Quotes – John Szarkowski

1. “is it a mirror, reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it, or a window, through which one might better know the world?”
2. “The two creative motives that have been contrasted here are not discrete”
3. “ultimately each of the pictures in this book is part of a single, complex, plastic tradition”

My 3 chosen quotes – Jed pearl

Introduction

Within the origin of photography, there are two photographic processes; Daguerreotype and Calotype. The Calotype process first produced a photographic ‘negative’ in the camera, from which many ‘positive’ calotype prints could be made, whereas daguerreotypes were a one-off image. The differences between both the Daguerreotypes and the Calotypes is that Daguerreotypes are sharply detailed images preserved on a copper plate whereas Calotypes are black and white images preserved on paper. With Daguerreotypes I would say they are more referable to mirrors as Daguerreotypes are more detailed and when you look into a mirror there is only one focus point and that’s you in full detail however with calotypes they represent windows as there is a lot more to see but it is not in detail and is all seen from afar creating a much wider picture with a lot to it rather then one set story etc. A quote from Szarkowski theory is “is it a mirror, reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it, or a window, through which one might better know the world?” This is a question which he asks which I would have to say my response to this is that a mirroring image showing the artist behind the work creates a much more in depth story and meaning to it whereas a calotype being represented as a window also does create a vision into learning more about the world however with so much going on through a window its hard to know the true stories to every person, structure and animal within.

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This image represents mirrors as it represents this lady’s life.