Barret Chapter 2 Assessment

1. Barret’s thesis is that description is a data gathering process including statements about the photographs subject matter, medium, and form. Barrett outlines these four main aspects of a photograph as what a critic may describe a photograph by. He states how it is also a logical place to start when viewing an exhibition or a particular photograph because it is a means of gathering basic information on which understanding is built. However, he states how we often judge with statements of approval or disapproval without description.

2.     The examples Barret uses to support his thesis include works by Tunick, Sherman, Rashid Johnathan. Using examples of Tunick’s “Nude Adrift” and self-portraits by Cindy Sherman, Barrett differentiates between the subject matter and the subject of a photograph.

3.     A) Barret defines description as a data gathering process including statements about the photographs subject matter, medium, and form. Barret states that description is when a critic uses evidence and facts about a photograph.

B) Barret defines subject and subject matter as different. He states that subject is similar with theme and meaning whereas descriptive statements about subject matter identify person, objects, places or events in a photograph. Tunick’s. “Nude Adrift” helps distinguish between the two terms.

C) Barret describes form as the way that the subject matter is shown. He states how we can attend to a photograph’s form by considering how it uses formal elements such as shape and light.

D) Barret describes medium as what an art object is made of. He adds that identifying or describing medium is important because it significantly modifies meaning or expresses meaning itself.

E) Lastly, Barret describes that style indicates a resemblance among diverse art objects from an artist, movement, time period or geographic location. It is attending to a photographer’s subject and how the medium of the photography is used.

4.     A) When Barret refers to comparing and contrasting, he means to see what the work in question has in common with another. Barret adds that comparing requires the critic to comprehend the other works which they are comparing with, and contrasting requires the same.

B) Internal and external sources of information according to Barret are ways to gather descriptive information, that also increases the understanding of a photograph.

5.     A) Barret’s position on description and interpretation is that the two can’t exist without each other. Before descripting, we must interpret according to Barret. He also states it would be a mistake to interpret without having considered fully what there is in the picture.

B) Description and evaluation refer to the way critics describe what they are seeing, as well as how they link in a positive or negative reaction to the photograph. Descriptions often contain evaluations, within a description a critic will make a clear their evaluation of the photograph.

6.     A) In conclusion, Barret discusses many important points. In our world today, we often judge blindly, without knowing. In regards to photography, his points about comparing and contrasting relate to this and how we as critics of photography should be informed on the description of the photograph and truly comprehend the work. Secondly, I believe when discussing subject matter, Barret was trying to state that there is a photographer and there is a critic that gives the photograph words and for the image. Thus, the importance of description and understanding of the photographers work is needed as critics, especially those who caption pieces. 

B) One thing that I learned from this reading is that the medium is what an art object is made of. Barrett adds that identifying or describing medium is important because it significantly modifies meaning or expresses meaning itself. This allowed me to gain insight into identifying the medium of different works. I also learned that description and interpretation cannot exist without each other. Before describing, we must interpret according to Barret. He also states it would be a mistake to interpret without having considered fully what there is in the picture.

C) Barrett's conclusion is that description of any artwork is extremely vital. He stresses that description allows for the critic to have insight about the work of art, which allows the audience to make better informed judgments about the work of art because they know what what they're looking at. Concluding, criticism is vital and encouraged however it is nothing without description. 

D) In my opinion, the material was very interesting yet basic, however information we all need to be reminded of. We cannot blindly criticize and this really goes deeper beyond photography. The contents and steps towards of description gave me insight on how I should approach art and photographs of any kind, as a critic.