Is this photograph taken? The active (act of) collaboration with photography. (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rutherford,
• Is Part Of: Journal of visual art practice. Volume 18:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 37
• Page End: 63
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Collaboration -- the popular conception of photography -- the subject of the photograph -- bino-chrono consciousness; Aesthetics -- Periodicals; Art -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Art -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 701
• DOI: 10.1080/14702029.2018.1488927
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1758-9185

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Over more than 30 years of commercial and fine art photographic practice, I have often noticed remarkable disparities between the scenes, objects, events or moments 'out there' I had attempted to record – and the images within the resulting photographs. These (sometimes subtle, sometimes profound, but rarely anticipatable) disparities between what I had seen and what the photograph shows me offer the tantalising suggestion that there may be something else going on here – but something which the popular conception of photography may hinder our ability to recognise. This article explores the implications of four central assumptions implicit within the popular conception of photography that may impede alternative ways of thinking about photographic practice. Supported by a number of photographs that depict scenes, events and 'moments' that I will argue were not 'taken' but were instead created by the act of photographing them, I will suggest that new opportunities for practice may be available by 're-imagining' the practice of photography as an active – or as an act of – collaboration between medium and practitioner.