What Photography is

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"What Photography is" by James Elkins is a book focused on Photography Basics. Best for readers interested in this subject.

In What Photography Is, James Elkins examines the strange and alluring power of photography in the same provocative and evocative manner as he explored oil painting in his best-selling What Painting Is. In the course of an extended imaginary dialogue with Roland Barthes's Camera Lucida, Elkins argues that photography is also about meaninglessness--its apparently endless capacity to show us things that we do not want or need to see--and also about pain, because extremely powerful images can sear permanently into our consciousness. Extensively illustrated with a surprising range of images, the book demonstrates that what makes photography uniquely powerful is its ability to express the difficulty--physical, psychological, emotional, and aesthetic--of the act of seeing.

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Best For: Readers interested in the theoretical and emotional aspects of photography.

Focus: Explores photography's power to convey meaninglessness and pain through visual images.

Covers: Includes an extended dialogue with Roland Barthes's Camera Lucida and a variety of illustrative images.

Why It Matters: Highlights photography's unique ability to express the complexities of seeing and its impact on consciousness.

"What Photography is" by James Elkins is a book focused on Photography Basics. Best for readers interested in this subject.

Topic: Photography Basics

Author: James Elkins

Who this is for:

Students
Educators
Interested readers

Why this book matters: It offers useful subject matter and structured coverage for readers looking to explore the topic in more depth.

In What Photography Is, James Elkins examines the strange and alluring power of photography in the same provocative and evocative manner as he explored oil painting in his best-selling What Painting Is. In the course of an extended imaginary dialogue with Roland Barthes's Camera Lucida, Elkins argues that photography is also about meaninglessness--its apparently endless capacity to show us things that we do not want or need to see--and also about pain, because extremely powerful images can sear permanently into our consciousness. Extensively illustrated with a surprising range of images, the book demonstrates that what makes photography uniquely powerful is its ability to express the difficulty--physical, psychological, emotional, and aesthetic--of the act of seeing.