Research Korner: Photography

DOCUMENTARY AND REALIST PHOTOGRAPHY

DOCUMENTARY AND REALIST PHOTOGRAPHY   Society has always been in the turmoil of sickness, injury, disability, death, old age, unemployment and poverty. These problems have led men to unite with a common to goal – to manage these circumstances in the sense of protecting people or their country from experiencing these problems, or providing support to those who are experiencing it. Hence, social management has been the tool that social workers use to maintain the welfare of a certain community: physically, emotionally, financially and even spiritually. Such management involves risks for it deals with the development of a certain society, which concerns a vast number of individuals. Risk management is an example of social management. According to Al-Arhabi (2002), “the application of risk management framework goes well beyond social protection since many public interventions such as sound macroeconomic policy, good governance and access to basic education and health care all help to reduce and mitigate risk and hence vulnerability.” Al-Arhabi basically interprets social management, or social risk management as something that is much better than social protection. He further explains that lacking or inappropriate social risk management instruments will negatively impact economic development and growth that can perpetuate poverty, or increase the level of poverty.   There have been many forms of instruments that social workers, government officials, and other concerned citizens have used to instigate social management and express their sympathy to the society. One of which, is the art of photography. Photography is a way of seeing of what is happening around one’s environment of society for it captures one decisive moment in time. The Farm Security Administration (FSA) of America has used this form of art to conquer poverty in a subtle way, simply by taking pictures of certain moments that would have an emotional appeal to those who would take notice. Such action could be considered as a covert form of social management. The FSA was organized in the 1920’s because to fight the “social and economic dislocations caused by the distressing agricultural climate.” (Gorman, 2001).  The organization has provided a body of documentary photography commonly known as the FSA photographs.  Although it was not the primary work of FSA, it is, however, arguably the most recognized legacy of the agency. Walker Evans, one of FSA’s photographers, once commented on the principle in photography that his colleague Agee used. He said that Agee wanted to "shock and scare people. He wanted to make people who were not poor. . . really feel what it was like to be up against it." (Curtis, 1989) Agee was Evan’s main influence in photography. Like Agee, Evans faced different problems in expressing his social concern. He struggled to capture realism in photography, and fortunately was able to achieve it. Curtis (1989) states that “… He produced precisely the effects he intended. In so doing, he helped perpetuate popular misconceptions that cameras do not lie and that photographs are true because they are mechanical reproductions of reality. Documentary photography derived its power and authority from artful manipulations of these fictions. “ As one of the photographers that FSA hired, Evans’ task was or public relations; he was supposed to provide visual evidence that there was need, and that the FSA programs were meeting that need. This was the fact that Gorman (2001) has described. “Beyond serving this institutional image, the photographers were to document aspects of ‘the American way of life’ that caught their eye.” Basically, the indignity of migrant living conditions was the reality that FSA photographers had captured. Their social work is one of the most widely used sets of images in the public domain. It continues to be used in documentaries and social commentaries about America's rural past (Trachtenberg, 1989).   According to Huff (1998), a unique element of the social work profession has been its ability to blend skill technique, and theory with art. The word "art" refers to the emotional component of social work practice that is essential for success. Huff continued that “feelings are just as essential to the understanding of social problems as they are to understanding individual instances of domestic violence or homelessness.” As an admirer of the art of the FSA, and at the same time agreeing with the group’s objective, he also states that “… Adding visual elements to our communications will help professional social workers move beyond communicating with other experts and social workers and reach the wider audience that the social work advocacy mission demands.” This comment simply implies that FSA’s work, as a symbolical medium of communication, can trigger emotions as it convinces others to understand the problems of the society and how to act upon it. FSA’s documentary photography can also be considered as a mean of social management to create a national identity for America. National identity is a factor of social concern because it can be the basis of a society’s strength. Brady (1999) states that: “Historians that herald the decade of the 1930s as the one in which America forged its national culture have added much to an understanding of 20th century America. It is the goal of this project, however, to demonstrate that even in Stryker's work--a project charged with creating a national identity--regional identity could never be fully subverted. America, even today, is a constant negotiation of more local and national ways, and the American ever defies conventional definition; the FSA project, for its critical timing and its great breadth, provides an excellent set of lenses through which to view these phenomena.” (Brady, 1999, p.1)             National identity creates confidence to the members of the society and any actions done to achieve this can be considered as a form of social management, perhaps in a covert way, because it unintentionally gave America a national heritage that they can be proud of, and at the same time illustrates the face of America in that time, which can serve as a reminder of economic difficulties. Brady (1999) cites that documentary photographers were not just “chasing the truth,” rather they “… were after a particular reaction from the people observing the photograph. Being that documentary photography's primary appeal is to the emotions, it oddly enough proved a particularly manipulative vehicle…” Such manipulative vehicle can be a free ride to unity and social stability. It has been. Brady (1999)continues: “Charged with showing the extent of the depression's economic disaster and the effectiveness of FSA programs to alleviate it, Stryker (one of FSA’s most profound photographers) possessed a very specific motive, and by the end of his run he had more than a quarter million photographs in which to express it. Through film, radio, and magazines, the 1930s represented in many ways the advent of American mass culture, and the FSA photographs--circulated in exhibits, newspapers, and picture magazines--became a primary crucible in which the American identity would be shaped.” (Brady, 1999, p.1)             To sum it all up, the documentary photography of the FSA can be considered as a covert form of social management simply because it managed to shape the identity of America. By reflecting the poverty that America has faced in the 1920’s and 1930’s, it has created an appeal that have captured the hearts of Americans, as it captured the American way of life. As compared to other social management motives, the purpose of the FSA photography is unique in its own way because it did not only stand as a tool for social awakening in many circumstances to Americans. It also stood as the “divine hand” that has shaped the identity of America to what it is now.   References Al-Arhabi, Abdulkarim (2002). Poverty and Social Risk Management in Yemen. Oxford University Press of the World Bank, Yemen Brady, Pat (1999). Out of One, Many. xroads.virginia.edu, USA. Curtis, James (1989). Mind's Eye, Mind's Truth: FSA Photography Reconsidered. Temple University Press, Philadelphia. Gorman, Juliet (2001) Farm Security Administration Photography Home.  Oxford University Press Huff, Daniel D. (1998).  Every picture tells a story. Social Work. Volume: 43. Issue: 6. COPYRIGHT 1998 National Association of Social Workers; COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group Trachtenberg, A. (1989). Reading American photographs. New York: Hill & Wang.

DOCUMENTARY AND REALIST PHOTOGRAPHY

DOCUMENTARY AND REALIST PHOTOGRAPHY Society has always been in the turmoil of sickness, injury, disability, death, old age, unempl...

ESSAY ON DOCUMENTARY AND REALIST PHOTOGRAPHY

DOCUMENTARY AND REALIST PHOTOGRAPHY       Society has always been in the turmoil of sickness, injury, disability, death, old age, unemployment and poverty. These problems have led men to unite with a common to goal – to manage these circumstances in the sense of protecting people or their country from experiencing these problems, or providing support to those who are experiencing it. Hence, social management has been the tool that social workers use to maintain the welfare of a certain community: physically, emotionally, financially and even spiritually. Such management involves risks for it deals with the development of a certain society, which concerns a vast number of individuals. Risk management is an example of social management. According to Al-Arhabi (2002), “the application of risk management framework goes well beyond social protection since many public interventions such as sound macroeconomic policy, good governance and access to basic education and health care all help to reduce and mitigate risk and hence vulnerability.” Al-Arhabi basically interprets social management, or social risk management as something that is much better than social protection. He further explains that lacking or inappropriate social risk management instruments will negatively impact economic development and growth that can perpetuate poverty, or increase the level of poverty.   There have been many forms of instruments that social workers, government officials, and other concerned citizens have used to instigate social management and express their sympathy to the society. One of which, is the art of photography. Photography is a way of seeing of what is happening around one’s environment of society for it captures one decisive moment in time. The Farm Security Administration (FSA) of America has used this form of art to conquer poverty in a subtle way, simply by taking pictures of certain moments that would have an emotional appeal to those who would take notice. Such action could be considered as a covert form of social management.   The FSA was organized in the 1920’s because to fight the “social and economic dislocations caused by the distressing agricultural climate.” (Gorman, 2001).  The organization has provided a body of documentary photography commonly known as the FSA photographs.  Although it was not the primary work of FSA, it is, however, arguably the most recognized legacy of the agency. Walker Evans, one of FSA’s photographers, once commented on the principle in photography that his colleague Agee used. He said that Agee wanted to "shock and scare people. He wanted to make people who were not poor. . . really feel what it was like to be up against it." (Curtis, 1989) Agee was Evan’s main influence in photography. Like Agee, Evans faced different problems in expressing his social concern. He struggled to capture realism in photography, and fortunately was able to achieve it. Curtis (1989) states that “… He produced precisely the effects he intended. In so doing, he helped perpetuate popular misconceptions that cameras do not lie and that photographs are true because they are mechanical reproductions of reality. Documentary photography derived its power and authority from artful manipulations of these fictions. “   As one of the photographers that FSA hired, Evans’ task was or public relations; he was supposed to provide visual evidence that there was need, and that the FSA programs were meeting that need. This was the fact that Gorman (2001) has described. “Beyond serving this institutional image, the photographers were to document aspects of ‘the American way of life’ that caught their eye.” Basically, the indignity of migrant living conditions was the reality that FSA photographers had captured. Their social work is one of the most widely used sets of images in the public domain. It continues to be used in documentaries and social commentaries about America's rural past (Trachtenberg, 1989).     According to Huff (1998), a unique element of the social work profession has been its ability to blend skill technique, and theory with art. The word "art" refers to the emotional component of social work practice that is essential for success. Huff continued that “feelings are just as essential to the understanding of social problems as they are to understanding individual instances of domestic violence or homelessness.” As an admirer of the art of the FSA, and at the same time agreeing with the group’s objective, he also states that “… Adding visual elements to our communications will help professional social workers move beyond communicating with other experts and social workers and reach the wider audience that the social work advocacy mission demands.” This comment simply implies that FSA’s work, as a symbolical medium of communication, can trigger emotions as it convinces others to understand the problems of the society and how to act upon it. FSA’s documentary photography can also be considered as a mean of social management to create a national identity for America. National identity is a factor of social concern because it can be the basis of a society’s strength. Brady (1999) states that:   “Historians that herald the decade of the 1930s as the one in which America forged its national culture have added much to an understanding of 20th century America. It is the goal of this project, however, to demonstrate that even in Stryker's work--a project charged with creating a national identity--regional identity could never be fully subverted. America, even today, is a constant negotiation of more local and national ways, and the American ever defies conventional definition; the FSA project, for its critical timing and its great breadth, provides an excellent set of lenses through which to view these phenomena.” (Brady, 1999, p.1)               National identity creates confidence to the members of the society and any actions done to achieve this can be considered as a form of social management, perhaps in a covert way, because it unintentionally gave America a national heritage that they can be proud of, and at the same time illustrates the face of America in that time, which can serve as a reminder of economic difficulties. Brady (1999) cites that documentary photographers were not just “chasing the truth,” rather they “… were after a particular reaction from the people observing the photograph. Being that documentary photography's primary appeal is to the emotions, it oddly enough proved a particularly manipulative vehicle…” Such manipulative vehicle can be a free ride to unity and social stability. It has been. Brady (1999)continues:   “Charged with showing the extent of the depression's economic disaster and the effectiveness of FSA programs to alleviate it, Stryker (one of FSA’s most profound photographers) possessed a very specific motive, and by the end of his run he had more than a quarter million photographs in which to express it. Through film, radio, and magazines, the 1930s represented in many ways the advent of American mass culture, and the FSA photographs--circulated in exhibits, newspapers, and picture magazines--became a primary crucible in which the American identity would be shaped.” (Brady, 1999, p.1)               To sum it all up, the documentary photography of the FSA can be considered as a covert form of social management simply because it managed to shape the identity of America. By reflecting the poverty that America has faced in the 1920’s and 1930’s, it has created an appeal that have captured the hearts of Americans, as it captured the American way of life. As compared to other social management motives, the purpose of the FSA photography is unique in its own way because it did not only stand as a tool for social awakening in many circumstances to Americans. It also stood as the “divine hand” that has shaped the identity of America to what it is now.   References   Al-Arhabi, Abdulkarim (2002). Poverty and Social Risk Management in Yemen. Oxford University Press of the World Bank, Yemen     Brady, Pat (1999). Out of One, Many. xroads.virginia.edu, USA.   Curtis, James (1989). Mind's Eye, Mind's Truth: FSA Photography Reconsidered. Temple University Press, Philadelphia.     Gorman, Juliet (2001) Farm Security Administration Photography Home.  Oxford University Press     Huff, Daniel D. (1998).  Every picture tells a story. Social Work. Volume: 43. Issue: 6. COPYRIGHT 1998 National Association of Social Workers; COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group     Trachtenberg, A. (1989). Reading American photographs. New York: Hill & Wang.

ESSAY ON DOCUMENTARY AND REALIST PHOTOGRAPHY

DOCUMENTARY AND REALIST PHOTOGRAPHY Society has always been in the turmoil of sickness, injury, disability, death, old age, ...

Fashion Photography: the Stimulation of Desire by the Image Projected

Fashion Photography: the Stimulation of Desire by the Image Projected     The fashion photograph is not just any photograph, it bears little relation to the   news photograph or to the snapshot, for example; it has its own units and rules;   within photographic communication, it forms a specific language which no doubt   has its own lexicon and syntax, its own banned or approved ‘turns of phrase’.   - 1990 The Fashion System,     It is by the nature of people to be fascinated with the beauty they see around – may it be natural or inanimate. Though many people believe in the cliché “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, the universality of expression when it comes to beauty as a whole is uncontested. People will always rely on their personal judgment when it comes to defining and appreciating real beauty on its sense. This paper aims to discuss the extent of attractive presentation used in fashion photography to stimulate desire among individuals who see it. It will justify desire stimulation as an aim of fashion photography by presenting examples. Further, several examples are presented to support the claim.             Fashion photography is a specialty aspect of photography that caters to the artistic exposition of clothing and other fashion pieces. It is believed that fashion photography mastered its individual aesthetic characteristics in which the clothes and other fashions are taken into considerable angle and out of the extraordinary locations. According to  (1999), “Fashion photography is traditionally regarded as the lightweight end of photographic practice. Its close relationship to the economic imperatives of turnover makes the fashion photograph the transitory image par excellence.” As a primarily recognized fact, fashion photography is directed not only to artistic representation of clothes and fashion materials but also to the aim of persuading people and spectators to try, buy or purchase such products being endorsed and even the personality present as a subject in the photo itself. Further,  (1991), picture editor of The Guardian, affirmed in such related description that “fashion photography is like its models, nobody wants it for very long.”  believes that fashion photography is dynamic. The feeling of likeness the photograph brings in the eyes pf people who sees it changes. Thus, the relativity and duration of its effect is temporary. However, this belief was challenged by the fact presented by  (1990) that there are significant differences between how actual garments and representations of them are both produced and consumed. Since people originally wear clothing or fashion on our bodies, the description provided by  is said to be “reductive” (1999) or oversimplifying. The aspect of personal differences and individual characteristics in terms of physical traits and the appropriateness of such fashion items to people are overlooked. Fashion photography is always a dynamic area of camera work since it caters to a specified and more business-oriented side. The art presented by most ordinary photographers and visual artists is a bit diverse when compared to such kind of photography. However, the main aim in capturing the subject in the best and most artistic manner is the common denominator of every photographer who held their camera and focused their lenses. But the question is, why is desire stimulated by using attractive representations in fashion photography? The Aim of Fashion Photography   '...desire was stimulated by attractive presentation; for example, by using colours, exotic themes, lighting effects and phantasmagoria of abundance.'   -        2000,   Photographers, in general, aim to project the “art” out of the subject.  suggests that the invention of photography, far from setting its own standards for realism, merely fell into line with the dominant ideology laid down by painting. He added that photographs themselves try to depict an ape in a painterly style (1999). In fashion photography, the look of the subject as well as the fashion being endorsed is the main concern of the artist. In the process up to the publication of the material, the main goal is to attract people by using the taken photos. The most often media where the art of fashion photography is showcased is advertising and print (such as magazines and newspapers). Today, it is too evident in the daily encounters of people in various publications to see photographs adorn with strong color presentation, extraordinary themes, effects and bizarre images. Almost all glossy magazines distributed to the market are full of images that bear a specific message. On this case, fashion photography as presented in fashion oriented magazines and other publications will serve its own purpose: to persuade, stimulate and elicit desire among the readers and lookers. Indeed, fashion photography persuades people by the visual beauty being presented but at the same time separate them to the reality of the ordinary purpose of clothing ( 1999). With such representations, people no longer stick to the idea of clothes as a basic need for practical considerations such as protection, modesty, and adornment. Instead, it gives them the opportunity to ponder on the symbolism of fashion. Thus, the magazine as the principal outlet for photographic exposition as well as a prime motivator in helping individuals to assess the meaning of clothing, determining what is “in” and what is “out”, must serve its real objective. But more often than not, with the superficiality of images, use of strong visual elements, and surreal characters, people are subjected into fashion dilemma. For example, photographer  takes her lenses to Hollywood glamour.   understood the critical importance of fashion and its display, and worked with designers and subjects to the best advantage of both ( 2002). Most of her works were focused in the glamour portraits of Hollywood celebrities especially to the movies they starred in. However, there are significant examples applicable in the stimulation of desire in relation to fashion photography. A certain instance was when some stars seemed almost entirely identified with their wardrobes. “ was in Italy filming Ben-Hur, so far as the newspapers and fan magazines were concerned, she spent most of her time looking at the latest European fashions. The blonde wig Myers wears in her first scenes in the movie, for example, was said to be the result of a shopping expedition to Vienna. Upon her return to the United States, press photographers captured her in Paris gowns designed by leading couturiers such as Callot” (2002 ). After the publication of such photo, wigs became more popular (see Example 1 & 2). Thus, the presentation and the model herself persuaded people to imitate what she wore. Example 1   Carmen Myers in a feather beret     Example 2          Carmel Myers in a gown and in a wig accentuated with artificial berries     In reality, models for fashion photography are stars and celebrities. Because they are considered as such, the tendency is that their fans will be greatly influenced by the acts, ways, and looks they portray. Evidence that will support this observation is the fact that fans do not only collect and display the photos but were encouraged to imaginatively reinterpret and manipulate the images published in the magazines. It is deemed that the process of looking at stars' photographs, for the most devoted followers, was highly interactive and creative (2002).   Further, today’s fashion industry is multifaceted. If before, fashion industry is largely concentrated to women, today, men are also engage to the trend. Because the studios sold primarily to women, the products that came to be associated with the female were largely domestic ranging from intimate cosmetics or lingerie, for example, to functional household objects, to more subtle aspects of style and taste (  2002). For men, perfume, sports items and designer’s clothes like jeans is the inclination. Some of the most popular brands endorsed by men and women are Calvin Klein (see Example 3 and 4), Tommy Hilfiger, Versace (see Example 5) and the likes. The presentations of photos for such instances are depicted to be highly attractive that it will serve its persuasive function. Traditionally, women models are photographed wearing their particular dress in a specified setting. For example, ball gowns (like wedding gown) are depicted in an environment of elegance, nobility and high taste of quality like fabulous party scenes (see Example 6). Men endorsing clothes, aside from being handsome, the overall appearance of the suit and tie they wear correspond to the superficiality of the venue (see Example 7). With these instances, it could be said that the main aim of fashion photography in stimulating desire by using attractive presentation is valid and true. Examples 3 & 4   A woman in lingerie and a man on pants – a typical ad located in today’s magazines                   Example 5     Versace’s latest ad   Examples 6 & 7   A lady in a wedding gown photographed in peculiar location and two gents in their suit and bow/tie     Moreover, it is a common notion by many historians and critics that the fashion magazine and the fashion photograph is an ephemeral and exiguous form of cultural production (1999). It is a potential medium of transferring cultural characteristics of people with diverse origins. For example, in the anthology Beyond Desire ( 2005), several portraits in fashion were showcased including the works of Christian Dior and John Galliano, fashion photos, African studio photography, art, and documentary stills that holds the relativity of people when it comes to fashion sense. The collection of essay about the “idea” of Africa and Europe fashion is used as a useful medium to establish social relationships, local institutions, and transnational connection”. In here, “fashion creates fantasy onto which qualities such as seduction, eroticism, exuberance – and desire – are projected” (). The book provides a comparative analysis of “the random mixing of ethnic and contemporary elements” that makes the fundamental result both “strange and beautiful”. Fashion photography is not as simple as having a catalogue in which people can see what is new in the fashion industry. It is not also necessary that it should be a way for people such as the fashion shoppers in big commercial trading, to know what and how clothes may or really look like (1999). In reality, the photographic presentation of fashion has something to do with the process or the act of capturing the moment and the subject. For fashion, there are several considerations to be taken into account. Aside from the items and the models to be used, among these considerations are “the catwalk, designer's studio and changing room perform this function, affording the opportunity for scrutinising garments on bodies in movement, or for trying them on, while simultaneously enhancing their appeal with atmospheric music and lighting” ( 1999). Certainly, photos about fashion create an image of blissful and “beautiful” in the ordinary eyes of the viewer. It increases or even enhances the actual look of the item. Fashion photography offers an illustration of clothing that does not offer exactly the equivalent point of identification as it was demonstrated on the stage, or displayed on a mannequin or model in the studio (1999). Relatively, almost all images in fashion photography designate people into a world of unconcealed illusions and fantasies. It places fashion and the body in any number of rational contexts. More often, the sessions in fashion photography is far from the reality of imagery. It has either little or nothing to do with clothing. Or even clothing itself seems to become an alibi for the representation of other contemporaneous issues and ideas ( 1999).   The Issue of Digital Photography: Visual Truth in Fashion               With the advent of high technology in all segments of living, the process of fashion photography nowadays is also sophisticated. The presence of digital photography is another consideration to be taken into its revolutionary course of change. Researches find that digital photography has become immensely popular among recreational photographers and professionals alike while the benefits are multitudinous. The most pronounced benefits are the ease of reproduction and the effortless manipulation digital photography allows for exact replicas of images that can be made instantly and sent out where they have the potential to reach and affect millions of individuals. Furthermore, photo editing software allows for the manipulation of images, where any element can be altered, added or extracted but in doing so, the computer has followed the law of unintended consequences: the box that came to be seen as the conclusive media machine has made conclusions themselves more difficult to reach. The status of photos as visual truth has been severely shaken by this digitization of photography. The debate over the level of visual truth in photography has only been heightened with the arrival of digital imaging. Visual truth is the notion that a photograph has the power to project images of the truth and can be seen as an unmediated copy of reality ( 2001). While this view is extreme, traditional photographs do indeed all have a referent in the real world something of which they mimic and are reflections of. While simply digitizing a photo does not change that, when photographs are altered through the use of a digital technology, they lose this referent and can present a distorted view of reality. This thought is unsettling for some, as determining the authenticity of a photograph is nearly impossible. This can allow for people to create completely fictitious events and execute elaborate hoaxes.   Clearly,  (1999) believes that the expression of an attitude such as this in fashion photography bears witness to the fact that it can both make a profound impact on the social and cultural scene, and have the potential to make a lasting rather than fleeting impression on the consciousness of any individual. The deceiving tactics in order to persuade or stimulate the desire of viewers and more importantly buyers in the subject presented is evident in every images shown and products endorsed. Often, photographs are not meant to be strictly a depiction of reality, but instead to be art and evoke an emotion from its viewer. Thus, digital manipulation simply becomes another tool for the artist which allows them to convey meanings that would be otherwise impossible. One must not forget that the interpretation of a picture takes place in one’s heads. The meaning of what people see is never what they see but what it means to them. Pictures are not to concretize reality, but to interpret. Although the digitization of photography is an unavoidable evolution, it is important to understand that digitization does not necessarily include alteration. Digitization is an astounding advancement that will allow for endless and rapid distribution of photography worldwide especially to the fashion and even advertising industries. As tempting as digital manipulation may be, it is crucial that fashion photography maintains its integrity and continues to display unaltered photographs. Even in an unaltered state, however, photography will always be a subjective art, void of any absolute visual truth. It is digitization though, that allows for a new level of image that can be made to fulfill any desire. According to sources, it is said that the world becomes more controllable and we become more capable of projecting and confirming ourselves and our own world and in our own image as well provided that these digitally altered images are not labeled as authentic, one should be able to appreciate and accept this reconstructed version of photography. There has been a general argument that the diverse and complex array of images people encounter in their everyday lives, from paintings to news images to digital representations, are subject to the dynamics of social power and ideology, and that images acquire meaning and value according to context and use. Fashion photography aims not the excessively and overly visual presentation of images but to the artistic and realistic way that will induce the desire of people who loves fashion and the art of photography as a whole. As  in The face of Fashion deemed, “fashion photography provokes viewers and consumers into confirming their own identity through structures of desire … constituting a nexus between fashion and selfhood” (1999). In my own opinion, fashion photography must not be overly interpreted. The images should be attributed from the standpoint of a lens' creative and technical capabilities such as angle view, zooming, depth of field, perspective, aperture control, contrast or tonal and color reproductions. The element of visual truth is the most important aim that fashion photographers must meet. Thus, the presentation of images and subjects is not beyond the limits of real characteristics of fashion items, clothes, and models in the picture. The extent of fashion photography is limited to the execution and presentation of what is true and artistic in the eyes of every individual. Balancing artistry and honesty when it comes to stimulating desires of people is another vital denominator. Thus, people can observe fashion photography play with their own desires and fears and appreciate how the rational images appears without the main influences of “attractive presentation using colours, exotic themes, lighting effects and phantasmagoria of abundance” but with the idea that fashion is relative and that everyone is exceptional in the eyes of one another.

Fashion Photography: the Stimulation of Desire by the Image Projected

Fashion Photography : the Stimulation of Desire by the Image Projected The fashion photograph is not just any photograph, it be...

Top