The Photographers Eye Essay -- Photography

In Szarkowskis essay The Photographers Eye, he addresses how moviey has taught us to see from the unexpected vantage point, as well as how photographys ability to challenge and reject our schematized notions of reality is unagitated fresh (Szarkowski. 1966. Page 11). When thinking about vantage point myself, both very different ideas of this characteristic of photography came to mind, which I will discuss and compare in this essay. Firstly, perhaps the more obvious, was the concept of where a photograph is taken from, for example looking at a affair or scene from a scene that allows the photographer a favourable view. A very literal approach. Therefore I decided to think more about how Szarkowski said photography teaches us to see from the unexpected vantage point, and on a visit to the V&A Museum I name Fred Zinnemanns photograph imperium State Building from the Subway (1950) which I think begins to address this idea the photograph certainly shows an unexpected position f or the artist to have photographed the subject from. With the title of the image being Empire State Building, this surely suggests that Zinnemann intended this to be the main subject and focus point for the viewer, making the position that the artist chose to photograph from very interesting. The empire state building itself is actually set in the punctuate of the image, allowing the viewer to take in the maybe unconventional framing of it, notably the blacked out railings of the subway that are so prominent. Whether Zinnemann intended this or not, I think the vantage point in this image allows for the viewer to hit to the scene more, as it is from a perspective that they could see everyday, when at the corresponding time I feel it also directs the v... ...Brooklyn Family going for a sunshine Outing. photograph (Tate Modern Collection)Zinnemann, F., 1950. Empire State Building from the Subway image online. on hand(predicate) at http//www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Empire-State-Build ing-from-the-Subway--c/AD8E090F77375033 Accessed January 2012.Calle, S., 1981. The Hotel, Room 47 image online. Available at http//www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=999999961&workid=26559&searchid=10437&tabview=image Accessed January 2012.Arbus, D., 1970. Judaic Giant at Home with His Parents in the Bronx image online. Available at http//masters-of-photography.com/A/arbus/arbus_jewish_giant_full.html Accessed January 2012.Arbus, D., 1966. A Young Brooklyn Family going for a Sunday Outing image online. Available at http//www.studio-international.co.uk/studio-images/arbus/82364761_b.asp Accessed January 2012.