Criticizing Photographs: Chapter 4

This chapter talks about the six different categories of photographs: descriptive, explanatory, interpretive, ethically evaluative, aesthetically evaluative, and theoretical. Descriptive photographs are made to be very accurate in the depictions of events, people, etc. Explanatory photographs are pretty self-explanatory. However a few key details of these types of photographs are that they typically set the subject in a social setting and they are printing in a way that exemplifies the details. Interpretive photographs try to show the viewers how things are, but they don't base anything on scientific facts. They are mostly functional photographs. Ethically evaluative photographs are personal interpretations, but they all make judgments are various aspects of society, both negative and positive judgments. Aesthetically evaluative photography is where the photographer decides what is worthy of consideration. This type of photograph is considered "art" photography. Finally theoretical photography is photographs that make judgments on art and the act of making art. Most of the artists who create this type of photography are concerned with the actual act of making photographs.

I think that this chapter was very interesting because even though it isn't very hard to distinguish different types of photographs, I didn't think that they would have specific guidelines and names. Barrett included in this chapter, how even though the categories have very different characteristics, most photographs don't fit into one category and many photographers don't identify with just one category. This isn't surprising, because it seems like many other art forms have specific categories, but artists just make art. They aren't concerned with what category they art belongs in, or if any at all and I think that's definitely very refreshing to know.