Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Intimate Life (Chapter Response)


In chapter five Intimate Life from The Photograph as Contemporary Art by Charlotte Cotton, photos are to capture loved ones at a significant moment or event. While the majority of amateur photographers call redeye, bad framing, shaken photo, a bad shot, Intimate Life photography takes these and call it contemporary art. Through the “usual mistakes” that most people’s photographs have, the private experience is communicated. Intimate life photography, such as Nan Goldin’s inspired even the fashion world. From her work came the “grunge” style.
"Nan and Brian in Bed", NYC -Nan Goldin

          One photographer mentioned in this chapter is Nan Goldin. I have seen a lot of her work and I have mixed feelings about it. I believe that she is very talented and captures significant moments and events in her and her friend’s lives. Nan Goldin’s photographs are important because she had the new approach and process of an Intimate Life series. She has photographed her life. I like her photos because I understand the need to photograph as a record of moments, events and emotion in my own personal life. I can understand how photo’s can become a diary. What separates Nan Goldin from others is the real content of her photos. The life style that her and her friends were having is thrown at the viewer. The some photographs depict things from violence, to drug use, to sex. These images are important because many people in the world would rather just ignore people or problems like these, then to acknowledge that they are real.
"Lady GaGa" -Wolfgang Tillman

            Another photographer mentioned in this chapter is Wolfgang Tillman. Tillman started out in the fashion world and than later switched into Fine Art photography. Tillman’s photography is very much modeled after Nan Goldin, which made me become interested. Tillman’s focus on friends becomes a narrative. Both of these photographers produce photos that evoke attitudes, and can be used to look beyond the subject’s lives. These are social issues, spelt out in personal terms.  

1 comment:

  1. Nan Goldin really has brought the intimate life topic to life. Her images are so great because you can relate to them, especially those involved in a similar lifestyle. It amazes me how such simple pictures can have such a great meaning.

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