I found Flusser’s “The Photograph” article to be very intriguing. It uses the point of view of an artist to dissect photographs into a very complex work of art that many, especially those who are not artists, do not quite understand. I found myself agreeing with much of what he was saying, especially about how a photograph is more than it seems at first and often requires ‘decoding’.
Flusser seems to emphasize that a photograph, in itself, is not simply a matter that is black and white. A photograph is an expression that allows for a complex subject to be broken down into a more understandable method of observation. A photograph allows for both a simple understanding in the form of an image on the surface, as well as a more complex, deeper story that an artist tells through the setting of the captured photograph. I find this to be very true as I think back on the photographs that I have seen, whether professional or taken by a family member. They are more than something to admire on the surface. They scream for your attention through the artist’s style, and how the subjects of the image are placed. Some are used for memories, good and bad, and others are used to propel one’s critical thinking.
Additionally, Flusser makes the point that color photographs are more ‘abstract’ from a black-and-white photograph. I feel as though he thinks that the color in the photograph distracts from the true intent of the photo and its story, and makes the viewer have to think more deeply about it in order to truly understand the artist’s purpose. He goes on to say that a black-and-white photograph is more ‘true’ than a color photograph, and perhaps it is for this reason alone. Without color to distract the viewer, one can question why the artist chose to take that photo and what the artist wants the viewer to really see.
Overall, the article discusses Flusser’s analysis of how the point of view of an artist is something that is complex and often requires for one to really think critically about the purpose of the work, especially in the case of ‘decoding’ photographs, and I admire his point of view.