PHOTOGRAPHY

Barthes tells us he wants to find out something about photography. What is it?

Barthes wanted to find out if photography truly existed as he was unsure whether or not it was a true art form in and of itself.

He tells us that he is frustrated by most of the books he reads about photography. Why does he find them unsatisfying?

Most books that Barthes read about photography were either too technical and focused “at a very close range” or too historical/sociological and focused “at a great distance”, there was no middle ground and reading these books made him “think of some photograph [he] loved” which “made [him] furious”.

He comes up with three different ways that people engage with photography. What are they? Do you think they are still valid categories in the age of social media and the selfie?

Barthes identifies the ways people engage with photography are as an operator (one who takes a photo), a spectator (one who views the photo), or the target (whatever/whoever is being photographed). He talks about them as three different experiences however nowadays a person can be any combination of them, even all three.