Double Bayou Dance Hall (October 10, 2002) — Image by kenne
I’m fascinated with photos.
When you look at a photograph, what do you see?
Is what you see reality?
Is it posed?
Many of my blog posting start with “Capturing The Moment,” which might imply: taken out of reality; taken out of context; posed.
What is really happening in the moment?
When you look at the above photo, which captured a moment, you don’t get the narrative. You don’t know how the image fits into the world, but if you begin to ask questions related to who, what, where, when and how you can create a narrative — a photo story that effectively places you into the image. Still, when many people look at a photo, they tend to be matter-of-fact about matters of fact.
Because I took the above photo, I know more facts of the narrative. Because I composed this photo, the moment is out of context, in a sense I posed the photo, which is why I believe all photos are posed.
Still, this photo provides the viewer a lot of information from which to create a story that will allow the image to fit into the viewer’s world. It’s a narrative we create using our values, experience and perception, which allows a photo to become attractive to the viewer. The viewer can be connected and not connected — looking at the past as if he/she is there.
Photos offer a powerful look into history, so ask questions.
kenne
Nice you tube post on the Double Bayou Dance Hall
Thanks for the comment.