“All photographs are there to remind us of what we forget. In this - as in other ways - they are the opposite of paintings. Paintings record what the painter remembers. Because each one of us forgets different things, a photo more than a painting may change its meaning according to who is looking at it.” ~John Berger
This statement could be true for most amateur photographers. My mother takes pictures to capture her kids growing up. These pictures are rarely rehearsed and they look very natural. Though she has control of what images to capture she spends no time trying to create an image, she lets the pictures happen. This type of record of our youth is contradicts paintings, since the pictures are real and unbiased. John Bergers statement works well with amateur artists however those trying to make a point or use photography in a way to convey something more would disagree.
Though John Berger makes a good argument, its important to remember that the photographer has ultimate control over what the viewer sees. The photographer chooses what to capture and at what point to capture it. Many times photographers use imagery as a way to convey something more or deeper. The motive of the photographer must always be in question when observing photography
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