Re: Terms for Off-Photographic Quality Work

Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Thu, 08 May 1997 01:04:57 -0400 (EDT)

On Wed, 7 May 1997 FotoDave@aol.com wrote:
> What I mean is, for example, I have seen photos of slides projected to
> textured glass, and the result looks like impressionistic oil painting, and I
> have heard the term "painterly look." It is fine for that particular type of
> images, but not all works are painterly. Some has drawing quality and are
> sometimes described as "artistic" look, but I think that is not a good term
> because it somehow implies that normal photography is not artistic. Maybe it
> doesn't have that connotation although it literally has.

Dave, I sometimes use the term "graphic," or a "graphic look," which gives
the idea without being too process-specific. Sometimes also "abstracted"
works. Another term that's been used for processes like posterization,
tone-line, etch-bleach, etc. is "derived photography" or "derivation."
Similarly "manipulated photography." I've also used "crooked
photography" as opposed to "straight photography."

> I have heard the term "pictorial look." What does that really mean?

The term "pictorial" has connotations of a distinct period and style --
turn-of-the-century, soft focus, low contrast, White, early Steichen,
Kasebier, Demachy, etc. -- which could be very much at odds with the work
you're describing.

The term "pictorial look" may be used for work reminiscent of or with a
gloss on the original pictorialism...

Judy