Re: Flatness & the David Fokos Ad


Steve Shapiro (sgshiya@redshift.com)
Thu, 04 Mar 1999 08:21:57 -0800


Subject: Re: David Fokos Ad

>Beakman wrote:
>
>> Still, I'm curious to know what you meant by "flatness", and also to
>> hear a bit more about the class you teach.
>
>Ahh, flatness -- the illusory effect derived from pressing all the depth of
>our environment onto the flat plane of film/print. In the case of your
>image, it is the "floating" quality of the piers in the water. Everything
>"floats" to the same heights or level. I don't "see" depth per se, but a
>hierarchy of similar, repeating shapes forming a triangle. Anyway, that's
>what I see. Shore refers to the job photographers do as solving problems of
>visual juxtapositions. I think that describes your image.
>
>I'd guess the surrounding black (ad) contributes to this sensation. I might
>try and place it as a scan onto white and see...now I'm curious. oops, is
>that ok?
>
>The class I teach is one I inherited, but made over into a
>history/theory/criticism class. I use Stephen Shore's new book, _The Nature
>of Photographs_ and Terry Barrett's _Criticizing Photographs. Students
>choose three photographers to research and present (both oral and written)
>reports, we try to "connect the dots" of history, aesthetics, art theory,
>and photo groups.
>
>Who knows, maybe this list will be studied some day. So, be careful what
>you say!
>
>Darryl
>
Flatness:
A poorly exposed negative printed for content.

Voila! Another definition of flatness.

SS



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