Comments on: The Myth of Visual Literacy & Why Mass Consumption is King http://blog.photoshelter.com/2013/01/the-myth-of-visual-literacy-why-mass-consumption-is-king/ Daily discussion of photography business issues & photography websites. Marketing and sales tips for smart photographers, plus a dose of inspiration from the PhotoShelter team. Fri, 17 May 2013 12:01:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: John Gregor http://blog.photoshelter.com/2013/01/the-myth-of-visual-literacy-why-mass-consumption-is-king/#comment-762554 John Gregor Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:09:33 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/?p=27001#comment-762554 But rather than be a total Debbie Downer, let me offer an observation that might fly in the face of common perception. As more people become “photographers,” the more they will come to appreciate photography through regular (often daily) consumption. Flipping through Facebook or Instagram immediately reveals “good” and “bad” photos. And as a consumer devours more photography, they will ideally start to discern between “good” and “great” and all the shades in between. They will also learn by rote how composition, lighting, and filters can be additive or subtractive. Like almost any creative endeavor from cooking to writing to music, the act of doing usually gives the actor a greater appreciation of the craft. Photography should be no different. By this reasoning all those overweight people who are going to "Old Country Buffet" (if you don't have those restaurants in your area they are an 'all you can eat' chow line) will become connoisseurs of fine dining as they put on the pounds. I don't buy it. Visual literacy is something more than valuing and protecting copyright. Visual literacy is teaching our young how to read and understand visual images particularly photographic images. Visual literacy is about teaching people to understand the power of visual imagery to persuade, and to understand that the purveyors of media are using that power to persuade viewers with every image that they publish. But rather than be a total Debbie Downer, let me offer an observation that might fly in the face of common perception. As more people become “photographers,” the more they will come to appreciate photography through regular (often daily) consumption. Flipping through Facebook or Instagram immediately reveals “good” and “bad” photos. And as a consumer devours more photography, they will ideally start to discern between “good” and “great” and all the shades in between. They will also learn by rote how composition, lighting, and filters can be additive or subtractive. Like almost any creative endeavor from cooking to writing to music, the act of doing usually gives the actor a greater appreciation of the craft. Photography should be no different.
By this reasoning all those overweight people who are going to “Old Country Buffet” (if you don’t have those restaurants in your area they are an ‘all you can eat’ chow line) will become connoisseurs of fine dining as they put on the pounds. I don’t buy it. Visual literacy is something more than valuing and protecting copyright. Visual literacy is teaching our young how to read and understand visual images particularly photographic images. Visual literacy is about teaching people to understand the power of visual imagery to persuade, and to understand that the purveyors of media are using that power to persuade viewers with every image that they publish.

]]> By: guy capdeville http://blog.photoshelter.com/2013/01/the-myth-of-visual-literacy-why-mass-consumption-is-king/#comment-685565 guy capdeville Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:32:47 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/?p=27001#comment-685565 Oui, thanks for your approach of phtography. As a press photographer, it was my first job in 1967, my relation with visual literacy is like my relation to speak a language; my be like my relation to listening music. No problem, no mistery; I don't need to explain how or even why. But, as you say very well, explaining to somebody that a photo like that is better than an other one like that, gratified a lot, myself and the person who discorver, may be for the first time, a new visual language. Oui, thanks for your approach of phtography. As a press photographer, it was my first job in 1967, my relation with visual literacy is like my relation to speak a language; my be like my relation to listening music. No problem, no mistery; I don’t need to explain how or even why. But, as you say very well, explaining to somebody that a photo like that is better than an other one like that, gratified a lot, myself and the person who discorver, may be for the first time, a new visual language.

]]> By: Allen Murabayashi http://blog.photoshelter.com/2013/01/the-myth-of-visual-literacy-why-mass-consumption-is-king/#comment-655964 Allen Murabayashi Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:42:24 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/?p=27001#comment-655964 Hi Craig, We didn't remove any comments from the posting to my knowledge. Hi Craig, We didn’t remove any comments from the posting to my knowledge.

]]> By: Craig Harrold http://blog.photoshelter.com/2013/01/the-myth-of-visual-literacy-why-mass-consumption-is-king/#comment-655930 Craig Harrold Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:34:13 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/?p=27001#comment-655930 Allen - I thought you asked "Who Agrees?"on the original post. I'm curious why you removed the comments? Allen – I thought you asked “Who Agrees?”on the original post.
I’m curious why you removed the comments?

]]> By: Libby Stack http://blog.photoshelter.com/2013/01/the-myth-of-visual-literacy-why-mass-consumption-is-king/#comment-651290 Libby Stack Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:24:04 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/?p=27001#comment-651290 The Gursky image insert you have made here is a rather poor reference. The image that sold was 143 inches by 73 inches. It is not only "visual literacy" as you refer to it but also an understanding of the artist and the fine gallery world in general. To insert the image casually here without a proper context is just filling a space. You could just as easily have used a picture of your cat. I'm not defending the Gursky work here - I like some of his stuff but not all, but if people had a deeper understanding of what is desirable in the fine art world, they wouldn't be so quick to dispute the high price tag. A buyer wanted it, and that's what he was willing to pay, simple as that. A post I wrote about the image in 2011 is here http://ohnostudio.com/2011/11/only-5-3-million-for-this-lake-image/ The Gursky image insert you have made here is a rather poor reference. The image that sold was 143 inches by 73 inches. It is not only “visual literacy” as you refer to it but also an understanding of the artist and the fine gallery world in general. To insert the image casually here without a proper context is just filling a space. You could just as easily have used a picture of your cat.

I’m not defending the Gursky work here – I like some of his stuff but not all, but if people had a deeper understanding of what is desirable in the fine art world, they wouldn’t be so quick to dispute the high price tag. A buyer wanted it, and that’s what he was willing to pay, simple as that.

A post I wrote about the image in 2011 is here

http://ohnostudio.com/2011/11/only-5-3-million-for-this-lake-image/

]]> By: Bárbara http://blog.photoshelter.com/2013/01/the-myth-of-visual-literacy-why-mass-consumption-is-king/#comment-651283 Bárbara Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:22:43 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/?p=27001#comment-651283 I like the way you have teased the reason out and separated it from the muck and mire! Well stated! I like the way you have teased the reason out and separated it from the muck and mire! Well stated!

]]> By: Kevin http://blog.photoshelter.com/2013/01/the-myth-of-visual-literacy-why-mass-consumption-is-king/#comment-650201 Kevin Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:25:08 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/?p=27001#comment-650201 Allen, Nice post. I like it when my brain has something to do like think about what the writer is saying especially when they can write. Education is always good and it's only when we stop learning that we stop growing. Allen,

Nice post. I like it when my brain has something to do like think about what the writer is saying especially when they can write. Education is always good and it’s only when we stop learning that we stop growing.

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