13 Sontag, in Snapshots
Themes: Photography, Art, Capitalism
Disciplines: Motion Picture Arts, Fine Arts, Communication, English, Economics
Guiding Questions:
- “Photographs furnish evidence; the camera record incriminates,” (p. 169). Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Does the camera lie or tell the truth? What are examples of each?
- What is it about … those who like to be photographed versus those that don’t (p. 165)? (Does the photo raise feelings of insecurity; fear; un-confidence; self-determination; distrust; unfamiliarity; modesty; control; selfishness; 2-D-ness; permanence; photo is past tense; promotes stereotypes; subjective?) In the world of the Selfie and Social Media, where do you sit? Why? And what is it like to see yourself on ZOOM all the time? Where does Narcissism start and end?
- Discuss the role that photography/paintings have played in the misrepresentation of Indigenous peoples?
- Choose a passage from this chapter and discuss why you chose it, what meaning it has for you, what personal connection you can make to the passage.
- Choose a photograph or painting or sculpture and discuss its representation of its subject(s)? Compare and contrast your selection with the photos of Nadya Kwandibens or Dayna Danger or Alison Lapper or Aaron Huey, who are mentioned in this chapter (p. 177).
- Do we have a morbid fascination with photography and video footage of police/public interaction? Does it truly serve a purpose? If so, what?
- Is there any way to balance out the viewpoints (blatant or embedded) portrayed in photos/videos by publications like National Geographic, etc. If so, how?
- Can a ‘selfie’ portray our fundamental essence? Explain your answer with examples. What can portray our fundamental essence?
- Is there such a thing as ‘good’ photography and ‘bad’ photography? If not, why? If so, what are the component parts?
- “It’s important to remember that appealing to capitalism to fix the problems of racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, transphobia, and homophobia is problematic in its own way. Capitalism always relies upon exploitation to create profit, and therefore it must always rely upon differing valuations of people’s humanity” (p. 182). Do you agree with this statement? Defend you position with examples.