The Photograph as Contemporary Art: Chapter 5 Response

   Chapter 5, 'Intimate Life', showcases contemporary photography that acts as a diary of personal relationships and emotional intimacy. While some of these photographs seem casual and amateur, the theory and thoughts behind them are anything but an accident. The majority of these photos double as character studies and they perfectly encapsulate the Decisive Moment as Henri Cartier-Bresson would describe it.

   Somehow, it is through the intimate and imperfect moments captured that intimate life photography is able to tell a raw and vulnerable story. I was really happy to see Nan Goldin's work explored in the text, especially her series that explored drag queens and the underground culture of the time. These photographs, especially at the time, were a window into the lives of those who were marginalized and most likely not common to those living in suburbia. In the same vein, Yang Yong is a photographer that is able to convey emotions and attitudes by photographing his friends. What I love about his process is that it is a collaboration between the subject and the photographer. Through this, a story is truly being told both by the subject and through the subject. In many of his works, including Fancy in Tunnel, there seems to be a theme of female angst as it relates to youth culture, which is something I have tried to explore in my photography and art as well.

   Reading this chapter reinforces my fever dream of joining a travelling circus and photographing their lives all day. Not only is the end result beautiful, but the process seems cathartic as well. Focusing on capturing an intimate moment rather than being a perfectionist and fussing over the edit sounds appealing to me right now. 

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