Review: Understanding a Photograph

Understanding a Photograph by John Berger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This collection of writings by Berger was an interesting little read on the form. While a little tedious in parts, and maybe mildly repetitive in bits, Berger generally has novel takes that inspire reflection and pause.

Berger's analysis of photography is interesting in multiple ways. At first glance, he is definitely got a unique perspective on what photos are. While I did not agree with all of his analysis, there is a clear power to the way he thinks of historicity, the importance and limitations of photography, and how it relates to seeing and memory. On another level, though, his analysis of photography falls within the larger philosophical positions he is defending in the broader sets of writing he does. Finally, his work is set within a specific temporal framework, there is a time and place within which his writing clearly sits.

As a result, this book is a fascinating snapshot of a developed philosophy about art. Its temporality means that parts of it are dense and have academic language that is somewhat outdated, and parts of it are outdated in content where the art of photography has moved forward. At the same time, other parts feel all the more richer because of how concretely they are grounded.

The volume only includes select photographs. I found myself having to google the others, and missing the detail.

Overall, not bad.

View all my reviews