Form, Beauty, and Realism in Photography

Instructor: Ian Maley,PhD

Sundays, December 3 – December 17, 2023
12 - 2 pm

Hybrid in-person/online with in-person attendance encouraged.

What defines photography as an art? What makes a photograph beautiful, and how do we understand beauty in photography? In pursuit of these questions, this second installment of the photographer’s salon will examine three short classic texts in the history of photography criticism. Each of the three writers and artists we will be reading attempted to define photography at a decisive moment in its history and argued powerfully for its place among the arts. We will pay special attention to the problems of form and realism and examine the ways that they define the photographer’s means of expression. Participants are welcome and encouraged to share their own work and works they admire as part of the salon. Participants will be provided with all the readings beforehand. The format is hybrid, though participants are encouraged to attend in person if possible. No prior knowledge or experience required – just an open mind and a willingness to engage in dialogue with others.

Week 1: Lady Elizabeth Eastlake - “Photography”

Week 2: André Bazin - “The Ontology of the Photographic Image”

Week 3: Robert Adams - “Beauty in Photography”

Instructor bio: Ian Maley, Ph.D. is a professor and photographer living in the Philadelphia area. He is also a proud member of The Halide Project's darkroom monitor team and the leader of Halide's photographer's salon.