Discussion exercise
Time: 10–20 min
Tools: Computer or tablet
Goal: Reflect over the authorship of photographs. Understand the difference between scientific and artistic photography.
Transversal competences: L1, L2, L4
Photography was harnessed as a tool for research already in its early stages. Many of the first photographers were scientists and engineers.
Since a machine was needed to produce a photograph, it was perceived unclear if the author in the end was the camera or its user. It was only later that photography was seen as art.
Task:
Is the creator of a photograph the camera or the photographer? Discuss the topic in small groups and justify your thoughts.
When is a photograph scientific? When is a photograph artistic?