Introduction
Photography is an important aspect used to represent an idea or history of a certain event. Photographs are currently used as a store of history for people and communities in the world. In the society, technological revolution has led to the invention of smart phones with powerful cameras used in photography. Photographs help in the remembrance of past events by keeping memories that cannot be altered. For instance, photography is used in the current society to understand past events such as World War I, World War II, and the American Revolution among many other past historic events in the world. It is, thus, important as seen to keep the history of the past through photography which will help in explaining to the future generations about events of the past. The paper will be looking at the importance of photography in demonstrating the history of the world between the 19th and 20th century.
Analysis
Julia Margaret Cameron focused on presenting human portraits in photography to represent an aspect that is widely used. The photograph titled “Lancelot and Guinevere (1873)” by Julia Cameron represents numerous aspects that can be historically related. Some of the key themes the photograph has covered include;
History of fashion and culture
The photograph, “Lancelot and Guinevere (1873)” is used to represent the history of fashion industry in the world. The dressing style portrayed in the photograph shows fashion through the use of jewelry, and other accessories that are visible. In the past, fashion was used to represent the type of class that people possessed in the society. In the British monarch, the type of dressing the royal family possessed was unique and important in representing the family. Such a history is also represented in the photograph below where the man is dressed like a roman soldier. In the past, the leaders of the military and warlords dressed in such a manner to show that they command respect to their subjects. The fashion industry has significantly changed within the years. The entire history and the memories can only be demonstrated or evidenced by such photographs in the future.
The fashion industry in the 22nd century has boomed and created opportunities for many business persons in the world. The current fashion industry is braced with the old fashion of the 18th century that appears to be highly valued in the society. The association between culture and fashion in the photograph is shown throw the attire. The dressing styles of people in the world differ with cultures. According to the photograph, the woman and man have represented their culture through their dressing style. The history of such culture and fashion is shown in the photograph. As a result, the people in the future will be able to see how culture was influenced by the way people dressed in the past. History is important as it can be remembered and learnt about for a very long period of time. The photograph was one of Julie’s last pieces of work at a time when she was not famous at all. However, the work is still remembered in the present day especially when it was availed at the VAM. The history of the cultures is currently being seen through photography and individuals try to connect the events in relation to the photos that are available.
Visuals analysis in fashion and culture
The photograph has been set in a tableau manner like it is a scene in a painting. It represents the culture and tradition of Western Painting where subjects used to sit fully dressed as they desired and their portraits painted. It is set up in a stage, like in a painting to tell a certain story. The photograph shows the history of fashion today. From the picture we see that the two characters are clothed very differently. The woman has a lot of detail and clothing endowed to her as compared to the man.
History of imperialism and industrial revolution
The photograph also represents the history of the World War II imperialism against women through idolization of the women. The colonial gaze, a term used to represent idolization of women as tools for sex and oppression, is shown in this photograph. According to the photograph, the woman seems to be scared of the man who’s standing next to her. She looks insecure as though she is expecting something harmful will happen to her. In the colonial era, the Western Nations looked at the women as sex tools through molestation and abuse. As a result, the women experience is represented in the photograph and it can be used to illustrate memories of the dark past in the present age and for the next years. The importance of such a photograph is that, it will continue to represent memories even in the future.
Industrial revolution was the period that was marked with magnificent industrialization in the world. The history of industrial revolution is well demonstrated through the photograph. Innovation and invention were among the factors that drove the world to industrialization. According to the photograph, the whole idea about introduction of photography is part of the industrial revolution. Such innovations and inventions present the history of industrial revolution in the world. Currently, the concept in the film can be related to the technology used in the modern motion pictures. The photograph thus will always be used to represent the inventions that occurred in the 19th century and how the people utilized their creativity to ensure that they survive. The entire history and memory, however, is all represented in the photography.
Visuals as analysis in industrial revolution and imperialism
The photograph implies imperialism in the past through the man who is dressed like a Roman soldier. It is known that soldiers represent a force of oppression and imperialism to the oppressed people. In the photograph, the man who looks like a conquering soldier who is looking at the woman like she is a spoil of war. It is well known that women and children suffer a lot during war.
On industrial revolution, the visual effects suggest the photograph to have been taken in an era when the photography technology was evolving. The whole visual of the photograph implies technological revolution and helps in translating the history of this evolution until the present day. Also, it can be seen that the woman and her clothing represent an era where there was a lot of wealth and thus they could afford the luxuries like jewelry and expensive clothing. The soldier may represent the quests that were taken to conquer other lands for raw materials that could be used for the industrial revolution.
History of cinema industry, advertising and relations to art
Another aspect of the photograph represented is the aspect of film and the history of cinema in the world. Film evolved early in the 19th century and has evolved due to modernization and technology revolution in the world. The photograph shows the history of the film industry since its inception in the 19th century. In the picture, one can easily tell that the subject of the film is a tyrant regime or an ancient history of a country in the world. Additionally, through film, advertising takes place and the history of advertising can be traced to the beginning of the film industry in the world.
Companies looked at films as a way of reaching a large number of people in the world. Every person would wish to watch a film that is very interesting. As a result, brands focus on reaching a large number of people in the world through advertising. Advertising can thus be traced back to the film industry in the 20th century. Brands discovered the importance of the use of famous movie stars to gain brand knowledge in the world. The history of the advertising industry is therefore shown in the photograph and the memories will last for a longer period of time in the world. The importance of the photograph is replicated even in the 21st century as the ideas that were generated in the past are seen to be used currently by the people and companies to represent different aspects in life. The image can be used to represent the beginning of marketing by media bodies in the world. Through advertisements, brands were able to reach many people who loved movies. The history of advertising has been expressed through the photograph since such pieces of creativity are used to make advertisements more attractive to customers.
Art is an important and precious aspect of life and the advertising industry. In the current society, art is highly valuable and individuals make a lot of money from art works that are created by different artists. However, persons always wonder when art began. The history of art cannot be easily traced. Through articles or journals, art is misrepresented. Alternatively, through the photograph, the history of art is held and presented to the people clearly enough for the people to understand. From the photograph, art is portrayed through the general view of the background, posture and the setting. The history of art can thus be read from the photograph in the present and in the future.
Visuals analysis in cinema industry, advertising and art
The image portrays some light and dark ends. Such are artistic ways of creating a mood for a cinema film which is also significant for advertisers. The whole image with the combination of the type of lighting and pictures used show that the era was in the history. From her style we know that the photographer used characters to enact various scenes found from paintings. In this scene this is a perfect example of the usage of photography to reenact a scene and thus creates a likeness to that of a film or even an advertisement. Therefore we can see in this photo a scene from a poem that represents the parting of Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere being brought to life.
Conclusion
Julia Margret Cameron has ensured that photography is used to represent the right history of individuals and the society that has undergone. The importance of photography is seen in many aspects which can be looked at in several fronts apart from the ones discussed above. The paper has worked at ensuring that the history and memories are well represented in photography. Photography in the past was used as part of the lives of the people. However, in the present, the past photographs helps in understanding the situation with regards to the past events and connecting them. For example, when presented with a collection of pictures from the World War II, a person can be able to distinguish the differences that appear in the photographs. A person will also be able to connect the scenes from the past and the present.
Photography thus presents the people with part of their legacy in the world. Through photography, persons are able to recollect events from their past. For example, it is through photography that Americans and the world are able to know that the first president of USA was Abraham Lincoln. Without photography, people would not be able to know how the first president of the United States looked like and how the struggle for independence was. Lastly, photography has also presented the people with the ability to communicate in a different language which is through pictures. The paper has, consequently, well-illustrated the need for photography and its importance in history and creating memories that people use in their lives. It is, for that reason, important for persons to continue with the culture of photography and store of memories to be used by future generations.
Illustration
Photography by Julia Margaret Cameron titled Lancelot and Guinevere.
Source: http://www.masters-of-photography.com/C/cameron/cameron2.html
Bibliography;
Julia Cameron and others, Julia Margaret Cameron: Photographs from the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, Calif: J. Paul Getty Museum, 1996), p.110-189.
Cox, Julian, Colin Ford, Julia Margaret Cameron: the complete photographs (Getty Publications, 2003), p.45-90).
Benjamin, Walter, Hannah Arendt, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: Illuminations, (London: Pimlico, 1999), p.211-244.
Cadava, Eduardo, Words of Light: Theses on the Photography of History (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997), p.30-40.
Cotton, Charlotte, The Photography of Contemporary Art, 3rd edn. (London: Thames & Hudson, 2014), p.120-135.
John, Roberts, Photography and Its Violations (New York and Chichester: Columbia University Press, 2014), p.120-145.
