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Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography

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Many readers find 'Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography' by Roland Barthes to be a complex and challenging read, especially for students without a deep interest in photography. The book delves into the philosophical aspects of photography, with Barthes discussing concepts like punctum and studium, while also reflecting on personal experiences and emotions related to photography, such as his tribute to his mother. The writing style is described as dense and filled with complex language, requiring a deep understanding of photography and its nuances to fully appreciate the content.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is challenging, filled with academic jargon and complex vocabulary, often prioritizing aesthetics over straightforward communication.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative focuses on Barthes’ exploration of photography through personal mourning and theoretical reflections.

Setting:

The setting is introspective, blending personal grief with theoretical discourse.

Pacing:

The book has a varied pacing, often slow and requiring deep contemplation from the reader.
One day, quite some time ago, I happened on a photograph of Napoleon's youngest brother, Jerome, taken in 1852. And I realized then, with an amazement I have not been able to lessen since: "I am looki...

Notes:

Barthes attempts to define photography through personal experience after losing his mother.
He introduces two main concepts: 'studium' (the formal content of a photograph) and 'punctum' (the emotional details that catch the viewer's eye).
The book is noted for its complex language, compared to Shakespeare by some readers.
Barthes emphasizes that photographs present the thing itself, rather than just a likeness of it.
His writing style is seen as precious and sometimes overly dramatic, making it difficult for some readers.
The book is both a personal reflection and an academic exploration of photography.
Many readers find the ideas in 'Camera Lucida' valuable but consider the reading challenging.
The book has a deep connection to loss and mourning, particularly regarding Barthes' mother.
Some readers recommend it for those seriously interested in photography, while cautioning casual readers about its complexity.
Barthes' writing can evoke strong emotional responses, such as tears when discussing his mother.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include themes of grief, loss, and mortality.

From The Publisher:

A graceful, contemplative volume, Camera Lucida was first published in 1979. Commenting on artists such as Avedon, Clifford, Mapplethorpe, and Nadar, Roland Barthes presents photography as being outside the codes of language or culture, acting on the body as much as on the mind, and rendering death and loss more acutely than any other medium. This groundbreaking approach established Camera Lucida as one of the most important books of theory on the subject, along with Susan Sontag's On Photography.

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Loved It
3 months

This is one of the few books I kept from graduate school, and I'm glad I did. Just as poetic, powerful, and unassuming as I remember. Part one sets up Barthes' theory of photography and can be dense if you haven't been reading theory lately. However, the hard work pays off in part two, when he applies his conclusions to a particular photograph of his recently deceased mother. All of the work of part one becomes a way for him to process his grief over her loss, and ultimately to come to terms with his own mortality.

 

About the Author:

ROLAND BARTHES was born in 1915. A French literary theorist, philosopher, and critic, he influenced the development of schools of theory, including structuralism, semiotics, existentialism, social theory, Marxism, and post-structuralism. He died in 1980.

 
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