Traditional Photography Research Articles

‘Defacing’ in photography and ‘blocking’ on social media: changing ways of navigating personal memories

This paper focuses on how individuals cut out unwanted members from their social circles, as seen in photo albums, and how this compares to practices on digital platforms. The study reflects on two distinct practices: ‘Defacing in photography’ as the practice of manipulation, distortion, and defacement of analogue photographs, and ‘blocking on social media’ as the practice of decision-making and content management on digital platforms, and discusses the similarities and discrepancies between them. Research draws on both in-depth analysis of various visual texts and structured interviews conducted with 22 participants of various ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds in relation to their personal experiences of these two acts. The findings show acts of defacing and blocking are often driven by desires for self-empowerment, self-awareness, and self-defense. The study draws attention to the coexistence of both restrictive and liberating potentials in the acts of defacing and blocking. The article proposes that, through its engagement with these two distinct acts of negation, individuals develop tailored strategies to satisfy their emotional requirements when interacting with traditional photographs and online social networks.

Shifting perspectives: exploring the intersection of traditional and digital photography in contemporary artistic practices

The advent of digital photography has ushered in a dynamic era marked by evolving paradigms and practices in visual representation. This research delves into the profound interplay between traditional and digital photographic modalities, investigating their impact on contemporary art and society. Through an art-based research approach, this study examines an innovative artistic experiment conducted by Palestinian artist Ahmed Al-Saffarini. While Al-Saffarini's work serves as a starting point for philosophical reflection, it is the broader conceptual exploration of digital and traditional photography that forms the core of this research. By burying vintage photographic negatives underground for an extended period, Al-Saffarini sought to explore the transformative potential of integrating traditional and digital photography techniques. Drawing on a rich body of literature encompassing philosophical discourse, artistic practice, and technological advancements, this research elucidates key themes shaping the trajectory of photography in the digital age. Phenomenological perspectives illuminate the experiential dimensions of perception and consciousness inherent in the photographic medium, while scholarly debates on analogue versus digital photography underscore the epistemic complexities and artistic possibilities engendered by technological innovation. Furthermore, this study highlights photography's role as a conduit for memory, identity formation, and cultural expression in contemporary society. Through an analysis of Al-Saffarini's artistic experiment and its implications, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of photography's transformative potential and its evolving significance within the artistic landscape. Emphasising the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and creative experimentation, this study advocates for the integration of art-based research methodologies in scholarly inquiry, thereby enriching our comprehension of photography's multifaceted nature and its enduring relevance in the digital era.

Optimising spectroscopic observations of transiting exoplanets

Context. When observing the atmospheres of transiting exoplanets using high-resolution spectroscopy, the aim is to detect well-resolved spectral features with high signal-to-noise ratios (S/Ns), as is possible today with modern spectrographs. However, obtaining such high-quality observations comes with a trade-off: a lower cadence of fewer, longer exposures across the transit collects more photons thanks to reduced overheads, enhancing the S/N of each observation, while a higher cadence of several shorter exposures minimises spectral feature smearing due to the continuously changing radial velocity of the planet. Aims. Considering that maximising S/N and minimising smearing are both beneficial to analysis, there is a need to identify the optimal compromise between the two for a given target. In this work, we aim to establish where this compromise lies for a typical exoplanet transit observation in order to benefit future data collection and subsequent interpretation. Methods. We modelled real transit events based on targets as they would be observed with VLT/CRIRES+ at Paranal Observatory, Chile. Creating four hypothetical scenarios, we simulated each set of transmission spectra across 100 realisations of the same transit event in order to vary the time resolution only. We removed telluric and stellar lines from these data sets using the SYSREM algorithm and analysed them through cross-correlation with model templates, measuring how successfully each time resolution and case detected the planetary signal and exploring how the results vary. Results. We demonstrate that there is a continuous change in the significance of the cross-correlation detection based on the trade-off between high and low time resolutions, and that, averaged over a large number of realisations, the function of this significance has clear maxima. The strength and location of these maxima vary depending on, for example, planet system parameters, instrumentation, and the number of removal iterations. We discuss why observers should therefore take several factors into account using a strategy akin to the ‘exposure triangle’ employed in traditional photography where a balance must be struck by considering the full context of the observation. Our method is robust and may be employed by observers to estimate the best observational strategies for other targets.

An Ideal for Living

'An Ideal for Living' explores the intersection of photography and computer-generated imagery (CGI) in depicting the future of urban life. It specifically examines London's ongoing urban redevelopment, highlighting how architecture is shaped as both a visual story and a construction process. This project blurs the lines between CGI and traditional photography, capturing the city's transformation during this period of change. The resulting images draw from architectural and advertising photography, combining reality with simulation, preserving the present while projecting future aspirations. They convey the pristine novelty of new buildings while hinting at the inevitable effects of time. 'An Ideal for Living' seeks to archive a simulated memory of the city's evolving landscape. Cover image: An Ideal for Living

Camera Phantasma: Reframing virtual photographies in the age of AI

The recent advent of virtual photography and artificial intelligence (specifically AI photography and diffusion models), presents a major challenge to both photographers and photography theory. All our common-sense assumptions about the ontology of the image now seem to be falling apart. Are these interlopers really photography? Can we hear the final death knell for the erstwhile medium in this era of ever-increasing media convergence and virtualisation? This practice-led investigation of these new media forms draws on the author’s recent creative work in virtual photographies, and similar interventions by other photographers and new media artists, seeking to augment and expand their practice using these new tools, whilst querying what photography really means today. From in-game photography to virtual exploration using Google Street View, to AI photography using the latest denoising diffusion models (such as Midjourney), there are surprising commonalities to explore between them, linking these new practices of image-making firmly back to traditions of lens-based photography. Rather than seeking a detailed map of this difficult new terrain, or a definitive ontology of emerging virtual photographies, the author reframes the discourse around practice, examining both photography as an evolving set of practices and also notions of media hauntology – specifically the spectral ways in which new media technologies are always haunted by prior practices and modes of communication. The importance of the frame to both traditional photography and new practices of virtual photography, is suggested as a vital and persistent dimension in photographic authorship. With that authorship increasingly contested by new generative methods, easy appropriation and AI image-making, the act of framing may become the best litmus test we have, for whether or not a photograph should be considered ‘real’ or valued.

Infinite Barnacle: The AI Image and Imagination in GANs from Personal Snapshots

Abstract Today’s artificial intelligence image generation tools create images from datasets. These training sets are typically images sourced from the World Wide Web. However, artists may produce their own datasets from photographs. This essay explores one such process. In it, the artist discusses training a generative adversarial network (GAN) from images of personal memories. These images are shared here not as public artworks, but as personal photographs: snapshots reproduced and newly imagined by a machine. The essay explores the distortion that AI image generation introduces to memory and imagination, connecting ideas of photography to cybernetics to expose new ways of theorizing the image in the current stage of AI. It concludes that a theory of A imagery may borrow from theories of traditional photography but must examine its distinctions.

Photographing the game glitch: Between ghost photography and immaterial labour

This article explores the properties of glitch within practices of in-game photography. It argues that capturing the breaking of game textures and graphics reveals the process of creation of photorealism and the remediation of traditional photography within digital and playable spaces. On the other hand, it proposes that screenshotting game glitches acts as an involuntary bug report and part of an economy of ever-optimizing networked images.

생성형 인공지능과 ‘프롬프토그래피’의 집단무의식

This study examines the influence and significance of the emergence of artificial intelligence on the art world, with a specific focus on the controversy ignited by Boris Eldagsen's generative artificial intelligence image titled Pseudomnesia: The Electrician. Eldagsen introduced the term 'promptography,' asserting that images generated by artificial intelligence should be distinct from traditional photographs. The prompts fed into artificial intelligence systems capture the artist's vision and creative efforts, making promptography effective in elucidating the creative process through prompts and forms independent of content. Eldagsen’s work demonstrates a dematerialized imagination drawn from an extensive database through artificial intelligence technology. This process becomes an ontological mirror of humanity by opening a passage to the collective unconscious through data accumulated from human emotions and experiences.

CONCEPTUAL PHOTOGRAPHY: SIGNIFICANCE AND FUTURE IN INDIAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Conceptual photography is a form of art that uses photographs to convey abstract ideas, concepts, and emotions rather than depicting reality. It is an expressive and creative approach that allows photographers to explore their imagination and produce visually stunning images. Unlike traditional photography that captures the reality of the subject, conceptual photography goes beyond the surface and aims to evoke thought-provoking responses from the viewer. This research article aims to explore the significance and future of conceptual photography.By contrasting conceptual photography with traditional photography and other related genres, the article highlights conceptual photography's unique characteristics, techniques, and objectives. Through the lens of renowned Indian conceptual photographers, the piece demonstrates how this genre resonates with diverse societal issues and challenges conventional perceptions. The article presents a comprehensive overview of conceptual photography's transformative power in shaping artistic expression and encouraging profound intellectual engagement.

Staging a Musical Self through Paper, Canvas, and The Screen: A Taxonomy of Musicians’ Self-Portraits from the Renaissance to the Digital Age

. Musicians have engaged in visual self-representation at least since the Renaissance and have continued the tradition to modern times with contemporary practices including selfies and generative technology and AI art. The practitioners include so-called classical composers (Schoenberg is a well-known case) and performers (Caruso, for instance), but also pop singers and musicians (Joni Mitchell and Patti Smith, among others). The media used varies from oil on canvas to drawings on paper, from traditional photography to digital media. In some instances, there are grave, pompous self-representations, but caricatures also abound (e.g., Donizetti). There are also some miscategorized self-portraits (i.e., portraits misattributed to their subject) and many more purposely fake or mocking self-portraits including contemporary Roman musician and comic Federico Maria Sardelli, which would indicate that the category of “self-portrait” adds value and prestige to any visual artifact. Furthermore, many visual artists, especially during the Renaissance, present themselves as faux musicians, possibly as a sign of nobility or education. Slowly but surely, women have also claimed a space in the realm of musicians’ self-portraits since many of them, belonging to the higher echelons of society, were both visual artists and active musicians (Maria Antonio of Bavaria, Ducreaux and Schröter, among others). In some instances, the musician is truly obsessed with his or her own image to the point that, in addition to visual self-representation, he or she also provides written autobiographies and even musical self-portraits in sound (Spohr and Schoenberg, for instance). In the end, any attempt to create a taxonomy of “musicians’ self-portraits” amounts to a serious interrogation of the usual categories of “self-portrait,” “musician,” and “artist” and to the staging of a vulnerable, doubtful self that wants to be reasserted. Keywords. Self-portraits, Oil on canvas, Drafts on paper, Photography, Selfies, Digital and AI art.

REVOLUTIONIZING PHOTOGRAMMETRY: USING MIRRORS IN SINGLE-IMAGE PHOTOGRAMMETRY

Abstract. The present work introduces a new low-cost prototype® designed for photogrammetric surveys of small objects, using a single photographic shot. The prototype® utilizes the different perspectives of the object presented by a series of mirrors strategically placed in the camera sensor. The set of specular reflections projected on our camera sensor simulates the same effect as taking pictures from equivalent points of each mirror.The v1 prototype® was presented at the 7th International Workshop "Low-Cost 3D Sensors, Algorithms, Applications" in Würzburg on December 15–16, 2022. It consists of a set of eighteen common mirrors conveniently placed around the object to be digitized, making its reflections converge towards the camera lens. The v2 prototype® presented here is an evolution of the previous one, which replaces the common mirrors with precision ones that have a metallic reflective surface on the front. This modification eliminates the double image formed by the reflective layer and the protective glass.These prototypes® allow for faster surveys of small inert objects (such as small cultural heritage artefacts like sculptures, engravings, rings, coins, etc.) as well as photogrammetric surveys of small living beings, such as insects, which cannot remain still during traditional photography.

Learning by Playing. A Case Study of the Education in Photography by Digital Games

Aim. The study aims to explore the current state of digital game-based learning to reflect the extent, possibilities, opportunities, and limitations of its implementation in the specific field of education as visual art, especially photography. Method. The explorative study employed the method of theoretical analysis of available literature and other secondary sources related to the issue, and subsequently applied the method of an illustrative (descriptive) case study. Results. Photo modes of commercially available digital games, originally intended to increase the players’ retention and participation, have led to the birth of a new art form, virtual photography. The technology of photo modes in a larger variety of recent games has made virtual photography available to significantly more players. Photo modes provide artistic control and creative options alongside a whole catalogue of lenses, camera parameters, and other features, reducing the financial burden associated with the purchase of photographic equipment. Furthermore, photo modes offer more than just a substitutable alternative to traditional photography, as added artistic value is found within virtual worlds. Conclusions. Despite some limitations regarding the overall implementation of digital game-based learning in photography classrooms, photo modes of commercially available digital games are a suitable tool for educational efforts in photography through both self-development and measurement of outcome-based learning.

Exploring public perceptions of creating and using 3D printed human remains

3D printed human remains offer an alternative presentation format to traditional photographs, that could be more effective and less emotive. However, the perception of the public regarding key questions, such as the use, ownership, and disposal of 3D printed remains in courts of law has not yet been established.This study explored whether the creation of 3D printed human remains could be considered as an ethical practice by members of the public. A survey comprised of 36 questions was designed to gather responses from members of the public (n = 400) about their attitudes to the creation and use of 3D printed human remains. A majority of respondents believed it was ethical to use 3D prints in courtroom demonstrations (more than 90%) and that this may help jurors to better understand expert testimony over photographs. Respondents also indicated that the context of the case and whether consent had been received from next of kin were important considerations.The results of this study indicate that there is a recognition that there is a direct connection between 3D printed remains and the individual from whom a print derives, and that there is a clear public interest in ensuring that prints are used ethically and responsibly. Yet there are currently no guidelines for what constitutes best ethical practice for the creation and utilisation of 3D prints. As we look forward, there is a need to identify how best to treat 3D printed remains with dignity and respect in casework in a manner that is also contextually appropriate.

Morfologia e Modernismo. Riflessioni sull’estetica fotografica di Karl Blossfeldt e László Moholy-Nagy

The article aims to shed light on the peculiar relationship between Blossfeldt’s photographic aesthetics and that of Moholy-Nagy in a novel way. I intended to show, starting with the essay “Short History of Photography” and the review “News about flowers” by Walter Benjamin, the peculiar character of Blossfeldt’s photographs collected in his book Urformen der Kunst (1928). What emerges from this photo-collection is first and foremost a fundamental ontological difference between photo-graphs and pictorial chrome-graphs, which I have developed through comparison with Gadamer’s reflection on the portrait. I then showed the profound affinity of Blossfeldt’s photography with Riegl’s reflection on ornamentation, Goethean morphology and Klee’s painting. Despite the apparent proximity of Blossfeldt’s work to traditional photography and the so-called Neue Sachlichkeit, I have argued, in the last part of the contribution, the affinity of this work to certain aspects of Moholy-Nagy’s Neue Sehen. Like Moholy-Nagy, Blossfeldt intends to implement the perceptual possibilities of the human being, giving him access to a new “optical unconscious”.

Extraction and Surfactant Properties of Glyoxylic Acid-Functionalized Lignin.

The amphiphilic chemical structure of native lignin, composed by a hydrophobic aromatic core and hydrophilic hydroxy groups, makes it a promising alternative for the development of bio‐based surface‐active compounds. However, the severe conditions traditionally needed during biomass fractionation make lignin prone to condensation and cause it to lose hydrophilic hydroxy groups in favour of the formation of C−C bonds, ultimately decreasing lignin's abilities to lower surface tension of water/oil mixtures. Therefore, it is often necessary to further functionalize lignin in additional synthetic steps in order to obtain a surfactant with suitable properties. In this work, multifunctional aldehyde‐assisted fractionation with glyoxylic acid (GA) was used to prevent lignin condensation and simultaneously introduce a controlled amount of carboxylic acid on the lignin backbone for its further use as surfactant. After fully characterizing the extracted GA‐lignin, its surface activity was measured in several water/oil systems at different pH values. Then, the stability of water/mineral oil emulsions was evaluated at different pH and over a course of 30 days by traditional photography and microscopy imaging. Further, the use of GA‐lignin as a surfactant was investigated in the formulation of a cosmetic hand cream composed of industrially relevant ingredients. Contrary to industrial lignins such as Kraft lignin, GA‐lignin did not alter the color or smell of the formulation. Finally, the surface activity of GA‐lignin was compared with other lignin‐based and fossil‐based surfactants, showing that GA‐lignin presented similar or better surface‐active properties compared to some of the most commonly used surfactants. The overall results showed that GA‐lignin, a biopolymer that can be made exclusively from renewable carbon, can successfully be extracted in one step from lignocellulosic biomass. This lignin can be used as an effective surfactant without further modification, and as such is a promising candidate for the development of new bio‐based surface‐active products.

Measuring asymmetry in facial morphea via 3-dimensional stereophotogrammetry

Objectively determining tissue loss in craniofacial morphea is challenging. However, 3-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetry is a noninvasive modality that may be a useful adjunct. To prospectively evaluate 3D stereophotogrammetry in the assessment of craniofacial linear morphea. Participants underwent clinical, quality-of-life, and 3D-stereophotogrammetry assessments. Traditional photographs and 3D-stereophotogrammetry images were rated as mild, moderate, or severe by 2 experts and 2 nonexperts. In addition, interrater and intrarater reliability (on delayed rescoring) were calculated. Of 23 patients with craniofacial morphea, 3D stereophotogrammetry detected pathologic asymmetry in 14 (20.6%) patients. Providers rated patients as more severely affected when using 3D stereophotogrammetry versus when using traditional photographs (19% severe on 3D stereophotogrammetry vs 0% severe on traditional photographs, P=.004). Qualitative ratings of both traditional and 3D images showed high inter- and intrarater reliability between experts and nonexperts alike. Physicians' Global Assessment of Damage scores correlated with mouth asymmetry (P=.0021), cheek asymmetry (P=.04), and 3D-stereophotogrammetry ratings (median, mild: 27.5 vs moderate: 46.5 vs severe: 64, P=.0152). Lower face asymmetry correlated with worse quality-of-life scores (P=.013). Small sample size and cross-sectional design. 3D stereophotogrammetry can reliably detect and quantify asymmetry in craniofacial morphea with greater sensitivity than that observed with traditional assessment alone. 3D stereophotogrammetry may be a useful adjunct to clinical examination.

The Introduction of a New Diagnostic Tool in Forensic Pathology: LiDAR Sensor for 3D Autopsy Documentation.

Autopsy is a complex and unrepeatable procedure. It is essential to have the possibility of reviewing the autoptic findings, especially when it is done for medico-legal purposes. Traditional photography is not always adequate to record forensic practice since two-dimensional images could lead to distortion and misinterpretation. Three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of autoptic findings could be a new way to document the autopsy. Besides, nowadays, smartphones and tablets equipped with a LiDAR sensor make it extremely easy to elaborate a 3D model directly in the autopsy room. Herein, a quality and trustworthiness evaluation of 3D models obtained during ten autopsies is made comparing 3D models and conventional autopsy photographic records. Three-dimensional models were realistic and accurate and allowed precise measurements. The review of the autoptic report was facilitated by the 3D model. Conclusions: The LiDAR sensor and 3D models have been demonstrated to be a valid tool to introduce some kind of reproducibility into the autoptic practice.

Emerging Trends in Smartphone Photo Documentation of Child Physical Abuse.

Photo documentation of injuries on children is universally recommended in cases of suspected child physical abuse. As technology improves, the ability to document physical examination findings through smartphone photography is increasingly accessible and practical. The quality of images captured on smartphones now rivals traditional photography and the integration of photo capture within the electronic medical record has led to a variety of fields adopting smartphone photo documentation for diagnosis, consult, and follow-up. However, in cases of child physical abuse, practitioners have been hesitant to adopt smartphones as a primary means of photo documentation because of concerns around image quality, privacy, and security. In this article, we discuss the technology of available smartphone cameras and current evidence regarding their use for photo documentation, use existing guidelines to propose a workflow to improve the yield of smartphone photo documentation in child physical abuse, and discuss common medicolegal concerns.

Фотография как часть медиакультуры

The relevance of the study is associated with the active spread of photography in modern culture. Photography becomes a tool for social construction of reality and a form of communication. Any user of the social network has a set of tools that allow you to create author profiles with photos, each has the opportunity to share impressions with others. There is a blurring of the boundaries between traditional photography, the hallmarks of which have developed throughout the century, and that which is now forming and becoming part of the everyday culture available to everyone. The purpose of this study is to analyze the forms of modern photography on the example of the social network Instagram and propose the principles of their systematization. The study was carried out in line with the constructivist methodology using the principles of comparative and aesthetic analysis, as well as the theory of mediality. The study highlighted three main forms of modern digital photography. 1) Art photography. It is characterized by the paramount artistic image, the position of the author can be considered as creative, creating art. 2) Commercial photography. This form is common in the field of blogging. Here it is important to trace the connection with art photography, since many rules and principles of shooting are adopted from it. The main difference is the desire for profit and the broadcast of copyright interests. 3) Everyday photography broadcasting people's daily lives. The authors do not pursue a specific goal when creating posts on social networks. This form contributes to the creation of a database of modern culture based on photographs of modern life. Photography contributes to the formation of a worldview in accordance with the interests and needs of people. Photography is part of the media culture, it broadcasts and transmits information thanks to modern methods of communication.

Pojava modnih elemenata kod zaštitnih maski za lice tokom ranih faza pandemije Covid-19 - podaci sa društvenih mreža - II deo - istraživanje trendova maski kod korisnika Pinteresta

The global Covid 19 pandemic introduced a new item in everyday dress - the protective facemask. During 2020, fashion elements crept in the design of this primarily functional item. This research aims to analyse fashion trends in protective facemasks in the early stages of the Covid 19 pandemic. Photos with protective facemasks on social media were used, as traditional fashion photography underrepresents facemask wearing. The research showed that protective facemasks on Pinterest - a social medium used for taste discovery, showed cheerfulness, humour and individual creativity in facemask design. The uncertainty on how long non-pharmaceutical solutions in the fight against Covid 19 will be in place raises the question if fashion should be ignored. When persuading people to wear facemasks could fashion be the carrot to the stick of legislation?