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13 - Photography and Ethnography

from Part III - Visual Cultures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2022

Toyin Falola
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin
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Summary

This chapter is centered on the scientific conceptualization of the term “photography” and its relationship with the photographer, the photographed, and the viewer, including that which is existent between the photographer and the camera, especially the chemistry between both lenses — biological and technological — the synergy and the differences. Photographs, according to the chapter, are representations of the reality of a particular timeframe. By answering certain expedient questions, the author engages his collections (with pictorial evidence) to illustrate the nature of photography vis-à-vis other factors that contribute to the shot, such as the camera and how it is received by the people. Moreover, the chapter views photography as a “social contract” between the photographer and the photographed, and “construction” as the process of taking the shot and reproducing the image. As for the interpretation of the picture by the viewer, it is believed that the pictures themselves dictate how they are to be interpreted or engaged, although this is also highly dependent on the viewer’s understanding. In addition, the chapter explores the effect of photography at its dawn and what its exclusion of African peculiarity, color-wise, meant.

Type
Chapter
Information
Decolonizing African Knowledge
Autoethnography and African Epistemologies
, pp. 414 - 450
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Photography and Ethnography
  • Toyin Falola, University of Texas, Austin
  • Book: Decolonizing African Knowledge
  • Online publication: 23 June 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009049634.014
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  • Photography and Ethnography
  • Toyin Falola, University of Texas, Austin
  • Book: Decolonizing African Knowledge
  • Online publication: 23 June 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009049634.014
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Photography and Ethnography
  • Toyin Falola, University of Texas, Austin
  • Book: Decolonizing African Knowledge
  • Online publication: 23 June 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009049634.014
Available formats
×