"Notes (Backward Reading
Bottom to Top)" (1972)

by Lew Thomas

change will things, it execute and process of idea to yourself commit you oncE. imitation or stylization of problems only are theY. manageable become will photography illusionistic of distortions the, time and space of fictions, beginnings falsE. processes film other of look the with himself concern to have not does hE. work own his for criterion a as photography traditional to relate not does hE. illusionistic not are that values and photographic is that material with deals photographer thE. radical are results the image the from freeD.

technique graphic of mingling a not and photographs be to meant are that photographs evolve will range this for respecT. scale grey of utilization full mean will normalcy. value material its for exposed completely be should surface photographic thE. frameable not is it, finished is it wheN.

real is what represent to means a find will vision his internalizes who photographer the, style of pretentions from f reeD.

authenticity its be will completeness. aesthetic is it when not; effective it is when completed is concept photographiC.

definition constant of state a in is it, interpretive not is iT. freely work my about talk can I. process enlarge they because acceptable are relationships verbaL.

referential not is iT. not is it or is it what is either iT. ideas of effectiveness measure to used is standard 1:1 A.

photography internalizE. taste and values comparative by judged are that pictures create will they and decorative and obsessive are preoccupations thesE. aesthetics and composition inhibiT. visible the for disregard with ideas executE.

competitive and redundant simply are techniques effective promise which aims theiR. content their for exploited be should photography on manualS. space is camerA. structure present to time with integrated be can geometry and movement camera, progression film, speeds shutter, stops F., scale and measurement, perception expresses iT. method is camerA. moment decisive the necessarily not is that idea an identify to used be can film of rolL. structure implies and movement possesses, serial is film rolL. content are photography of materialS.

object the photography making concept by displaced is photography traditional of concern and object the is which illusionisM.

(s)image than rather (s) idea be can photography for base A.


This essay first appeared in San Francisco Camera, Volume 1, no. 6, 1972. It was subsequently reprinted in Thomas, Lew, Structural(ism) and Photography (San Francisco: NFS Press, 1978), p. 94. © Copyright 1976 by Lew Thomas. All rights reserved. For reprint permissions contact Lew Thomas at lthomas16@aol.com.

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