I propose an 8-chapter dissertation (10 including an introduction and conclusion, which should be taken as a given) the last chapter may be removed depending upon how relevant it is.
relevant research that might be important is listed next to each chapter.
conscious action --> unconscious action --> context dependent
Introduction, can talk about how obviously literal representation is OUT, perfection not possible that's why it's a 'likeness' (perhaps????)
Chapter 1 - Identity, clarification of 'representation' and what defines a person
Chapter 2 - Van Gogh, before photography, painting of the mind, discussing his self-portraits, do they reveal much about the man, context driven by the letters to Theo, were they subverted? Could Van Gogh's paintings lie!? Painting how he felt, CONSCIOUS SIDE
Chapter 3 - Relevant photographic practitioners
Cindy Sherman - fictional portraits, truthful? Say more about her
John Coplans - Nude self-portraits? Less clothes = more truth?
Diane Arbus - She is represented through her photos, her transcript and her family... representation is it not.
Chapter 4 - (metacognitive?) Freud, psychodynamic point of view, mood congruence, projection/introjection, mainly looking at the subconscious and its affects on photographs (chapter 2 + 3 refer to the choices we consciously make) This is the background to what we may not be able to help. So, talk about this in relation to a photographer taking photographs, editing selections etc all their choices.
Chapter 5 - The seer
We move from focusing on THE PHOTOGRAPHER - his consious and perhaps unconsious decisions affecting the photographs representation. We now move to THE SEER, the one who views the photograph apart form the biased photographer who may be the most important factor in deciding what a photograph means. Death of the Author will be essential here. Chapter 4 all applies here too, I would imagine as a critique? The seer may indeed be biased too.
Perhaps make the suggestion that if a wide audience deems something to be a certain way then something will be regarded that way and truthful. However there exists a lot of differing opinions on work but they take (for example) written accounts to be facts and it is the interpretation of them that brings meaning, the more facts we have the deeper the truth behind an image? This introduces the idea that context is particularly important...
Chapter 6 - My own images (self portrait project, over 300 self portraits)
Aided from Chapter 4, I need to look into my work, honestly and analyse the meanings and biasms behind the work, this is perhaps my best insight into my question. Although I am biased by being the photographer. I can be aided by Freud's analysis of himself and be brutally honest? If I can... Chapter 5 may apply because I am viewing the work and will then suggest that it is the context of my work that is important and will be supported by some developments in my work I have produced.
Chapter 7 - Social Media, in support of the context approach.
Looking at Facebook profile pictures, we have a lot of context provided by a 'profile' and this helps us determine the meaning of a picture, which also seems to be quite clear given the social convention and purpose of a 'profile picture', comments by other people, a string of previous photos... It would appear quite obvious to us as their 'friend' whether it is an accurate representation of them... Althought what about if it was of a non friend and just their picture available? Is it really of a duck!? This further supports the importance of context driven evidence.
Chapter 8 - Possible Worlds, David Lewis (perhaps other philosophy based alternatives)
I would surmise my evidence in support of context driven seers would prevail towards the end of the essay, however I would still like to offer some alternatives...
This idea of possible worlds would suggest that ALL the representations that exist of you ARE accurate, but not in this actual world, in another unrealised possible world it would exist.
Other possible philosophical ideas? I need something that would suggest the opposite, that nothing is ever a representation of us, perhaps we are always changing and then the representation is of someone that we are no longer, this then rolls into other Metaphysical ideas. (check year 2)
This chapter is a possible chapter which I would love to keep as a thought experiment but can be taken out due to word count restrictions if necessary?
Personal Identity - Locke and Parfitto potentially undo the foundations provided in chapter 1
FINAL POINT - i need to think about, what if it's the painter's/photographer intention to deceive in their work.. a conscious decision to be deceptive? Is this a form of accuracy? can it be proven?
Simon Johnson
www.thephilosophicalphotographer.co.uk
16th December - revised dissertation plan
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