Chapter Six can either be classified as the most or least important chapter in this book. On one hand, its discussion of photography as a visual art medium may have profound influence on how one treats their photography. On another hand, one might say that it simply doesn't matter what the world thinks of their chosen medium and that whether or not their silver-based image is considered to be in the same category of expression as another's oil and pigment-based image, they are still going to continue their image making just as they always have been.
Regardless, I found the book's discussion photographic art history to be fascinating, as much of it has to do with the political nature of the art world, and truly of society as a whole. It seems that as certain individuals form a specific opinion, others (who consider themselves to be of lesser importance, perhaps due to an unduly given social position) will tend to agree and work in service of that opinion. As soon as there becomes a recognized acceptance of the idea or process, many individuals will tend to work in service of their own self-formed opinion. My opinion on the matter was perhaps best stated on page 268, "Creativity resides in the artist, not the technology". As long as there is a desire to create and express (and perhaps a certain amount of direction, not necessarily proposed by external instruction), I feel that the medium is secondary at best.
• What do you suppose will come up in the future of this debate? Especially considering digital technology and mass intangible reproduction of images, where do you imagine photography will stand as a so-called recognized medium in the near future (10-20 years)?
