Developing taste, part 2

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Skiing

Tracks

Bike

There was a followup-posting at the 1/125 blog on the topic of literary vs. unliterary photography, which I brought up hastily yesterday. The issue is not simply good vs. bad, here is a quite from 1/125:

“Literary” does not simply mean “better” — it denotes something more specific and less value-laden: it means you have to really read it, and that reading it is rewarding. An “unliterary” work is not necessarily bad, but it does not require or reward deep scrutiny. What you need from it you can get casually, without effort or preparation.

I must say I'm still confused although this did clear up the topic a little bit. But I still see here a kind of "expert" arising, those who have the "right" taste. And I don't see this direction at all interesting. What I suggest instead is developing awareness - not of photography, but of the world. Otherwise you end up with a highly civilized dead end of photography.