This is the SIXTH part of an article from Popular Photography magazine published in February 1944. More to come if you want to see it! THE COMING WORLD OF PHOTOGRAPHY Nine Outstanding Personalities in the Field Express Their Views and Expectations of Postwar Photography WILLARD D. MORGAN, ELLOT ELISOFON, BERNICE ABBOTT, C. B. NEBLETTE, PAUL STRAND, L. MOHOLY-NAGY, H.A. SCHUMACHER, JOHN S. ROWAN, Sgt. ARTHUR ROTHSTEIN in this segment: Laszlo Moholy-Nagy INSOFAR AS our eyes are concerned photography imparts a heightened or increased power of sight in terms of time and space. It is a plain, matter-of-fact enumeration of specific elements and is purely technical, not artistic in itself. In itself it is not able to divine the power latent in these elements nor prognosticate whence they lead. The photographer of the future, however, will be able to do this of his own skill because he will know for what purpose these elements can be used. At present photographers do not know their medium enough to use their medium. A writer knows how to write and a composer knows theory of music so that they can extend their arts beyond purely technical elements. But in the future the technique of photography will be so simplified and so widely taught and understood that the illiterate per son will be the one who is not a photographer. Then, with mastery of the purely physical features of photography at his command, the photographer can go as far as his will of expression and his imagination will lead him. Even so, there will be good, better, and best. Besides the creative mastery of the elements, black-and-white photography has nothing new to anticipate in the future. However, many possibilities discovered and explored earlier will comebloom. But the real revolution will be in color. At present color photography is just a poor imitation of museum art, but a cheapened form of it: a repetition of the repetitions of the repetitions. But new forms, new techniques, combined with a complete understanding of life and society (which understanding is absolutely necessary to any artist) will create a new conception of color photography. Abstract rhythm of color and movement of light will give greater depth to a technique that is now too much in the state of an applied art. There must be organization of color to a purpose. Without culture there is no photographer. Without understanding of man there is no photographer. There is just a clicker shutter snapper. next: H.A. SCHUMACHER - prepared and posted on this list by ADavidhazy - andpph@rit.edu
