Response: "Is Photography Art, or, is Photography All it Can Be"

Bedford argues that photography will not be allowed equal passage into the contemporary art world until it has developed a self-aware critical discourse. Photography must address both the technical conditions and the conceptual implications that go into the production of a photograph in regards to art criticism. 

As I was reading this article I found myself agreeing with Bedford's ideas. I sat next to my roommate who knows little about photography and brought up the topic about what makes one photograph be art and not another. I started talking about the artists that I admire and I realize that I was constantly bringing up both the technical aspect and the concept or intention behind the photograph. If one does not understand how difficult and tedious it is to sandwhiched negatives together, or the amount of research, building and set up an image takes one does not have quite the same appreciation. In addition to bringing up the topics that many artists address in their work, the intention and concept behind the image itself also greatly affected her opinion of what photography is art and what is a mere photo on facebook. In my opinion without the background understanding of the techincal and conceptual aspects of photography someone outside or even inside the art work can not appreciate the medium the same way as say painting is viewed.