Expedition and the Trophy Photograph

At any family event there will be at least one member of the assembled group, be it family member or friend who is the budding photographer keen to capture the event as Charlotte Cotton states in her book The Photograph as Contemporary Fine Art, “aspiring to produce photography that is above the ordinary” however, “...most family photographs are not particularly distinguished on the level of technical skill or approach.” Amateurs often capture the moment without understanding the intricacies of apertures, shutter speeds or film speed. The evidence is clear that the photographer shot with intent, regardless of: “familiar ‘mistakes’. Out-of-kilter framing, blur, uneven flashlight, the colouration of the machine-printed snap... what is important is the presence of loved ones at a significant event or moment that prompted the taking of the image.” These photographs are more than visual proof that we exist and are a boast, shouting we came, we saw, we conquered.