IN PLATO'S CAVE (SONTAG, S, 2002)

"A photograph passes for incontrovertible proof that a given thing happened. The picture may distort; but there is always a presumption that something exists, or did exist, which is like what's in the picture."

A photograph reveals that a situation happened, it is evidence of an event or situation which otherwise may have been forgotten. I'd like to question why we want this evidence, why is it common practice to capture even the most mundane tasks and memories.

"Even when photographers are most concerned with mirroring reality, they are still haunted by tacit imperatives of taste and conscience."

This quote is particularly interesting to me as it brings the idea of aesthetics into the practice of capturing memory. Although this hasn't been much of a focal point for me, it is still an important factor of my project. Through using disposable cameras I've managed to capture images that don't take these taste levels into consideration, with limited control over how my image actually turns out.

"Although there is a sense in which the camera does indeed capture reality, not just interpret it, photographs are much as much an interpretation of the world as painting and drawings are."

We choose to focus on particular aspects when taking a photograph, deciding what stays within our frame, what focal point we're taking it at, and all different aspects in terms of light and exposure. Why do we decide to frame our subjects in this way, what are we trying to convey? Why have we not included some of these aspects- do they not follow the same narrative, are they not aesthetically pleasing?...

"Recently, photography has become almost as widely practiced as amusement as sex and dancing- which means that, like every mass form, photography is not practiced by most people as an art. It is mainly a social rite, a defence against anxiety, and a tool of power."

Everyone takes photos, whether that be still frames or a moving image, we are all practitioners of photography. This is particularly important in response to memory, as people display their photographic memories in various ways, some being more private in photo books or hidden away on our phones and others post these images online or plaster them across our walls at home. I find the comment about anxiety really interesting and personal to me as I have felt a huge sum of anxiety over this past year, and especially when moving back to Leeds. I believe that I've used this project, capturing my memories as a defence against this anxiety, to distract myself from my worries and take control over the situation.

"A photograph is not just the result of an encounter between an event and a photographer; picture-taking is an event in itself, and one with ever more peremptory rights- to interfere with, to invade, or to ignore whatever is going on."

This quote is interesting to me as I wanted my photography to not interfere with the scenes I was in. Almost act as another figure who was always with me, my second pair of eyes.