Making peace with the cruel mathematics of photography

A collage of three black and white photos shows circus performers practicing. A woman juggling shadows behind her, three men preparing backstage, and a man juggling pins in front of patterned curtains.

The camera projects the illusion of authority. It is easy to misunderstand the act of framing as an act of creation. We expect the lens to act as a paintbrush, assuming that technical mastery will ensure domination of the scene. Popular myths claim that vision alone can bend reality, and that a trained eye can … Read more