Memories Of Things Unseen Analysis

The paradoxical role of photography in contemporary life is explored by Teju Cole in his essay “Memories of Things Unseen.” When a photograph is the last trace we have of a destroyed work of art, it becomes something more, or so it seems. Photography in its purest form is simply a method of storytelling without the need for words. Many factors go into taking a photo. You don't simply take a photo using just your eyes, but rather with your emotions, experience, and heart. Why then, in the technological age that we now live in, has photography seem to have lost its charm and allure?
While the concept of photography is changing and adapting to this technologically advanced age, the art of photography is losing its value. One of, if not the most important aspect of photography, according to Cole, is “the possibility of retention” (5). With smart phones equipped with …show more content…
Taking into consideration the time and effort into making Thomas Demand’s “Clearing,” only to have the original model destroyed, its value is amplified since it is the only way in which to remember its significance. When you look through a lens you must be aware of your surroundings and cautiously take in the sight, and finally capture a unique moment in time, a masterpiece unique to your style. By focusing on capturing the perfect shot with the correct lighting, composition, location, etc., rather than any other issues that may be on your mind, you give yourself up the present, neglecting any disturbances in the past or in the future and express yourself the way only you can. You are focused (literally) on the present moment and not worrying about anything else. You are in the now, at least for that moment. Part of the elegance of photography, is that you are given the ability to capture that precise moment in time in which the conditions may never be replicated to the exact detail ever again, which only adds to the photo’s