International Center of Photography

To be quite honest, I wasn’t particularly interested in going to the International Center of Photography. I didn’t really see the point in going to a museum simply to look at pictures. I acknowledge the fact that photography is an art form, and a very intricate one at that, but I feel that there are only so many ways one can look at a photograph. A “non-photographer,” such as myself, can appreciate and notice the photograph’s lighting, blurriness, depth, and colors but that is about as far as the appreciation may go. I do enjoy looking at pictures, but these pictures usually involve things that are relevant to me and are done in a very casual setting. With all do respect, the only point I see in having a photography museum is to acknowledge the talents of the many gifted photographers in the museum, who deserve as much respect and appreciation as any other artist. There is no doubt in my mind that the photographs in the museum were excellent, but I would rather appreciate them without having to go to a museum to do so. I do not wish to invalidate the existence of photography museums. They are just not an attraction that I see as valuable for myself.
One photograph that I particularly enjoyed was Nick’s Pizza by Zoe Strauss. I thought this photograph was absolutely incredible. At first glance, it looks like something one would see on a computer screen as part of a video game. When I saw the title, however, I was amazed to discover that this photograph depicted the walls and ceiling of a pizzeria. The picture is so up-close and so good that it almost doesn’t look real. The colors are so deep and sharp, and the fact that the corner of a restaurant can look so unique and interesting is absolutely amazing.