La fotografía como representación artística: polémica entre Roger Scruton y David Davies

Abstract

This paper analyzes the controversy between Roger Scruton and David Davies regarding photography as an artistic representation. The first section of this essay presents the scrutonian argument, which affirms, through a comparison between photography and painting, that the former cannot be an artistic representation as long as photographs are a mechanical reproduction of reality which details are not in the artist’s control. Moreover, the argument that Davies elaborates against Scruton is analyzed, in which he defends, based on Rudolph Arnheim and Henry Cartier-Bresson’s ideas, that photographs possess unique characteristics, which differentiate them from copies of reality, and which are used by the photographer to communicate his thoughts. Finally, the debate is overcome by resorting to photography theory, which supports Davie´s argument.