With photography the elements that construct a specific syntax are most often linked to control over technical aspects of the medium, for example placing a subject in or out of focus, creating blur in an image through a slow shutter speed.

This is why it is very important that we understand how to control the technical aspects of the medium.

Generic Syntax

There are some characteristics like, focus and blur that are generic to all aspects of photography, understood and accepted by a wide audience across many cultures. They are part of the contemporary visual culture of the world that everybody is expected to understand. Like DNA, these generic codes, are omni-present from 35mm, to larger film formats like 120 and 4x5, and from film to video, digital etc.

But there can be exceptions: for example images created with pinhole cameras have an even depth of field from the foreground to the most distant objects, which means there is an even sharpness across all areas of the image. With this area of photography there is not the normal understanding of depth of field and the associate control over sharp focus.

Comment on this resource