John Berger - Ways of Seeing

John Berger - Ways of Seeing

John Berger's "Ways of Seeing" (1972) examines how men and women are culturally represented through the subsequent results these representations have on their conduct and self as well and mutual perception. In "Ways of Seeing" Berger claims that the representations of men and women in visual culture lure different "gazes". This consists of different ways in which they are looked at, with men examining women which is the most common, and women also objectify other women which could be linked to post-feminism.

At the beginning of "Ways of Seeing' John Berger begins with stating that the cultural presence of the woman is still very much different from that of the man. Berger argues that a man's presence in the world is all about is potency and is related to what he can do, power and ability. Masculinity and authority is what men thrive for in this world. On the other hand, Berger says, a woman's presence is always related to itself, her ideal world is evolved around her and only her. He argues that woman is always self-conscious, always aware of her own presence in every action she performs. The woman constantly imagines and surveys herself and by this her identity is split between that of the surveyor and that of the one being surveyed – the two rules that she has in relation to herself. For this reason, Berger notes, her self value is measured through the manner in which she is portrayed, in her own eyes, in others' eyes and in men's eyes. 

In terms of photography, gender representation is a key element in reading or capturing a photograph. Going against cultural norms and values such as women doing men stuff and men doing women stuff can give a interesting interpretation to the reader as the 'way of seeing' may give the reader a different perspective compared to someones else, this could lead into what is culturally appropriate in gender. Gender representations in a photograph helps to establish the relationship between the reader and photographer as they can figure out what is going on in the photograph. Berger has made me realise how gender representation works in photography. In today's generation, the role of a woman is changing and developing with societies norms and values changing whilst the generation is progressing. Female empowerment in a photograph is a powerful subject which would be a effective final project.