I found this passage really difficult because many of the sentences seemed to be written in such an abstract way making it difficult to draw the relevant connections before turning to the questions. But here it goes...Please feel free to correct me on this!!
I do not sense a scale in this passage. It seems to to be just a puff piece.
Passage Structure:
P1: Context and Main Point is given
- The unmistakable traces of the often comical conditions under which they were taken give the photographs their life and charm.
P2: First reason for why these pictures are charming
- The camera's realism gives the photographs its theatricality and artificiality its atmosphere of truth. (What in the world does that even mean? I tried to make connections to make this sentence more manageable, please let me know if I'm making connections for things that are not there.)
Theatrical and artificial describes the reenactments and dressed up actors which are meant to be the clear focus of the photograph.
The author explains the atmosphere of truth by making a comparison between narrative paintings and narrative photographs.
In paintings, the artist can just *brush* away the incongruous details, while you cannot do the same for photographs . The camera's ability to capture everything does not allow you to do so, instead, the"truth of the sitting" cannot be ignored. These "conditions" surrounding the seconds just prior to the photograph being taken creates a "plot;" the collective actions of all the actors, their facial expressions, etc., creates another story. The viewer sees two distinct plots - the theatrical and artifical, and the actual (the truth of the sitting). In this way, the camera produces the "atmosphere of truth."
The traces of the truth is one reason why the author believes Cameron's photographs are special
Paragraph 3: Second reason why these pictures are charming
- The author points out that the amateurism and artistry is allow what gives the picture its life and charm
Example: use of broomsticks and drapery is "amateur as well as artistic"
