A paradigm is a collection of assumptions and theories fundamental to a field of knowledge.
It was introduced by the philosopher Thomas Kuhn who applied used the scientific method as an example for a paradigm (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2020).
In photography, according to Bate (2009), we can identify five main paradigms:
· Pictorialism (1870s–1910s).
· Avant-garde / Modernist [Formalism] (1920–1930s).
· New Realism / Humanist Photography (1945–1960s).
· Minimalism, Conceptualism / late Modernism (1960–1979).
· Postmodernism / Neoconceptualism.
Each of these periods within photography represented what was believed to be the modern and best approach in the field, replacing the previous narratives.
Bibliography:
· Bate, D. (2009) Photography The Key Concepts. Oxford: Berg.
· Encyclopaedia Britannica (2020) Thomas S. Kuhn American philosopher and historian. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-S-Kuhn (Accessed: 05 October 2020).
Paradigm
Updated: Jan 5, 2021
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