In this essay the writer Roland Barthes wonders about photography, not as a photographer, but from the point of view of a spectator (the viewer) . Thus, he tries to determine what is photography "in itself" and what touches him exactly when he is looking at the photograph. He identifies two constant phenomena from his observations : He calls studium the feeling taking over him while looking at a picture (it means here the general interest he has for an image, the expression of a taste determined by culture and sensitivity when the movement goes from the photograph to the spectator) and mentions subsequently the punctum "breaking the studium" leaving from the picture to pierce the spectator (here it is a feeling referring to something specific, often elusive -almost of psychoanalytic order- differing for each viewer referring to something hidden). Therefore the punctum would be what gives the picture its value for the viewer, because it leads the observing subject beyond the mere passive spectator's experience.
A really interesting and reachable essay, considering that Roland Barthes goes from an experience that everyone could have done in his life, taking pleasure in analyzing the components. Barthes, thanks to his cleverness makes universal a personal experience. The book contains many nice passages, especially the one when he talks about a photograph of his mum child, and starts also an enlightening reflection about truth and reality.
Reading
Camera Lucida by Roland Barthes
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