I think I get this whole “history” thing now.
I never performed well in history classes, and have never been one to look behind me. But, since I have been enrolled in a History of Photography course at College of DuPage, I’ve come to find that I have been a history buff all along.
In my class we are constantly being asked to evaluate what was happening in the world when a particular photograph was taken. My desire to learn more about the photography has inspired me to learn more about the setting in which it was created. Exploring the history timeline can provide a better understanding of a photograph, much like it gives more definition to music.
I was recently watching a documentary about the band Queen, which discussed singer Freddie Mercury contracting AIDS. Mercury knew that his life was about to come to an end when he recorded songs like “The Show Must Go On” and “These Are The Days Of Our Lives.” Knowing the history and the culture of the times gives me a better understanding and a deeper appreciation of these songs. Imagine watching the Woodstock film without knowing about Vietnam and the 60’s culture.
Even if you don’t have an interest in history as a whole, being familiar with the history of what does interest you is essential to understanding and appreciating those things. So, when I was struggling to learn about World War I in school, all I needed to do was look at James Francis Hurley’s photographs from the front lines while listening to Ivor Novello’s “Keep the Home-Fires Burning (Till the Boys Come Home).”
