French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu`s sociological theories and analyses on photography were published in two books: Un Art Moyen(1965) and La Distinction(1979). For Bourdieu, sociological analyses should be combined the academic pursuits in the realit...
French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu`s sociological theories and analyses on photography were published in two books: Un Art Moyen(1965) and La Distinction(1979). For Bourdieu, sociological analyses should be combined the academic pursuits in the reality to constitute the cultural production. For this reason his eminent sociological analyses in photography could be conceived as the indispensable insights to explore social definition of photography and to legitimize the photography as a fine art. Through his sociological analyses, I attempted to define the role of the photography applying sociological theories and concepts within the dynamic social structure. Although his studies were conducted in the past and have some limits to be applied into the present time, his integrative and systematic analyses should be still valued highly both in sociology and in photography. Consequently, all his intellectual work revealed the esthetic status of the photography and its sincere meanings in the society which still have the realistic adaptability in the modern condition. In this respect, I tried to examine and reevaluate the Bourdieu`s sociological analyses to put in modern photography as the critical approach in two parts: the photographic practice as a social function of the photography and the esthetic status of the photography as a fine art. Similarly, what I importantly presented in this study is some significant characteristics of photography considering constantly changing human and social conditions which could be defined as photographic practices in everyday activities thanks to the technological innovations in digital era. In appreciating positively the Bourdieu`s sociological view, I proposed to reconsider his intellectual theories and analyses in modern photography.