It is because we compare that we are able to judge. A photograph is nothing more than a tool for comparison. When someone looks at a photograph, he compares the content with his real world information. If there is a match, many things happen : for example, the person will automatically add the colors if the image is in black and white. He will also add sounds and smells if the scene and objects are familiar. Finally, the viewer will add a context to make sense of the content. However, there is so much that we can add to make a photograph more familiar. That discrepancy between what is seen and what is already known is exactly what the talented photographer is looking for. The subtle balance between what you know and what is new. He creates a bridges between your personal living experience and that of an unknown person by forcing you to fill in some elements and discovering the others. If an image is too familiar, it quickly becomes boring; If it is too foreign, it has no interest : great photography exists right in between.
