A study on the Influence of Traditional Chinese Culture on the Documentary Photography    

ABSTRACT
Documentary photography has been the hard core of photographic world ever since it was invented by a Frenchman called Louis Daguerre. It is a kind of photographic way reflecting what we see faithfully. Its major demand is recording real life and its material comes from life and reality. As a result, documentary photography has a value of recording and preserving history, as well as the unique qualification to be a witness of our society. Meanwhile, it reveals photographers’ concern about the environment, respect for life, and pursuit of human nature.
Photography has a history of more than one hundred years since the middle of the 19th century when it came in China. Documentary photography almost emerges at the same time. However, it slowly walks on the development road which deprives from normal track a long time.      
Documentary photography has under the state of scattered，subconscious and simple recording for a long time. Through research, I have discovered that the traditional Chinese culture has deep influences on the documentary photography. We could find traces of the traditional culture from the creation concept and details of the work.
After the reform and opening up, documentary photography has made great progress in China, and emerged in a number of well-known photographers. But there is a big gap compared with overseas nations. This paper holds that although photographer’s capacity is the affecting factor of the situation, the influence of Chinese and western culture is the main causes. Chinese photographers should get over the negative influence of traditional culture and pursuit for a higher level of the documentary photography.              
Keywords: documentary photography;traditional culture ;record ;witness 
摘        要
自从法国人路易斯•达盖尔发明摄影术以来，纪实摄影就一直是摄影界的中坚力量。纪实摄影是以记录生活现实为主要诉求的摄影方式，素材来源于生活和真实，如实反映我们所看到的事物。因此，纪实摄影有记录和保存历史的价值，有作为社会见证者独一无二的资格。同时，纪实摄影表现出摄影家对环境的关怀，对生命的尊重和对人性的追求。
摄影自19世纪中叶传入中国到现在已经有一百多年的历史。纪实摄影几乎在同一时间出现。然而，它却在偏离正常的轨道上缓慢发展，并且长时间处于一个零散的，下意识的，简单记录的形态下。经过研究，我发现中国传统文化对纪实摄影有着深刻的影响。不管是创作观念还是作品细节都留有传统文化的影子。
改革开放之后，纪实摄影在中国有了很大的发展，并且涌现出了一批杰出的摄影师。但是我们和国外相比还是存在着不小的差距。本论文认为这里面虽然有摄影师个人能力的原因，但更是中西两种不同文化的对比碰撞的结果。中国摄影师应该克服传统文化带来的消极影响，去积极追求纪实摄影的更高境界。
关键词： 纪实摄影；传统文化；记录；见证