The Social Photo -- Nathan Jurgenson

Nathan Jurgenson’s The Social Photo clears the air of the many easy assumptions we make about social media. Jurgenson’s “social photo” is just that—the photography that get posted on Facebook or Instagram, ready to be seen by a plethora of followers. These photos, Jurgenson argues, should be treated as part of a new social process rather than artistic objects. Our feeds are fluid. Photos come and go, getting thumbed through, in a state of transience rather than remembrance. Jurgenson defends the selfie, praising its presentation of intimate, if not embarrassing, moments. The Social Photo is not a book of art criticism. Its expansive reach will be interesting for anyone trying to get a sense of what social media is doing to us.