kiji Roland Barthes’s “Camera Lucida”: A Meditation on Time and the Punctum
Roland Barthes's Camera Lucida is a meditation on photography written in mourning. This article analyzes its four core concepts: 1) The dual structure of viewing, "Studium" (cultural interest) vs. "Punctum" (the personal, piercing detail); 2) The photograph's essence as "that-has-been" (ça a été), a witness to time and death; 3) The absent "Winter Garden Photograph" as an entry point for private affect; 4) The triad of Operator, Spectrum, and Spectator. It also explores the book's value as an analytical tool for affect and its complementary role to Sontag.