RATIONALE - Consumerism

RATIONALE:

Consumerism

SPAM, 2014.

Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the excessive acquisition of goods and services. In the UK, consumerism drives capitalism, relying on private companies and corporations convincing us we want and need products that we don’t actually need at all. In the 21^st century, we are obsessed with consuming which has no doubt evolved from the expanding dominance of media culture and mobile technologies. In common, everyday life it is unlikely that we will go a day without finding ourselves bombarded by the enticing imagery, bold typography and bright colour of advertisement. The use of celebrity endorsement, ‘weasel words’ and humour all contribute to the manipulative approaches of advertisement, encouraging us to relate through their promotion of false, short term ‘needs’. It has almost become more about how well a product is marketed than the actual quality of the product itself that determines its success.

Recently I have become interested in the expansion of online advertisement. On a daily basis I find myself bombarded with poorly designed, tacky advertisements and junk email presenting imperative statements telling me how I’m ‘entitled to compensation for my recent accident’ or how I can ‘claim a free iPhone’. The persistency of these distracting and empty claims is almost mesmerizing, underlining the manipulative methods associated with 21^st century advertisement. 

Initially I was considering the idea of using found imagery in my response, montaging a collection of moving advertisements or ‘GIFs’ found online. However I felt it was an image-making process that would be the more appropriate method.

The shifts in online advertisements have brought the need for new words or semantic changes to the meaning of a word. For example, ‘SPAM’ once completely associated with the brand name of a tinned ham product is now more commonly used to define ‘irrelevant or unsolicited messages sent over the internet to large numbers of users’. I find irony in the comparison of these two definitions of the word – the idea of a cheap, processed product often described as ‘mystery meat’ almost echoes the cheapness of the ‘SPAM’ advertisements.

It seemed appropriate to take this comparison forward into the image making process by combining an image of tinned SPAM with the techniques applied to the online SPAM. Whilst wanting to comment on the prevalence of online advertisement I also wanted to ensure that I was producing a response of visual interest.

In my final response, I shot a still life image of a SPAM tin depicted almost as a commercial product image. The spam is positioned in the center of the frame on a bold coloured red backdrop helping to emphasise attention on the tin. By using direct flash I was able to create quite a flat image with the rich tone of the red backdrop appearing more saturated. This method also created glare from the tin highlighting its shiny, greasy textures. These technical choices were based on the idea of creating an almost distasteful and uninviting aesthetic to the product, perhaps the opposite of the clean, polished aesthetics of advertisement. I suppose essentially I was aiming to implicate an amateur aesthetic, presenting a more realistic, untouched, unedited image, going against the conventions of commercial advertisement and traditional photography in order to draw a comparison to the amateur characteristics of online advertisement. To further illustrate this I made the image into an animated .GIF, with the image continuously bouncing and flashing a variety of colour hues in an almost strobe like manner, an appropriate method intended for online and mobile use.

RATIONALE - Identity

RATIONALE:

Identity

Polish sociologist Zygmunt Bauman believes that our identity is no longer identified by social affiliations such as our age, social class, gender, religion etc. We are now faced with the increased responsibility of choosing and constructing our identity rather than being born into it. We long for the experience of belonging to a new group, with a sense of togetherness, through which we can facilitate identity-making. Bauman is concerned with how these groups are becoming very virtual and electronic, he illustrates that online communities are making us lose the ability to enter spontaneous interaction with real people.

I'm interested in the shifts in how one identifies themselves as an individual and how much of our identity is now built in a virtual, non-space. The way we interact with one another has changed considerably with the advances of mobile technology and social media. I find it interesting how social networking sites are almost like an extensive identification card such as a drivers license or a passport. This is quite an interesting comparison which would address the shift from being born into your identity to choosing and constructing it. Social networks display information about an individuals social affiliations such as name, age, gender, nationality in the same way that a passport would. However, social networks are much more self regulated with identity in the sense that you are able to choose how you represent and identify yourself with the ability to choose your 'profile picture' or 'like' pages that relate to the group/subculture you long to belong to. It was this interesting comparison that influenced my rationale for the image making process.

My final response depicts a male subject wearing a floral-patterned shirt against the backdrop of some floral-patterned curtains. I was looking to capture a portrait image that referenced passport identification photos but with an almost casual twist that would essentially represent a social networking 'profile picture'. To achieve this I applied the aesthetics of a passport booth, capturing a head-and-shoulder portrait with the subject using the direct mode of address. Using a disposable 35mm camera with a direct flash juxtaposed the association with passport images due to the amateur aesthetic. Cropping the frame to a square format referenced the way in which a Facebook 'profile picture' is cropped and displayed. This way you make associations with identity in an online format...

- Floral patterns linking to materialism and identity building

RATIONALE - Globalisation and Sustainability

RATIONALE:

Globalisation & Sustainability

RATIONALE - Cities & Film

RATIONALE:

Cities & Film

IDENTITY - Zygmunt Bauman

IDENTITY:

Zygmunt Bauman

Zygmunt Bauman is a Professor of Sociology originating from Poland regarded as one of the greatest interpreters of modern life. His primary focus is the idea of post-modern identity considering the shift in the social conditions that have characterised contemporary life; this shift from ‘modernity’ to ‘post-modernity’ saw a transition from a society of producers to a society of consumers consequently leading to liquid modernity. His writings interpret modern life, in reality, to be more concerned with transience over permanence; for example, the capitalist society we are bound within provides lots of options with little stability as we are blinded by the abundance of choices we face to shape our short term identity.

In Bauman's book, 'Identity' (2004), quoting Lars Dencik, he speaks of how our social affiliations (traditional definitions of identity such as race, gender, social class, family, country and place of birth) are losing importance, becoming diluted by a longing to experience belonging in new groups from which we can facilitate identity-making. Bauman explains that, today, these 'groups' are becoming increasingly virtual and electronically mediated. These 'virtual totalities', as Bauman coins them, are easy to enter and easy to abandon. He continues by withdrawing the virtual, liquid forms from the solid, genuine forms of togetherness that he believes to promise that comforting 'we feeling' we long for. 

Bauman states "we are losing the ability to enter into spontaneous interaction with real people" on the subject of virtual communities. He then quotes management theorist Charles Handy who believes that virtual communities are not a valid substitution for real, face-to-face interaction. He also believes that not only do they do not provide any substance for personal identity, they actually make it more difficult to come to to terms with one's self.

THE GAZE - Gender Ads

THE GAZE:

Gender Ads

'The Gaze' is a term referring to the ways in which we view images of people in any visual medium. It also refers to the gaze of those depicted in the imagery.'The Male Gaze' is used by media theorists and feminists to refer to the voyeuristic way in which men look at women.

This voyeuristic dimension is initiated by the idea that the object of the gaze is unaware of the current viewer despite that they may have originally been aware of being photographed and that there could subsequently be viewers of the image.

Johnathan Shroeder claims 'to gaze implies more than to just look at - it signifies a psychological relationship of power, in which the gazer is superior to the object of the gaze'. It is the act of photographing that objectifies the subject making them 'an object of the gaze'. However, Evans and Gamman believe that there is a distinction between gazing and looking. They suggest that 'the look' is open to all; a mode of perception. Whereas 'the gaze' is a mode of viewing that reflects 'a gendered code of desire'.

The Gender Ads Project is a completely self-funded and voluntary website originally created by Scott A. Lukas. With over 4,000 advertisements it is dedicated to providing a resource for the analysis of gender and advertising.

A section of the website entitled 'Roles' discusses the stereotypical and limiting roles of women in advertisement. This continues with the consideration of womens confinement to the domestic sphere in which they care for children, clean the house, shop for food etc. and the solidification of this in pop culture and advertisement. 

The image above is taken from the 'Roles' section of the site. Depicted is a trouser-less male and nude female. Whilst the male observes the newspaper he's holding, the female observes him, making the direction of attention semi-reciprocal. The advert, intended for a male audience, outlines the idea of the male gaze and its voyeuristic dimension as we look into an intimate situation between the two subjects from an outsiders viewpoint. The idea of 'gazing' referring to a 'gendered code of desire' is reflected in the sense that the male audience are primarily drawn to the nude female before the product thats being advertised, due to the sexualised nature of this campaign. 

In terms of roles, we can see that the female is trapped behind her domestic activity seeking attention from the male. Her complete nudity is almost animal-like...

CITIZEN JOURNALISM

CITIZEN JOURNALISM:

7/7 London Bombings

Citizen Journalism is a term describing the act of citizen’s, witness to crisis events, using basic cameras to record moving or still images. Its prevalence has built through the exposure of citizen’s reports on events through new media technologies like social networking and smartphones.

The advances in mobile camera phones have shifted consistently since their first appearance in the early 21st century. Initially camera phones were only capable of capturing very low quality images. Whereas today, the capability ranges from panoramic stitching to slow motion video amongst other features such as photo editing and filtering.

But such advances come hand in hand with the increasing abundance of social media outlets for sharing these images. Whilst being able to enjoy the luxuries of having these features on your phone, you’re also able to share your videos and images with pretty much anyone in a matter of seconds. Social Media has played a big part in the awareness of citizen journalism, for example CNN’s ‘iReport’, launched in 2006, promoting ‘an entirely user-generated site where the content is determined by the community’ (CNN).

Head of the BBC, Helen Boaden (2008), claimed at an eDemocracy conference in November 2008 “Our journalism is now fully embracing the experiences of our audiences, sharing their stories, using their knowledge and hosting their opinions,” following the abundance of photos, videos and emails that had been contributed by members of the public during the 7/7 London Bombings, she also voiced that it was “the point at which the BBC knew that newsgathering had changed forever”.

On July 7^th, 2005 a series of suicide attacks took place during the morning rush hour in Central London. The attacks involved four men carrying explosive devices aboard the public transport systems resulting in the death of 52 civilians and the injury of 700. The previous day London had won its bid to host the 2012 Olympic games. 

This is an image taken on a mobile camera phone of the remains of the Tavistock Square bus explosion. The image, captured by Steve Thornhill, depicts a hazy view of the disfigured bus surrounded by debris and other vehicles. This was amongst hundreds of images submitted by ordinary people to the BBC reporting the events shortly afterwards before news teams even had chance to. Victims of the explosions became active reporters, submitting images and video footage within moments of the chaos, embraced by the news corporations who couldn't compete journalistically.

It seems to be that a lot of people utilised they're mobile devices that day resulting in a huge turning point for journalism. However, hundreds of complaints were made to the BBC regarding concerns that many of the mobile images uploaded were too 'graphic' and 'intrusive'. Thus opening a new debate questioning the censorship and truth of citizen journalism. Although its important to consider the time period of the complaints.......

CONSUMERISM AND PHOTOGRAPHY - Brian Ulrich

CONSUMERISM AND PHOTOGRAPHY:

Brian Ulrich

"Brought to a point where the measure of the quality of our lives is 

based on how much we spend and how much time we have for leisure"

Born in 1971, American photographer Brian Ulrich has become recognised for his scrutiny of America's consumer culture. Taken from the latin word for 'plenty', Copia is Ulrich's 10 year in-depth photographic exploration of post 9/11 America, taking a crucial look into the equation of consumerism with patriotism. The series is split into three projects -

'Retail', photographed from 2001 to 2006 during which he anonymously documented middle class shoppers captivated by the abundance of goods found in big box stores and enclosed malls. He shot these images with a hand held camera in a 'hip-fire' fashion, with the viewfinder at waist level presumably to capture a more realistic impression. The outcome would have perhaps been a little different had the shoppers been aware Ulrich was photographing.

'Thrift', photographed from 2005 to 2008 focusing on American thrift stores which become the home for our discarded and unwanted goods yet they have become a popular shopping destination for an increasing number of the American population. Ulrich is considering the affects of our obsessive need to consume and soon after discard the commodities that advertisement and marketing brainwash us into desiring.

'Dark Stores', photographed from 2008 to 2011 features eerie images presenting the impact of the 2008 financial crisis advertised by the interiors and exteriors of 'Dark Stores', 'ghostboxes and 'dead malls' which are retail industry terms for emptied, vacant and dying retail stores, big-boxes and malls.

Copia: 'Retail' - Chicago, IL 2003.

The image above, Chicago, IL 2003 from the Retail project of Copia. Ulrich's composition splits the image into two with a female figure at the point of the perspective, between the divide, stood with her back to her empty trolley staring into the wall of products. The wide aperture captures the woman, her trolley and the selection of wines and cheeses she seems to be pondering over whilst the excess of other products and price tags illuminated by the fluorescent industrial lighting travel far into the distance beyond the point of focus.

The candid portrait shows an individual captured by the domination of consumerism and presents us with a still moment of mundane familiarity that encourages us to question the obvious complacency of consumer culture. Consider how the subject appears to be pondering over the decision of what wine and cheese to purchase, meanwhile she flaunts her gold jewellery and designer sunglasses as she interacts with her mobile phone presumably seeking a second opinion. These items of luxury with little significance in the grand scheme of things are where her attention is focused. Whilst caught up in the moment, she stands with her back to her empty trolley, almost as if she is unaware of its presence, too engrossed in the abundance of items that she can pick from. The image becomes powerful in its impact referencing how we have become so distracted by expensive unsustainable commodities that we are brainwashed into believing we need to spend hard earned money only to fund the riches of major corporations and business without any return.

Perhaps this is a dull way to depict the image but when you consider the intentions of the photographer, the signifiers are too obvious to ignore. Ulrich is presenting images not to manipulate but to compel you to take a second look and identify the peculiarities in these mundane scenarios.

CAMERA AS A GUN - Patrick Zachmann

CAMERA AS A GUN:
Patrick Zachmann


"I became a photographer because I have no memory. Photography allows me to reconstruct the family albums I never had, the missing images becoming the engine of my research. My contact sheets are my personal diary."

Patrick Zachmann, born in 1955, is a french freelance photographer who became a full member of Magnum in 1990. Prior to his work for Magnum, Zachmann explored the challenges of integration facing young immigrants in the northern neighbourhoods of Marseille between 1982 and 1984. In 1987, he published his second book following seven years of work on a personal project regarding Jewish Identity. In 1989, Zachmann was awarded the Prix Nieple for his entire body of work on the events at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. 

During February 1990 Nelson Mandela was being released at the jubilation in Cape Town, South Africa. Zachmann was photographing at the jubilation, which was during the apartheid era of policing in South Africa. When things became a little heated, they nervously reacted consequently shooting Zachmann twice. At the precise moment he was struck by the rubber bullets he photographed his last image at the event capturing the relationship between shooting and being shot. 

Zachmann was photographing a big cultural event for the international cooperative Magnum photos. Considering the nature of the event, the client and overall purpose would suggest that the photos were of the photojournalism and documentary genre. There are certain aesthetics that would also evidence this such as the traditional monochrome, 35mm approach also adopted by the likes of William Klein, Daido Moriyama and Robert Frank. The 'snapshot' aesthetic also implies the idea of documenting in a similar way to family holiday photos that act as a physical record of what was in front of the photographer. 

'The last shot', 1990

   

In the images original context, I find that his choice to photograph in black and white represents cultural and political issues surrounding the event - the idea of monochrome representing the racial segregation that anti-apartheid Nelson Mandela was fighting against. The motion blur caused by the movement of Zachmann during the shooting suggests a lot about the chaos that ensued. White figures in the foreground are illuminated by a strip of high key lighting leaving many figures in the background in low key shadow and darkness which implies a lot about the dominance of the apartheid police as they appear confrontational. 

More recently, 'The last shot' has been taken into a more philosophical context. It is part of the 2013 Shoot! - Existential Photography exhibition in which it has been used to explore the idea that 'to be photographed is to be killed'. It is considered by Philosopher Roland Barthes that metaphorically every photo is a death - 'the photograph mechanically repeats what could never be repeated existentially'. The exhibition is considering the relationship between the camera and a gun with regards to the theories of Barthes. Zachmann's image is a much more literal and personal analogy, he is literally shooting the image at the precise moment of being shot meaning we view the image from the viewpoint of the target.