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Report – Assessment Task 3

Report – Assessment Task 3
Bethany Hayes – s3657462

I declare that in submitting all work for this assessment I have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration – https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/equitable-learning-services

Week 9 – Instagram Photo
Week 9 – Instagram Video
Week 10 – Instagram Photo
Week 10 – Instagram Video
Week 11 – Instagram Photo
Week 11 – Instagram Video

Instagram Account: Green Door Spotter

This report responds to the course prompt: “How do the affordances of Instagram affect the way photos and videos are authored, published and distributed in the network?”

 

Instagram; a platform of user-convenience

INTRODUCTION
In its ninth year, Instagram has been dubbed one of the biggest social networks worldwide, and is the preferred social media account for American teenagers according to data from Statista. With such popularity comes an inquiry into how Instagram utilises its affordances, and navigates its constraints to become a user-friendly platform where individuals can capture every day moments. This report will use real examples to unpack how specific affordances of Instagram enable it to be user-convenient, while also exploring the constraints of distributing Instagram posts to other social media platforms.

 

BACKGROUND
In order to think of Instagram as a user-convenient platform that affords users to develop their own style, its helpful to recognise Instagram’s key demographic. Data from Statista suggests more than 70% of Instagram’s users are between the ages of 18-29 years. With this knowledge, it is fair to assume that back in its 2010 launch, creators were aware that most Instagram users were not “professionals equipped with large machines” (Zylinksa, 2016, p.7). Because of this, Instagram chose to combine all the steps of authoring, publishing and distributing photo and video content in the one application. In this sense, we can see Instagram as significantly lowering entry barriers to the average the user in “producing photos on the go, in real time” (Manovich, 2016). Within the one free application, users are able to condense all stages of capturing, publishing and distributing across the network instantly, without any financial cost or need for another application, meaning “we are all photographers now” (Zylinksa, 2016, p7). Digital photography and the development of the iPhone which affords Instagram’s software has seen users create content which does not need the labour-intense dark rooms used in works by legacy photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson. Instead, we can recognise Manovich’s suggestion of Instagram’s primary aim of being an app for sharing photos with people, not an app for photographers (Manovich, 2016).

 

EVIDENCE/WHAT
Growing up in the era of Instagram, my prior experience with social media and iPhoneography meant I already had “strong clues into the operations of things” (Norman, 1998, p.2). But despite knowing how to use the app, understanding Instagram as a ‘conceptual model’ comprising of affordances, constraints and mapping was not familiar. In this sense, this task forced me to consume and think critically about the visual language in which Instagram operates in; where users have to navigate around logical, physical, cultural and semantic constraints and utilise the affordances that make Instagram a platform of popularity.

Thinking about Instagram as being a tool for “aesthetic visual communication” was a driving force behind the creation of my Green Door Spotter Instagram and its colour theme (Manovich, 2016, p.41). It is within the authoring stage of Instagram that attempts were made to try and emulate some of Instagram’s “medium-specific aesthetic” (Berry, 2018, p.8). With reference to a study in Tokyo, Manovich explores Instagram as having an aesthetic which “captures the more fleeting and unexpected moments of surprise, beauty and adoration in the every day” (Manovich, 2016, p.6). With this in mind, using Instagram’s affordances of over 40 filters, adding multiple posts within my week 11 video post, using hashtags and uploading stories were crucial elements to make my Instagram account one which was both software literate and a documentation of the doors around me.

In order to ensure I was effectively navigating the constraints of Instagram while taking advantages of its affordances, understanding “media software; its genealogy, its anatomy and it’s practical and theoretical effects” was at the forefront of my mind (Khoo et al, 2017, p. 6). To gain followers and account interaction, I followed numerous other accounts, and placed some information and a related Youtube link in my bio for context. I also always used a personal hashtag. Choosing a unique theme – the colour green, automatically assisted in streamlining my Instagram content within the authoring and publishing stages, forcing captions and images to be chosen that relate to the theme and visual language I was trying to communicate with.

 

EVALUATION

User-convenience is at the very forefront of the authoring and publishing stages in Instagram. With its inbuilt camera, variety of filters and editing software, it appears Instagram’s affordances – particularly its editing ones, can make sense to the most illogical user out there. As Manovich suggests, “Instagram filters enabled people to make “bad’ photos look “good” (Manovich, 2016, p.41).

However, it is the practice of distributing Instagram posts to other social media platforms which proved essential in revealing the constraints embedded within Instagram’s network. As observable in Week 11, making a post for Instagram relies upon Instagram’s unique software, so something is made which follows its medium-based aesthetic. That is, content becomes platform specific, and is both authored and published in a way that is most successful for Instagram’s unique vernacular. When we then distribute an Instagram post to Twitter, Tumblr or another platform, the difference in software means the post will never look quite the same. When distributing an Instagram image to twitter, the difference in format sees a photo be condensed to just a caption and link; therefore potentially working against the post, as opposed to helping gain interaction, as most forms of distribution would.

Instead, through this practice, the most successful form of distribution for Green Door Spotter were hashtags. By choosing quite broad and popular hashtags such as #doors or #nature, each post was propelled into a wider stream of like-minded content, where other accounts which do not follow Green Door Spotter can start to engage with its content. Each post which used hashtags gained slightly more likes than earlier posts which did not use any. Hashtags, within this specific Instagram account, have proven to be the most reliable, convenient and simple form of distribution.

 

CONCLUSION

As part of new media, Instagram is continuously evolving from its 2010 ‘square-only’ self; to a self-sufficient platform with its own “vernacular photography” (Manovich, 2016, p.53). But while Instagram evolves and changes, the affordances of its simple software help it to remain as a platform users find convenient and easy to use.

Within the Green Door Spotter Instagram, distribution attempts to other social media platforms were less successful, and did not drive engagements with any posts. The discontinuity between Instagram and other platforms such as Twitter meant images could not be shared in the same way they were originally published. Instead, hashtags became the unsung distribution heroes which worked to drive engagement from users which were not following the account; subsequently gaining the account a few more followers. On a personal level, I believe the strengths of this task lie within the analysis provided in blog posts from weeks 10 and 11, and their detailed explorations into the use of the Instagram story and the errors of using twitter in the distributing process.

Ultimately this research has helped to critique Instagram’s software, while simultaneously understanding its affordances – something which will lead to improved media content in the future.

(1127 words).

REFERENCES

Berry, T. B 2018, ‘Situating Videoblogging’, Institute of Network Cultures, viewed 14 March 2018, pp. 9–22, http://networkcultures.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Videoblogging-Before-YouTube-web.pdf

Khoo E, Hight C, Torrens R, Cowie B 2017, ‘Introduction: Software and other Literacies’ in Software Literacy: Education and Beyond, Springer, Singapore, pp.1-12.

Manovich, L. 2016, Instagram and the Contemporary Image. University of San Diego, USA, pp. 24-113.

Norman, D 1999, ‘Affordance, conventions and design (Part 2)’, Nielsen Norman Group, viewed 1 April 2012, http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/affordance_conv.html

Zylinska, J 2016, “Photomediations: An Introduction by Joanna Zylinkska“, Open Humanities Press,  pp.7-16.

 

 

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Week 11 – Video

“Contemporary media is experienced, created, edited, remixed, organised and shared with software….to understand media today we need to understand media software its genealogy, its anatomy and it’s practical and theoretical effects.”

-Elaine Khoo, 2017, p. 6

I can truthfully say that it has honestly taken me until the third week of capturing doors on my Green Door Spotter Instagram to utilise Instagram in the way that it was intended – and in a way that is most practical to its software.

When taking a photo, my gut instinct is to use the in-built camera app on my iPhone 6. It’s easy, I can take an endless amount of photos (thank you, storage!) and I can later go through and select, favourite, edit and delete photos as I please – a true test to the strengths of digital photography. To physically capture a photo through Instagram itself used to be a foreign and unnatural concept to me. While I can understand and respect the ‘capturing life on the go’ aesthetic, this task has truly tested my ability to step away from other editing applications and my camera app, and trust that the software affordances within Instagram are sufficient. I’ll let you (whoever you are reading this) to be the judge on my efforts, but I think the Green Door Spotter Instagram is a testament to the fact that Instagram is some well-built software, that can be the only application used to author, publish and distribute a photo or video.

This week I utilised Instagram’s “add multiple posts” feature, and captured some green-car doors to mix up my feed, while still complimenting it’s overall theme.

You’ll find my video for this week as the second part of this post, which you can view by scrolling across or by selecting the arrow.

1. How did you author (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This video was taken using the rear-facing camera on my iPhone 6 – within the Instagram app itself. As it was quite shadowy due to the sun, I had recorded several takes moving closer and further away from the car, in order to try and capture its green colour. However, the reflection of the sun left the car looking more black than green. To counteract this, I utilised Instagram’s filters within the editing section, specifically the filter nashville which has a green-tinge to it. Within Manovich’s work within Instagram and the Contemporary Image, he suggests that “Instagram filters enabled people to make “bad’ photos look “good” (Manovich, 2016, p.41). This is something which rings true for my video work. While I believe the actual capturing of the car is okay, without Instagram’s filters and editing software, the colour of the car door would not look as green – and this become irrelevant and actually take away from my Instagram account as appose to adding to it. Manovich also suggests in his reading that Instagram users copy how different objects should be photographed by creating expectations on the authoring process. This is certainly something which has played on my mind throughout this process, especially in regards to how I’ve seen popular ways to frame things on Instagram, which I often subconsciously try to replicate.

2. How did you publish (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This photo was selected out of three short videos that were taken, with each one tracking slightly differently over the green car. After each potential ‘candidate’ was considered, I uploaded my favourite video alongside a photo of a different green car door into a post. The publishing process is where I thought of my caption, in which I used some gentle sarcasm and a range of emojis to ensure the post was eye-catching and colourful – thus matching with the aesthetic choices of my other posts.

 

3. How did you distribute (the photo or video) you published on Instagram to other social media services?

Like all my other posts, my tumblr account was this post’s primary distributor. Alongside of this I also used several hashtags which formed the basis to dispense this content in channels much wider than my 23 followers. By using quite broad hashtags such as #car or #melbourne (which both have millions of posts), I am attempting to relate my content to a much wider audience, and give it a much wider channel to sit. Using my personal hashtag #greendoorspotter also helps my distribution on a personal level. As all my posts use the same hashtag (which for user-convenience is my Instagram handle), if someone clicks on that hashtag they will find a collection of all my content in the one place, and may be more inclined to engage with my profile.

 

Khoo E, Hight C, Torrens R, Cowie B 2017, ‘Introduction: Software and other Literacies’ in Software Literacy: Education and Beyond, Springer, Singapore, pp.1-12.

 

 

 

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Week 11 – Photo

1. How did you author (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

My iPhone 6’s rear-facing camera within the Instagram app was the chosen tool used to capture this green door. When taking this photo, it was very much an in-the-moment photo; a moment where I stopped and saw a green door in front of me, and clicked the shutter without much thought. From last week’s reading, Manovich’s conversation on casual photography resonated with me most clearly. His ideas surrounding the camera phone as being highly portable, accessible and immediate were all the crucial factors that allowed me to take this photo – and take it quickly. In terms of editing, I upped the warmth and brightness levels, and used my favourite sharpener tool to make the image have a real sense of vividness and clarity; matching my personal aesthetic of this Instagram account – images that are bright, clear and vivid.

 

2. How did you publish (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This photo was published almost as soon as it was taken, with only two alternatives to choose from. Keeping in my mind my own personal aesthetic, I decided on the image that believed was most centered and square, thus appealing to Instagram’s original and favourable square format. Thinking of a caption is one of my favourite parts of the publishing process, and I enjoy employing wit and using emojis to create light-hearted content that is not an effort for users to consume. For this specific post, I joked about green doors being “the good doors” and used some emojis to make the post slightly more eye-catching an expressive.

 

3. How did you distribute (the photo or video) you published on Instagram to other social media services?

To distribute this image slightly differently to my other posts, I shared it directly to twitter while I was publishing it to Instagram. This was a process made simple due to already linking my personal twitter account to Instagram, meaning tapping the ‘on’ button next to the ‘publish to Twitter’ icon was as complex as the task got.

However, I was dissatisfied with how the image looked – and in fact the lack of the image itself when shared on Twitter. Like I described a few week’s back, each social media platform uses slightly different software and a slightly different format. You can see in the side-by-side comparison below that the image I posted to Instagram is not accurately reflected in its twitter conversion – which only shows the caption and a link to the post. It is for this reason that I have always been hesitant to distribute an image that was created solely utilising the affordances of Instagram’s software, to another platform that uses a completely different format and software. A platform that also has a different demographic, reach, and purpose in communication. American Entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk actually wrote an article which supports this notion – his article is slightly old now, but is a good explainer in terms of the differences between Twitter and Instagram (and there are more than just the appearance of photos – think reach, purpose, intended user).

Like all my other posts, I also distributed this image via my tumblr account, and through the use of several hashtags. While the reach of my tumblr account is extremely small (due to me only following very few people and vice versa), my hashtags were a deliberate choice of popular and wide-reaching ones; which I chose by exploring how frequently each hashtag is used. Broad yet relevant hashtags such as #door, #doorsofInstagram, #greenery have all been tagged millions of times in other users work. Hence, by me including them in my image, I am opening this image up to much wider audience and a much wider selection of relevant images as opposed to my limited 23 followers and 7 posts. If I were to distribute this image again, I might do some further research to find out what brand of door I captured, and tag the company in the post. This way I am linking the photo as a ‘real-life customer’ to show a company that I am not only using their product, but also showing any followers that like the doors, where they can purchase their own.

 

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Week 10 – Video

You can argue with me all you like here, but I strongly believe one of Instagram’s most iconic features is their Instagram Story.

Some social marketers even go as far to suggest that unlike an Instagram feed which may be carefully curated and follow a rigid aesthetic, an Instagram story can potentially provide a greater level of authenticity to the Instagram user. The temporality of the story has seen some people more relaxed in their posting of “real-life” moments where they might answer a series of questions, or show what they are having for breakfast. In this sense, we are seeing Instagram Stories fulfil a different function to a permanent post, of capturing random thoughts and moments that may not be deemed ‘worthy’ of a post. It is perhaps the impermanence of the Instagram story that lessens pressure for a specific Instagram user to post content that they normally would. After all, if you won’t be able to view the story in a few days, why does it matter? CEO of Hire Influence Jason Pampell also suggests the interactive feedback that the Instagram story allows (think polls, replying to stories and the swipe-up function) is another crucial element when attributing some of the success of the Instagram Story, as it promotes users to be interactive.

However, the Instagram story is not without its constraints. Similar to a snapchat story, the Instagram story is only available to be viewed for 24-hours – and unless you highlight that particular moment on your profile, it can then disappear. And while there are several creative design functions to choose from to decorate your story there are still only few filters, around 6 fonts, a couple pen tips, and a very small spectrum of colours to use.

…But why are we discussing Instagram stories?

Because this week for my video post I decided to be a super-savvy Instagrammer, and take an interactive Instagram story poll that I posted, and also make it into a post for my @Greendoorspotter feed.

This was the original story I posted…

Instagram actually gives you the direct option to take your Instagram story and make it a post. And as this function is just so user-convenient, I obliged.

 

1. How did you author (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This video was authored through the boomerang function within Instagram, from the rear-facing camera on my iPhone 6. With the knowledge that when done incorrectly, boomerangs can often look static and shaky, I took at least five attempts of panning the camera down to capture the length of this door before getting one I was happy with. This Instagram story (which I then uploaded as a post) was illustrated and made into a poll simply because the Instagram story afforded me to do so. Unlike a regular uploaded post, where I would not be able to use typeface or draw arrows, the Instagram story allows for greater creativity in its design. However, when I made this Instagram story into a post, its original rectangular format was condensed into a square, cutting off some of the detail I originally captured.

2. How did you publish (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

In publishing this video, I chose to use a caption which reflected the origins of the post – and the fact that it was a poll on my Instagram story. For this to be effective, timeliness of publishing this post was essential. My caption was a direct reflection on the results of the poll, and therefore was published just before the story expired. I chose to utilise some apt green emojis, but for privacy reasons did not use the location as the photo was taken near my house. As mentioned earlier, there was a lengthy curation process when deciding to publish this boomerang. Ensuring the footage was smooth was something I spent a fair amount of time on. The instant ‘replaying’ nature of the boomerang can at times make footage appear clunky, shaky and static-like. With the knowledge that my followers would be more likely to interact with content that is easy and seamless to digest, I chose the smoothest boomerang to publish as a both a story and a post in my feed.

 

3. How did you distribute (the photo or video) you published on Instagram to other social media services?

This video was distributed via a screenshot and put as a snapchat story on my personal snapchat account, encouraging my followers to click onto Instagram and engage with the post. As with all my other posts, this video was also shared on Tumblr. However, given the fact that this post already originated as a story, and that several of my followers follow me on numerous platforms, I was hesitant to distribute this post further and did not want to overwhelm them the same content. Instead, I used my personal hashtag #greendoorspotter to ensure this post (like all my others) can be linked together in a little corner of Instagram, and relied upon the quality actual post itself to bring engagement. In hindsight, this post could certainly have been distributed in a stronger way; such as sharing it to my personal twitter, or using more hashtags. However, at the time, I believed these minimal distribution efforts were sufficient.

Three Ways Influencers are Changing The Instagram Game, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2018/06/13/three-ways-instagram-stories-are-changing-the-influencer-game/#7bef319d1740, accessed May 2019.

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Week 10 – Photo

This week, we explored the networked effect and the process of publishing to Instagram and other social media services. Publishing content online (and specifically to Instagram) involves getting the photo or video ready for publication. What does it mean for a photo or video to be ready? It means making sure the image or video is edited to your preference, a caption and relevant hashtags are thought of. The publication process actually feeds into the distribution process; especially through the way Instagram enables users to instantly share their post through other social media platforms – a built in function to aid the distribution of their content. To remind you of the networked effect, I want you to the think of the snowball effect. Today, photographers now have the ability to view a large varied range of work and discuss it with other practitioners – subsequently this enabled them to quickly progress their own approach towards taking photos.

This week I have been attempting to improve and grown my #greendoorspotter Instagram. I have uploaded two new posts, a story (which was then highlighted on my page) and added a link in my bio – you could say I’m utilising many of Instagram’s functions. The link is to singer Jim Lowe’s 1956 hit, Green Door. It is my hope that by adding this link in my bio I am encouraging people to click and hear an upbeat and popular old song, immerse fellow Instagrammers in the green door culture I am trying to create, and also just have a more active Instagram – with a well thought-out theme.

The picture above is a little insight into what my Instagram page is looking like at the moment. I’m hoping in the weeks to come, it can grow in followers, have more engaging posts and utlise the story function more.

What did we capture this week?

1. How did you author (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This photo was authored using the rear-facing camera on my iPhone 6. It was taken in the camera app, and I chose to take the picture in the square format for it to be easily uploaded to Instagram with no cropping needed. Spotting this wooded door on a walk, I moved my body significantly closer to the door in order to to capture the greenery around it. Because it was daylight, no flash was needed to capture this image. When editing the image within Instagram, I slightly upped its brightness, and also upped its sharpness. On a personal level, I enjoy images on Instagram that are clear, sharp and vivid. To maintain some of this aesthetic within my Green Door Instagram, using the sharpener tool is a must. It’s ease of being located within Instagram (and this de-necessitating the use of any other app), means I can create these images to an aesthetic that I like, in a very quick and convenient way.

 

2. How did you publish (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This photo was published to Instagram on May 20, 2019. The photo was selected out of a series of 5; each image framed the wooden door slightly differently, and this image appeared to be the most centered out of all the others, hence it was chosen for upload. The location this photo was taken in (Eltham, Victoria) was also added in the publishing stage. By choosing to share the location, not only am I placing this image in a collection of other content taken in the same place, but I am just adding more information and a further sense of authenticity to the photo. Followers scrolling past this image can consume its content quickly, and note where the image was taken. My short caption was an attempt to bring a little bit of gentle-mocking humour to my own Instagram account – given the fact that I published a photo of a door that was definitely not green to an account that is specifically looking for green doors.

 

3. How did you distribute (the photo or video) you published on Instagram to other social media services?

This photo was distributed via my personal tumblr account, Facebook account and via an Instagram story from my own personal Instagram account, encouraging people to engage with the post. The post was also further distributed the chosen hashtags #nature and #greendoorspotter – again, propelling the post into a cluster of images that are a little bit similar. It is my hope that by using hashtags, people who are exploring Instagram are able to come across this image with ease, and will potentially choose to engage and interact with the account and my attempts for “aesthetic visual communication.”

Manovich, L. 2016, Instagram and the Contemporary Image. University of San Diego, USA, pp. 24-113.

 

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Week 9 – Video

1. How did you author (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This video was authored with my rear-facing iPhone 6 camera – but more specifically, using the boomerang function within Instagram.  No external editing was done to this short video, instead it was uploaded exactly as it was taken, therefore complying with the notion of Instagram capturing those ‘every day’ moments. While in the past I have enjoyed the luxuries of using a variety of different apps and editing software (such as Adobe’s Photoshop or Premiere Pro)  to ensure anything I post on Instagram or social media in general is of the highest quality it can be; posting videos such as the one above and relying solely on the affordances of Instagram’s software has reminded me of what a versatile and user-convenient platform it is.

2. How did you publish (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This boomerang was published on May 13, on Instagram. A number of different attempts were made to capture the exact moment when the train door opened, and the one I deemed most effective was chosen for upload. It was during the publishing process that I thought of my caption and used some relevant emojis to help emphasise the caption I chose. In publishing this post, I decided to add the location of where the boomerang was taken – at Heidelberg Station in Melbourne’s North-East. Within my own personal Instagram use, I nearly always add my location as I believe the inner FBI within every Instagram user would like to know the location a photo was taken. Using the location is also another form of distribution, as it takes the image and links it alongside other images that were taken in the same place.

 

3. How did you distribute (the photo or video) you published on Instagram to other social media services?

Within the distribution process I chose relevant hashtags (such as my own #greendoorspotter hashtag and #metro) to distribute this boomerang into a sea of wider like-minded images and videos. #Metro on Instagram currently has 5,918,336 posts, meaning people not only use but also engage with the hashtag frequently. It was my hope by using this hashtag to provide more context for the boomerang, but to also ensure this video has the best possible chances of engagement.

This photo was also distributed via my personal tumblr account, and thus a much wider group of people had the option of viewing this boomerang and potentially engaging with the account. I also made an Instagram story on my own personal account, encouraging people to check out this account, and follow in my green door journey.

In my personal use of Instagram, I would never distribute an Instagram image to another social media site unless I had to. I believe Instagram to well and truly have a certain aesthetic that is unique and different from other social media platforms – but also just having different software. Facebook does not look the same as Instagram, Twitter does not look the same as Tumblr.  Because of this, I believe it is nearly impossible for an Instagram post to look half as effective on another social media site in comparison to the one is created to compliment. When an Instagram post is shared on twitter, an image is condensed to merely a link and caption – therefore it cannot have the same visual impact or enticement that the original post would.

As author Trine Bjorkmann Berry suggests in his work Video Blogging Before Youtube, over time there has been the development of a medium-specific aesthetic which is both influenced by, and works in conjunction with, the technical restrictions of a platform. The technical restrictions of Instagram are different to that of Twitter (and all other platforms), therefore sharing a post designed for Instagram on other platforms may be counter-intuitive.

Berry, T. B 2018, ‘Situating Videoblogging’, Institute of Network Cultures, viewed 14 March 2018, pp. 9–22, http://networkcultures.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Videoblogging-Before-YouTube-web.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

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Week 9 – Photo

This week (in a week we’ve all been waiting for!), we get to start creating some of our own Instagram content. For the purpose of this task, we will be capturing and documenting doors. No – these aren’t metaphorical doors, these are actual physical doors with a very real set of affordances and constraints.

In the tutorial, Nash suggested we utilise a theme in our Instagram, or even employ the use of a hashtag, to see the different ways we can distribute our own images on Instagram, how we can fully use the platform. While seemingly a little odd, my Instagram door account will use a colour theme – the colour green – and employ the use of the hashtag… #greendoorspotter.

I know it sounds random, but choosing this theme and using this hashtag is already helping me to streamline the content – to know what moments I’m looking to capture, and how they will look within an Instagrammable layout. This Instagram account aims to take capture some of the “moments in the lives of ordinary people”, while also using a little bit of humour to capture doors that either are green, or surrounded by green. In essence, this account aims to capture the simple moments in life, the moments we often don’t think about – but can hopefully appreciate when taking the time to look.

You can follow my Instagram adventures of green door spotting, by clicking here.

 

1. How did you author (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This photo was taken using my rear-facing iPhone camera, and is the third image of five taken. The colour of this door is actually a little more ambiguous than it seems, when I moved closer to it as my subject, the light would change and the door would appear white. However, if I was too far away, the engraved “Clear Skin Expert” sign on the door would not be legible. A true balancing act, if you will. In fears of muting or ruining the natural green colour of the door, no filters or changes to the brightness were made. However, the image was sharpened to emphasise the engraved sign, simply by using the sharpening tool in Instagram’s editing section. During this stage, I was slightly anxious about the quality of my photo. However, keeping in mind one of Manovich’s ideas from the reading, “Instagram filters enabled people to make “bad’ photos look “good” – helped me to relax and utilise Instagram’s editing software to create a photo I was happy with (Manovich, 2016, p.41).

 

2. How did you publish (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?

This photo was published on Instagram on May 13. During the publishing process, I thought of the caption, emojis that would be used and sorted through the five similar shots taken to choose my favourite. When selecting from these five different images I did have a particular aesthetic in mind, wanting a photo that subtly employed the rule of thirds, and was framed close enough to the engraved the sign that it was readable – but at the same time being careful not to mute the green colour.

 

3. How did you distribute (the photo or video) you published on Instagram to other social media services?

I shared this photo on my tumblr account, sent it to some of my friends via Facebook messenger (with only subtle suggestions to follow my account) and used my chosen hashtag #greendoorspotter, to ensure that I will have a nicely grouped collection of images by the end of this task. As this was the first image taken, it is hard to distribute it widely without a big following that can aid in the distribution process. It is my hope that by the end of this task, I will be able to utilise more hashtags (including my own created one) to help propel the images I take, into their relevant fields, and thus relevant opportunities to be seen.

Manovich, L. 2016, Instagram and the Contemporary Image. University of San Diego, USA, pp. 24-113.

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Review – Assessment Task 2

Review – Assessment Task 2

Bethany Hayes – s3657462

I declare that in submitting all work for this assessment I have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration – https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/equitable-learning-services

 

Blog Post 5 – Analogue Photography

Blog Post 6 – Analogue Video

Blog Post 7 – Networked Photography

Blog Post 8 – Networked Video

 

1. Provide a definition for ‘analogue photography’.

Analogue photography can be thought of as a tactile or physical approach to photography. In the simplest sense, it is photography taken with an analogue camera and film – where negatives are chosen with a magnifying glass, then placed in an enlarger and exposed onto photographic paper, with paper then put through trays of developer, stop bath and fixer.

In some ways, analogue photography can be thought of as a linear process. An analogue photograph will move chronologically from the camera, to a
processor (a darkroom or chemist) and finally to a viewing context (such as physical prints in an album). (Palmer, 2014, p.45)

The term analogue refers to the processes in which one set of physical properties can be stored in another physical form. Applying that theory to analogue photography, we can think of the way a representation of an image is stored on film and then exposed onto paper coated with light-sensitive chemicals.

 

2. Provide a definition for ‘analogue video’.

Again focusing on this notion of the physical film form, analogue video consider the ways in which input data (such as live sound of someone chatting) is converted into another physical object. An analogue video uses analogue signals and electronic wave forms to create representations of sounds and visuals. These physical, analogue properties of image and sound media are then converted into further analogues.

 

3. Provide a definition for ‘networked photography’.

Networked photography refers to images that are produced digitally, and able to edited, published and distributed online instantly. Unlike the tactile and physical approach of analogue photography, networked photography – particularly the iPhone, has become a “mass communication platform”, that enables images to be constantly shared and distributed online through social media. (Palmer 2014, p.246)

The technological capacity for a digital device such as the iPhone to take, edit and publish the photos through one hand-held device, significantly lowers the barriers to sharing photography through social media – and makes the iPhone an excellent device for journalists and breaking news.

 

4. Provide a definition for ‘networked video’.

Networked video represents audio-visual media that is able to be shared, downloaded and re-used online with ease. Networked video is considered to be something fluid which contrasts to the physical constraints and fixed nature of analogue media.

For networked video, footage can be compressed into very small spaces, accessed at high speeds and in non-linear ways. Networked video also allows for the viewing of television and cinema outside their traditional locations, with the online distribution process, (through hashtags, mentions and reactions) made simple and user-friendly.

 

5. Provide definitions for the terms ‘authoring’, ‘publishing’ and ‘distributing’.

Authoring refers to how the media is actually created or made. For a networked photo, the image is likely to be authored by a digital camera or camera phone such as the iPhone, either using the rear or front facing camera. For networked photos and videos, the ease of accessibility to a camera phone invites the amateur photographer to try, knowing they can delete. In contrast, the specific skill-set required to properly engage with analogue media, raises its entry barriers and limits the ability of the every day user to engage with such complex technology.

Publishing refers to making videos and photos available for public view. A photo or video can only be published once. In a networked sense, publishing often occurs by uploading something to social media. However, in an analogue sense, publishing is primarily done through print media. The publishing step involves preparing the media to be uploaded; in terms of Instagram this would include thinking of a caption, choosing appropriate hashtags – ensuring it is the right dimensions and form for its platform.

Distributing refers to dispersing media content for a wider consumption – after it has been published. In an online sense, this might be re-posting or retweeting something, using hashtags to draw a wider audience, or using a sponsor to ensure the content is being widely consumed. While publishing is a process that happens once, there is no limit to how much something can distributed – especially with platforms such as Pinterest.

 

6. What differences and similarities did you discover between the way analogue and networked photos are authored, published and distributed?

Both the analogue and networked photos that I explored within week’s five and six were of high quality and received high amounts of praise – however there are also vast differences. In terms of authoring, networked photos and the ease of the camera-phone means the actual physical taking of the photo is quite a simple process, allowing the “amateur photographer” to take exceptional photos. However, analogue photography requires a range of technical skills in its authoring stage; from manipulation of light, to the development of the photo in the darkroom. Publishing a networked image is able to be done at any time or place through social media. However analogue photography is published physically in print form – making the publication step more time consuming.

Perhaps the most fundamental differences lie in the distribution of these two different forms of photo. While networked photos can utilise the affordances of social media platforms (such as Instagram’s repost function) to create an endless amount of photo copies, the distribution of analogue photos can be an expensive process. Being published in print media, to then physically distribute an analogue photo can become expensive when doing so through newspapers and magazines.

 

7. What differences and similarities did you discover between the way analogue and networked videos are authored, published and distributed?

In terms of analogue and networked video, again we can notice a similar pattern to the ways their photo forms are authored, published and distributed. Networked videos are typically authored through the rear-facing iPhone camera, or another camera such as DSLR. Authoring an analogue video is complex in the sense that any editing must be done to the entire physical form and done in a linear way. This makes the physical creation of an analogue video something which requires unique skills, and raises entry barriers.

Analogue videos, such as Nam June Paik’s work, were frequently published in galleries and museums through exhibitions. Alternatively, networked videos, like their photos, can be published online instantly through platforms such as Youtube, Vimeo and now Instagram.

Again, distribution is where we can see fundamental differences between the two. Distributing media online is largely free and very quick, which is emphasised by author Joanna Zylinskas’ statement, which can be applied to both photos and videos. She says that, “the relatively low-cost storage and networked distribution of digital data has changed the very ontology of the photographic medium.”  (Zylinskas, p.8). Conversely, the physical nature of analogue video means distribution must again be done through physical copies, often appearing in cinema or television.

While many differences, perhaps the similarities between analogue and digital media forms lay most clearly in the intentions of the art form itself; to visually communicate a moment in time.

(1089 words)

REFERENCES

Palmer, D 2014, “Mobile Media Photography”, The Routledge Companion to Mobile Media, pp.245-255.

Zylinska, J 2016, “Photomediations: An Introduction by Joanna Zylinkska“, Open Humanities Press,  pp.7-16.

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Week 8 – Networked Video

Who is the practitioner (what is their name?) and when were they practicing?

Cat Meffan is a well-known yoga teacher and blogger – with a Youtube channel with over 93,000 subscribers and an Instagram with over 139,000 followers. Initially, she began documenting her transition and journey from an injured gymnast and dancer to a yoga teacher, and began uploading her lifestyle/fitness/yoga videos to Youtube in 2014.

Meffan’s Instagram initially started around 2013, as a way for her to “motivate herself to eat well, try new workouts, and as an excuse to buy new activewear.” However today, Meffan’s Instagram has evolved to producing daily, motivational content (often utilising shorter snippets of her Youtube videos) while also being an advertising tool for her Yoga Retreats. In an interview with the BBC, Meffan said her latest yoga retreat sold out in 5 days after publishing a single Instagram post about it.

 

What is the title of the photo or video you have chosen to analyse (can you provide a link?)

I have chosen to analyse one of Meffan’s latest ‘flow’ videos entitled ‘LET IT BE’ which was published on April 30, 2019.

This sixty second time-lapse video combined with a caption encouraging her followers to be kind to themselves and live in the present is the typical type of content Meffan chooses to exhibit on all her social media platforms; her Instagram, Youtube and Blog. While all three of these social media platforms are different and therefore expect different forms of content, followers would be able to see a level of continuity of Meffan’s content; with her Instagram posts employing the longer-motivational style captions seen in her blog, with a condensed version of her Youtube videos.

You can watch it via the link at the top of this post, or alternatively click here!

 

With the photo or video you are examining when was it produced (date)?

This video was produced on April 30, 2019. However, it should be noted the amount of time Meffan takes in the actual production of each post. According to the same BBC interview mentioned above, Meffan will often:

  • Take more than one hour thinking of and writing her captions
  • Have to use the self-timer function or physically hold her phone
  • Utilise hashtags to help in the distribution of her photo (but more on that later!)

 

How was the photo or video authored?

This video was authored by Meffan’s rear-facing iPhone camera (using the self-timer function), and edited using the app Videoshop.

Living on her own, it is not surprising that Meffan utilises the self-timer function on her iPhone. Given most of her content is from yoga-practice in real life, apps such as Videoshop allow for quick-editing and time-lapse decisions to be made, hence helping Meffan’s content become platform-specific, and watchable for her followers.

 

How was the photo or video published and distributed?

I would argue Meffan’s video was published on her own accord on Instagram at the end of April. However, I believe this video was distributed online through a number of choices made by both Meffan, and her followers. Meffan’s use of a ‘preview’ Instagram story for this post, with a hyperlink to the post itself works to distribute this video to followers who may only have engaged with her stories – and then encouraged to click and watch the video. Meffan’s video also contains a number of hashtags eg. #yogalove #mentalhealth to aid in the distribution process; propelling the video into a sea of like-minded content. Meffan also tags the artist whose song features in the video, again distributing her content to people who follow that artist, but may then choose to explore her video and profile. Meffan’s large Instagram following also means her content can be distributed by followers re-posting her videos on their own Instagram, or sharing the video across other platforms – such as linking it in a tweet. My discussion of this video is only further distributing the video, by providing a link to it, whereby the readers of my blog can choose to also engage and watch the video.

 

F i n a l     t h o u g h t s . . .

“Online video has been transformed from an expensive to distribute media form to one which can be networked, shared, downloaded and re-used with ease.”

– Trinne Bjorkmann Berry, Video Blogging Before Youtube, p.8.

 

In this week’s discussion of online video, my attention was immediately drawn to yoga teacher Cat Meffan, and the way she has seamlessly transitioned many of her Youtube videos into shorter Instagram time-lapses – hence my analysis of her video content. But another thing that came to my mind was Instagram’s boomerang function. To explain, a boomerang uses only one button to take 10 quick photos and then stitches them together into a video. In a matter of seconds, this video is sped up and looped back and fourth.

The result?

A mini gif-like video that captures a moment in time, and then loops this moment back and fourth. While some might use a boomerang for comedic and ironic purposes, many utilise the boomerang function to give a small glimpse into an experience; perhaps a celebration or a reaction to something. Unlike a still image, a boomerang has the potential to engage someone through movement. Engagement through giving us approximately an additional two seconds of movement that a photo doesn’t. Plus the short-nature of these videos do pose an advertising advantage. If a video only lasts a few seconds even when looped, it’s entire content can be played in the ‘preview’ function of the Instagram explore page. Well-played Instagram.

Like many others, I am a dedicated and studious uploader to my Instagram story. And you can bet that the boomerang function, with its easy accessibility (a function we can use without even leaving Instagram!) gets a fair bit of usage.

It’s like Nash said in tutorial, with each platform comes a different perspective and business model for how online content should look. I strongly believe there is now an emphasis and expectation on Instagram to utilise the boomerang function, and this can be observed through the way videos are constantly looped in Instagram.

Although typically posting longer, 60 second time-lapses on her Instagram, Meffan also utilises the boomerang function, particularly on her daily Instagram stories to help engage and promote her upcoming yoga retreats. Their quick, looped and watchable nature means that followers can consume these ads so quickly, it’s like they aren’t there at all.

Author Trine Bjorkmann Berry makes an interesting point in his reading Video Blogging Before Youtube. He suggests there is the development of a medium-specific aesthetic which is both influenced by, and works in conjunction with, the technical restrictions of a platform.

While Instagram does only allow for 60 second videos (excluding IGTV and the ‘add multiple posts’ function), Meffan’s work has thus worked in harmony with these restrictions, and adapted to the platform’s needs – perhaps attributing to her success.

______________________________________________________________

Sources:

Berry, T. B 2018, ‘Situating Videoblogging’, Institute of Network Cultures, viewed 14 March 2018, pp. 9–22.

Goggin, G 2013 ‘Mobile Video: Spreading Stories with Mobile Media’, in The Routledge Companion to Mobile Media (eds.) Goggin G., Hjorth L., Routledge, New York, pp. 146-156.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-41224943

https://www.instagram.com/catmeffan/

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Week 7 – Networked Photography

 

Who is the practitioner (what is their name?) and when were they practicing?

I have chosen to focus my attention on French iPhoneographer, Hannibal Renber, whose work has been exhibited since 2013. Despite having a prosperous photographic career making his own prints in a small make-shift dark room, Renber now only uses his smartphone to capture the streets of Paris.

Renber aims to use photography to be a reflection of the society around him. He wanted his photography to capture his emotions, and his humour in a particular moment in time. As described by him on his website, the photos he captures are of interest “only by the look the spectators takes to them.” He believes there is merit in the use of the mobile phone for its ability to set a moment and make a portfolio quickly.

Currently at 42.7k Instagram followers, Renber appears to capture life as it happens on the streets of Paris. He uses predominantly black and white images on his Instagram, focusing on the architecture visible on the Parisian streets, while simultaneously capturing human life and emotion on those passing by. In this sense, Renber very much utilises Cartier-Bresson’s concept of ‘the decisive moment’ (which you can read more about here) by capturing unique, fleeting moments. I have chosen to analyse his image (see second image above, or view it here) of a man using a visual assistance walking cane, passing a large framed image of a female model’s face. I chose this picture because of its simple irony. In a society consumed with looks, fundamentally it matters what’s on the inside, as  some people are not able to view the outside. To me, this image de-necessitates the importance of looks.

What is the title of the photo or video you have chosen to analyse (can you provide a link?)

This image by Henber is not titled on his Instagram. Instead, it is accompanied with a large number of relevant hashtags such as #Paris #streetphotography. Like most of his other posts, it seems Henber uses relevant hashtags to reveal the location and sometimes the intent he was trying to capture.

With the photo or video you are examining when was it produced (date)?

As this photo was published on Henber’s Instagram alone, it is very difficult to know the date it was actually produced. However, due to the “faster portfolio” Henber believes using iPhoneography allows for, as well as the fact that Henber publishes a new photo almost daily, it is not unreasonable to believe that this photo was produced around January 5, 2019 – during Paris’ winter in 2019.

How was the photo or video authored?

It’s no surprise (if you’ve made it this far that is!) that this photo was authored with Henber’s iPhone. He makes it very clear both on his website and in his Instagram bio that he only uses his iPhone to capture these images. One of the main affordances of using the iPhone is that you don’t need connections in the photographic industry to get your photography through; as well as the iPhone being extremely accessible, as most people always carry their phone with them. This is also aids in capturing those spontaneous displays of human life which is what Henber’s Instagram aesthetic appears to be all about.

How was the photo or video published?

This photo was published on Instagram on January 5, 2019. The black and white aesthetic of many of Henber’s photos, and the sometimes grainy, bordered effects he publishes his photos with, give them a sense of being older then they are, and also representing a real, raw moment in life. While currently unknown, Henber may use Adobe Photoshop as one of his photo editing apps to make the images have this olden style and vibe.

How was the photo or video distributed?

Considering Henber’s large Instagram following and reach, it is unsurprising that this photo has been distributed through a range of different social media channels – but predominantly by his followers re-posting his work on their own accounts. His use of hashtags also allow his work to be more broadly distributed by Instagram itself. Due to the layout and interconnected-ness of Instagram’s features, each hashtags Henber uses in the caption of this photo (and there are roughly 25) then distributes his photo further into a collection of like-minded photos or images that utilise the same hashtags. Henber’s use of the hashtag is actually a very clever distribution tool as it makes his photo visible in more locations, but doesn’t overtly over-share his photo to his followers.

 

F i n a l     t h o u g h t s . . .

“A photograph no longer moves in fixed and
linear fashion from a capture device (camera) to a
processor (darkroom or chemist) to a viewing context
(family album)—the camera has itself become a
viewing device and a mass communication platform. As
a result, images are in constant circulation, endlessly
multiplying.”

-Daniel Palmer, Mobile Media Photography, pg 245

 

When discussing digital photography, why use a phone?

A sense of immediacy may be evoked by the minimization of the barrier between the photographer and her/his human subjects.

Feedback is an important part of sharing within the iphoneography community. Once an image is uploaded, there are several ways for others to provide feedback instantly – often simply by liking or reposting a photo.

The iPhone brought a new kind of momentum in terms of how you can manage your data – liberating the amateur photographer by allowing them to delete things instantly.

_____________________________________________________________

Sources:

Halpern, M & Humphrey L 2016, ‘Iphoneography as an emergent art world’. New Media and Society, Vol 18, no. 1, pp. 62-81.

Palmer, D 2014 ‘Mobile Media Photography’, in The Routledge Companion to Mobile Media, (eds) Goggin G., Hjorth L., Routledge, New York pp. 249–55.

https://www.hannibalrenberg.com/street-2

https://www.instagram.com/leoleoparis

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