Name: Bianca Barichello, s3540013 (words; 1200)
The prompt: How do the affordances of Instagram affect the way photos and videos are authored, published and distributed in the network?
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 Posts:
Week 5: Legacy Photography
Week 6- Legacy Video
Week 7- Online Photography
Week 8- Online Videography
1. Provide your own definition (in your own words) on ‘photography’ in relation to legacy and online media, by referring to the readings, additional research and the practice analyses completed in your blog:
In my own words, a photograph is an image that is recorded, that the human eye can perceive. It allows us to capture important life moments in which we experience, that enables the memory to last a lifetime. Photography can be accounted for in a extensive amount of ways. According to Wells, “Our ways of viewing images will be changed because we observe the world from unfamiliar viewpoints. Photography validated our experience of ‘being there’, capturing the authentic experience of a strange place.” (Wells, 2015)
Photographs are records and documents which pin down the changing world of appearance. Since the early stages of the development of photography, this practise was something that professionals did to document and capture important experiences. However, as the world has advanced, each individual has employed the ability to take photographs, edit and publish them to relevant platforms of their choice. Photography has become readily available and accessible to everyone as an essential part of our daily lives (Zylinska, 2016) Considering that even our phones can take photos of such high quality resolution, it is it’s easier than ever to share your work, find the like-minded people and attract and maintain an audience.
2. Provide your own definition (in your own words) on ‘video practice’ in relation to legacy and online media, by referring to the readings, additional research and the practice analyses completed in your blog:
In my own words, video practice, is the art of technology moving images on photosensitive surfaces, and its digital counterpart. Also involving the art and process of shooting videos in a way that elicits a desired effect on the viewer. Videography is also often a social and cultural practice, video’s immediately captured the attention of artists who saw its potential as a creative tool. “Social activists who saw it as “a weapon and a witness to be used to create new types of representations that opposed the ubiquitous commercialism of the television industry”‘ (Horsefield, 2006 )
in Horsefield’s article it is spoken about in the Early years section that to artists in specific the video camera was a ‘handy and low-cost tool to document live performances’ (Horsefield, 2006, p4) or it was used to document ‘direct-from-the-scene reportage that was not manipulated’(Horsefield, 2006, p3). In terms of the legacy era, artists were the ones who mainly had their hands on a video camera being part of the art world, it was very unlikely for anyone else to have had their hands on a scarce video camera. During the initial stages of television, artists started to gradually incorporate editing softwares into their film process making. This can be reflected in Nam June Paik’s work, his legacy video practice had a major influence in television technology in the era of the late 70’s to the 80’s.(Eai.org, 2018). To create a video, this unique publisher had to use a video camera and a video projection that was installed in the television. Followed by also having to go through the editing process of the video to change the images or the soundtracks, this took countless amounts of hours due to the exuberant, hyperbolic pace and rhythm of his energetic videos produced, mainly ‘lake placid’. In comparison to today’s digital age most individuals are fortunate enough, to own their own smartphone which features a built in video camera. Enabling them to conveniently and simply take videos and utilise various functions. In today’s generation videography is used quite frequently as a communication tool. For mainly Videobloggers to upload content on youtube, Facebook or Instagram as mass media continues to evolve and grow. Having this accessibility has created a community for ‘video bloggers’ as discussed in Trine Bjorkmann Berry’s text. (Berry,2018)
3. What differences and similarities did you discover between the way legacy and online photos are authored, published and distributed?
Through out the past few weeks, in class we have focused on both topics of both legacy and online photographs. The main difference, being the focus on two different generations. With different technology and functions being available at the time of production, the capabilities which allowed certain processes to be simplified or enhanced dependent on the technological capacity.
Legacy photos were frequently published and distributed through printed media, such as newspapers, magazines and booklets as well as being showcased in exhibitions if they were of significant importance. For example, the legacy photo produced by Dorothea Lange which I analysed for my week 6 blog post, was showcased in a gallery, having the ability of attracting a broad spectrum of viewers. In addition, Lange’s images were small 4×5 negatives developed in purely black and white and obviously no opportunity for editing functions, it’s an authentic, original and un-touched image.
With all the technological advancements and arrival of smartphones and social media this has changed and advanced the way we publish and distribute photos. Bringing me to discuss another clear distinction between the two. The capability we have of editing and modifying an image. The digital age differs from the era of legacy images as “the greater diversity of image manipulation possibilities and the visual effect on the surface of the computer screen when compositing, editing and viewing” (Zylinksa, 2016). Choosing the size of the image, resolution, colour brightness, re touching tools, you name it all these features are readily available to make the photo more visually appealing. “Yet we are all not just photographers today: we have also become distributors, archivists and curators” (Zylinksa, 2016). Eeelco Roos remained a focus for my week 7 blog post with the online photo produced by Eelco Roos, a prominent difference can be seen in the photo quality in contrast to the Dorothea Lange’s image. Roos’ photo wasn’t take on a professional camera, it was captured on an iPhone and edited with the assistance of four programs to enhance the quality and attract the attention of his thousands of followers on Instagram. The legacy photos process to publish and distribute an image takes a lot longer, this is because there were no developments of editing software and customised suites for the image to be manipulated in any form. This can demonstrate that these online photos may carry less meanings than that of legacy photos.
4. What differences and similarities did you discover between the way legacy and online videos are authored, published and distributed?
Through out my research of legacy and online videos, there was an apparent difference between the two. The Nam June Paik and the modern day video produced Rachel Ryll by were both constructed in diverse ways with various software technology.
In order to create the content for a legacy video, it often involved a lengthy and difficult process to create the visual content. As there were no breakthroughs enhancing the quality of technological operations. In contrast, today’s digital era the publisher has readily available editing tools at the tip of their fingers, as well as being a simplified process. (Zylinska, J 2016),The publisher is also able to add special effects to enhance the visual appeal of the video, creating a unique experience for their viewers. Such as Rachel Ryll creative and unique stop motion videos.
The distribution system differs quite significantly between legacy and online videos. With legacy videos main platform of distribution being the television as it was able to gain exposure and reach a wide variety of viewers. Being showcased in galleries was also a common way of publishing content. For example; Name June Paik had a lot of his work at galleries. His ’80’s Lace Placid’ content he produced featured in the National Fine Arts Committee of the 1980 Olympic Winter games. However, in today’s digital era publishers can simply upload their content to Instagram and youtube and are able to gain and attract a wide range of users. Such as Rachel Ryll who I focused on in my week 8 blog post, who has a large follower base of over 1 million and produces all her unique and creative content, sharing it and creating an online community of viewers, who all gain a mutual interest in her work.
Throughout my research I did come across a similarity between both videos, both must understand their audience and create content that would appeal and interest them. The intention may be to prove a point, or to purely entertain their viewers. Both, want to express an idea or make a certain point valid, which they hope to get across to their audience.
References:
Wells, L, 2015, ‘Photography: A Critical Introduction‘, Thinking about photography: debates, historically and now, 5th ed, Routledge, New York. p. 9-2
Horsfield, K 2006, The Video Data Bank Catalog of Video Art and Artist Interviews, 2006
Zylinska, J 2016, ‘Photomediations: An Introduction’, in Kuc, Kamila, and Zylinska (ed.), Photomediations: A Reader. Open Humanities Press, 2016, http://www.openhumanitiespress.org/books/ titles/photomediations
Sherman, Tom, “Vernacular Video.” Video Vortex Reader: Responses to Youtube. Ed. Geert Lovink & Sabine Niederer. Amsterdam: XS4All. 161–68. Print.
Berry 2018, Trine Bjorkmann. ‘Situating Videoblogging’. Videoblogging before YouTube, Institute of Network Cultures, 2018, pp. 9–22, http://networkcultures.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Videoblogging-Before-YouTube-web.pdf.
Eai.org. (2018). Electronic Arts Intermix: Lake Placid ’80, Nam June Paik. [online] Available at: https://www.eai.org/titles/lake-placid-80 [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
I was quite interested and intrigued by Ryle’s unique and creative slow motion videos she produces. She begins by Illustrating pictures then puts it all together, then finally adding in animation to create an interesting effect for the short video 15 second video. I decided to chose this slow motion video because the bridge featured below is the Brooklyn Bridge. I was there last year and America had a big impact and influence on me, I loved travelling and exploring all over the state. Brooklyn bridge certainly being a highlight for me. In addition, Rachel’s videos quite frequently appears on my Instagram explore page and I always try and stay updated with the new content she publishes, as in each short video she is always expanding and exploring her creativity.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBtFx4LtIM6/?taken-by=rachelryle
Who is the practitioner (What is their name and their (Instagram handlebar?”and when were they practicing?
The practitioners name is Rachel Ryle, she is based in Brooklyn, New York where she has a studio there. Her handlebar for her Instagram account is as follows: https://www.instagram.com/rachelryle/. Through out Rachel’s entire life she has always had a great passion and love for exploring her creativity. Her passion for crafts and different creations has inspired and influenced her work. While this has been a passion of hers for some time, it wasn’t until July of 2013 that she decided to pursue her ambitions for illustrating and animating. Since she posted her first short animation video, she received worldwide support from viewers who loved her content produced.
With the Video you are examining when was it produced?
This Slow motion animation video was produced on the 13th February, 2016 and gave viewers a visual representation of the climate in New York during that time, snowy and cold.
How was the Video authored and published?
Roughly 12 hours of illustrating for this content, followed by two hours of set design and then 3 hours of filming with the use of a camera (the exact type of camera she used is unknown) & editing to finalise the piece. Finally, after this long process of creation it was then uploaded on her instagram account for her 1 Million+ followers to view.
How was the Video distributed?
This short video featured on her website, as well as being posted on her Instagram account. She is an award winning Illustrator as well as an animator. Having been awarded with the #1 Instagram account to follow by MTV & BuzzFeed, this allowed her to expand her target audience, creating more awareness for her work.
Who is the practitioner (what is their name and their Instagram handlebar ?) and when were they practicing?
The famous photographer’s name is Eelco Roos, from the Netherlands. He can be found on Instagram with his handlebar name being @croyable. Eelco Roos was as an IT specialist at IBM Amsterdam for over 10 years, however his biggest passion was always photography. After setting up an Instagram account in June 2011 and receiving a lot of attention from the photos he posted, after only a short period of time his followers grew past 100,000. This pushed him to quit his IBM job to purse a career in photography. He began travelling around the world to capture beautiful images of places he visited along his journey and provide his followers with breath taking images.
With the photo you are examining when was it produced ?
This photograph was captured in Moraine Lake in Canada during the year of 2012.
How was the photo authored and published?
This image was taken on his iPhone and uploaded straight to his Instagram account. He uses several applications to assist him during the editing process of his images, these; include; Snapseed, Filterstorm, Blender and VSCO CAM. Eelco claims during the early stages of his photographer career he didn’t take it as serious, a photo was just taken and pretty much posted almost immediately, every now and then he may have have tested a filter or two. However, due to all the evolving technological advancements and new applications arising, it’s given him the opportunity to create his own filters using various apps, but he likes a clean, natural and realistic photo, without overdoing the editing process and spoiling the authenticity of the Image. This famous image as well as all his other images captured have all been taken from his Iphone. Yet he is able to capture brilliant photos with such a simple tool, nothing entirely professional such as a HD camera.
How was the photo distributed?
At the beginning of 2012 for his unique work he won an iPhone Photography Award in the Children’s and seasons field, due to educating younger students of the quality of images taken on an iPhone and providing them with inspiration. The Image along with his other published images were distributed on his Instagram account for his 429,000+ followers to view his content.
In this weeks class, we explored the topic of Legacy Videos with a focus on the famous Nam June Paik’s interesting work he has produced. As I was researching through his practices produced, it came to my attention how unique and abstract his work is, something that really stands out and is quite significantly different to what you would see broadcasted in today’s media.
Who is the practitioner (what is their name?) and when were they practicing?
The practitioners name I focused my research around for this week is Nam June Paik, a Korean American video artist. Paik was featured as one of The Century’s 25 Most Influential artists along with Pablo Picasso by ART News, an influential U.S. He is still, the most internationally famous Korean-born artist. He starting practicing as early as the 1960’s, where in1964 in New York he first began combining his visual and musical interests together.
With video you are examining when was it produced (date)?
The video was published in 1980, titled ‘Lace Placid’. Lake Placid‘ 80 is a metonymy for the Winter Olympic Games, created by Nam June Paik, when commissioned by the National Fine Arts Committee for the 13th Games, in Lake Placid, in 1980.
How was the video authored?`
It was authored with the use of an expensive camera that is solely used for videography and would have most likely involved the use of tape recording rather than an SD card and a hard drive that we would use in today’s society. The video would need to be taken to a special area that had the software and equipment to edit the video, which shows the difference between the production of the legacy images and modern day production of images.
Lake Placid’ 80 is a metonymy for the Winter Olympic Games, created by Nam June Paik, when commissioned by the National Fine Arts Committee for the 13th Games, in Lake Placid, in 1980. Sound and image unite sport and the festivities. Both the subject and the medium are endowed with the international dimension of the context, and Nam June Paik only goes beyond this with music, which he sees as a non-verbal communication between audiences of different ages cultures and countries.
How was the video distributed?
The video was presented by Paik producing this exuberant, high-speed collage as a commission for the National Fine Arts Committee of the 1980 Olympic Winter Games and was presented on Television. In a fractured explosion of densely layered movement and action, images of Olympic sports events are mixed with Paik’s recurring visual and audio motifs.
For this weeks blog post I decided to focus on the well known and inspirational photograph captured by photographer Dorothea Lange. Her first real taste of documentary photography came in the 1920’s when she traveled around the Southwest, mostly photographing Native Americans. With the onslaught of the Great Depression in the 1930s, she trained her camera on what she started to see in her own San Francisco neighborhoods: labor strikes and breadlines. This body of work included Lange’s most well-known portrait, ‘Migrant Mother’, an iconic image from this period that gently and beautifully captured the hardship and pain of what so many Americans were experiencing.
Lange’s access to the inner lives of these struggling Americans was the result of patience and careful consideration of the people she photographed. “Her method of work,” was often to just saunter up to the people and look around, and then when she saw something that she wanted to photograph, to quietly take her camera, look at it, and if she saw that they objected, why, she would close it up and not take a photograph, or perhaps she would wait until… they were used to her.”
“I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet. I made five exposures, working closer and closer from the same direction. I did not ask her name or her history. She told me her age, that she was thirty-two. She said that they had been living on frozen vegetables from the surrounding fields, and birds that the children killed. She had just sold the tires from her car to buy food. There she sat in that lean- to tent with her children huddled around her, and seemed to know that my pictures might help her, and so she helped me. There was a sort of equality about it.” -Dorothea Lange
the Image link: http://100photos.time.com/photos/dorothea-lange-migrant-mother
Who is the practitioner (what is their name?) and when were they practicing?
The practitioner was known as Dorothea Lange. She took this photograph in 1936, while employed by the U.S. government’s Farm Security Administration (FSA) program, formed during the Great Depression to raise awareness of and provide aid to impoverished farmers. In Nipomo, California. She was practising for about 10 years.
With the photo you are examining when was it produced (date)?
This photograph was produced back in the year of 1936 in either February or March in Nipomo, California.
How was the photo authored?
The photo was taken with The Graflex Super D. A very remarkable camera loved by professional photographers back in that era. The Super D was the successor of the Graflex Series D. The photograph captured was in Black and White and obviously not in full HD quality and the original negatives are 4×5″ film.
How was the photo distributed:
Even though images were commissioned by the government they were impounded and not shown to the public even after the war ended. Lange’s photograph was kept a secret for almost 50 years and visually showed how the United States government detained people without charging them of any crime based on their Japanese ethnicity, even if most were Americans. Lange’s images sat in the National Archives until 2006. These images, even in today’s society, remain of critical importance. The work now is showcased in the Library of Congress.
