THE SHARED IMAGE: Photography & Social Media

Which assignment (or assignments) did you find most interesting, and why?

I really enjoyed the last assignment overall because I think I was able to make my point come across in an interesting way. My truth was something that everyone could relate to and I chose different things that I hoped different people would be able to relate to. I started off with the glasses and it was a totally abstract way to relate to it but it made sense to me personally since I need glasses too. Our pets, I realized that so many people just leave their pets alone at home because we all live such busy lives. In relationships, we often take for granted our significant other and I feel as though all of us need to learn to appreciate the people that love us in our lives.

With the other assignments, I found some aspects to be interesting and I think I was able to capture what I wanted at times but I had to learn to tell the story through the lenses. The above images I chose, I think reflects what I wanted to tell best and they are my favorite images.

How did this class influence the way you see yourself as a cultural producer (i.e. someone who puts visual information out into the world via social media)? If it did not influence you, why not?

This class has definitely made me more aware of not only myself as a cultural producer but others that are cultural producers themselves. It has made me realize that there is a lot that can changed by the producers’ actions and the images that are shared are most likely not what was seen by the ordinary human eyes. Many images are changed and altered to make it seem more beautiful or attractive to the human eyes. I have also put some thought into how others may perceive my own pictures or how I perceive others. I realize that the images are all based upon perception.

Was this class what you expected when you signed-up? What did you like most about the class? And, what would you change?

Michele Mendez

1. Which assignment (or assignments) did you find most interesting, and why?

I really enjoyed doing the first assignment because it stood out among the rest. Trying to take photos in a certain style was challenging, but really enjoyable. My artist was Todd Hido and because his images were taken in a neighborhood, I started to look at mine in a different way. I would pick out certain locations that looked like something that he would take a picture of, and it really changed my perspective of them. Not only was I trying to take photos in a certain style, but I was also trying to create a certain mood that Todd Hido is known for. I felt that this assignment was a good introduction to the rest of the class because it taught me about creating a certain feeling through photos.

2. How did this class influence the way you see yourself as a cultural producer (i.e. someone who puts visual information out into the world via social media)? If it did not influence you, why not?

This class made me more aware of the images that I post on social media and how I present myself to others. Each photo may be my truth, but that truth is not definite because others may see it differently. I am depicting a truth with how I use the tool of the camera. The pictures that I take are affected by different decisions that I make, such as what gets included and what doesn’t. Everything in a photo is essential and works to give a certain meaning. This made me realize how we make careful decisions about which subjects we capture and then what gets transferred to social media.

3. Was this class what you expected when you signed-up? What did you like most about the class? And, what would you change?

The assignment which I found most interesting was “Unexotic Availability: Photography as a Language.” This was because this assignment required more thinking and thought when deciding what pictures to post to ultimately speak this language you are trying to portray. I really enjoyed this one as I found it was the most challenging, yet most interesting. The photo of the dead plant buried in snow was my favorite picture in this series, as I found it was the most effective image to display a “trapped” mood. Even though I enjoyed all of the assignments I have completed for this course, this one in particular stood out to me.

This class did have an impact on the pictures I post on social media. Now, I am much more considerate of the images I am posting, as I ensure that each photograph is meaningful, tells a story, has a clear subject, and good lighting. However, I do not think that it has influenced me to be a cultural influencer per se, as I am innately not a social media user. But, now when I do post, I am able to use the skills learned in this class to influence what I post on social media.

“The Shared Image” was a better course than what I expected when I signed up. Because my sister took this class in a previous semester, she gave me some insight and let me know what the class would consist of. I must say even though I had a general idea of what this class would require, it exceeded my expectations in how much fun I thought I would have had while taking this course. I found that it really made me think differently when it comes to posting images on social media. Now, I am much more thoughtful, as I ensure that each picture I post tells a great story. What I liked most is that this class required posting on a different topic every week. This ultimately broadened my horizons and made me be much more creative than I have in the past when capturing images. I really enjoyed this class and I would not change any aspect of it. 

Which assignment (or assignments) did you find most interesting, and why? I think the assignment for week 4 was the most interesting because it required focus and discipline. For this assignment we were instructed to capture images that expressed a statement or a state of mind, and I liked having something specific to shoot. It was interesting to see how different each student captured their particular statement/state of mind, I think this assignment allowed for the most diversity.

How did this class influence the way you see yourself as a cultural producer (i.e. someone who puts visual information out into the world via social media)? If it did not influence you, why not? This class made me realize how other people can perceive my images, where as before I just thought about how I felt about what I was posting. It really made me think about the audience and I credit that to the specific instructions for each week of posting, having something to express (through 25 pictures) was a really interesting way to use social media and complete an assignment. I think this class has taught me how influenced we are by our audiences to be cultural producers.

1. I found the assignment about self truth to be the most interesting because I spent a lot of time being reflective and figuring out how I wanted other people to view me. I think this assignment was also the most relevant to my life as of now because I basically use my social media platforms (Instagram, mostly) as a digital resume so to speak. I post certain content to make others aware of my interests. 

2. I think more than anything this class made me be a little bit more conscious and aware of how the images and any content I post on social media can be impactful in the lives of others. Also, this class made me want to be a little be more intentional, and possibly even a little bit more personal on my social media platforms. 

I selected these 5 images from past assignments because they speak to me in relation to the course and my creativity with the assignments.

1 &2. The picture of my friend colin with his jean jacket on and the image of my water bottle are from  assignment 5. I had the truth statement as “ I am a modern day college student”. I chose this image because I really liked this assignment because it relates directly to my everyday life and made me question what I do everyday.

3. The image of my bed and pillows is from assignment 3-“Picture Yourself: Photography as a Form of Self-Design”. I chose this image because I loved learning about how people are established in today’s world and responsibitity with that establishment. It really opened my mind to think about how I represent myself in society and how I create my own identity. 4. The image of my dog buddy is from Assignment 4- “Unexotic Availability as Language”. I LOVE this assignment because it was fascinating to learn about how photography playing a role in how we communicate with others and define the world around us. I enjoyed photographing different mental states. This image of my dog was from my mental state “joy”, and I think it shows joy very well. 5. The final image I’ve selected is through a door window from assignment 2- “Through the Lens: Photography Then & Now”. I chose this image because I enjoyed learning about the photographer Todd Hildo and capturing images that were alike to his. I also enjoyed learned about the history and use of photography as an artistic medium, in relation to contemporary methods of making and sharing images, by examining the art of seeing though the lens of a celebrated photographic artist. This class influenced the way I see myself as a cultural producer because I realized that I like to post things that are relatively normal to post. For example, posting a pretty looking ice cream cone I just got on instagram is normal and I would do something like that but posting a picturing of something gross like a toilet…I would never do. I also realized that as a cultural producer, I have a lot of responsibility to show the world who I really am.

1. I found the second, third and fourth the most interesting. I liked the second because it was fascinating to come up with different things that represented my sense of self. It was fun to think about then create images for 5 different topics that portrayed myself/my beliefs/my identity. It made me become more aware of how I saw myself and what I valued/liked most. I also liked the third assignment, because trying to establish a sense of place by focusing on 5 different aspects of that place was very cool. Just like the sense of self assignment, this made me become more conscious of the qualities that made up Ardmore and the things I liked about it/my connection to it. Although I have lived there for a very long time, this assignment made me realize there was so much I hadn’t truly “seen”, for example the historical buildings. So, I ended up learning a lot more about my city. Lastly, I liked the fourth module because it was pretty different from the others. Choosing a truth to represent and being able to represent it in any way was very interesting. Since I wanted to manipulate my images, I chose a surreal truth, which made it all the more fun for me. This assignment was also effective for understating how the images we make are all our own “truths”. 

2. It influenced the way I saw myself as a cultural producer by making me more aware of the effect of my images. I realized how the images we create are our own “truths” and that everyone has and puts out their own through the images they make. This truth is based on what the photographer sees and chooses to photograph, in contrast to being the “actual” reality. So, now I’m more conscious of this when I take images. I realize how what I create is my own truth, because it’s the way I see what’s in front of me. This class also made me realize how the images we take and post represent who we are and effect how others see us. I already knew this, but became aware of how powerful our images are when it comes to self-design/identity. The kinds of pictures we take and post really say a lot about who we are, our characteristics, what we like, and etc.  Lastly, this class made me aware of how social media platforms caused us to make more and more images without much purpose. More often than not, we as cultural producers create images without intent. I’m now more conscious of this when taking photographs. Even if it’s a small personal meaning, I want my images to have a purpose, rather than not have any meaning at all. 

The photos I chose were from assignment 4, which was photography as language. We were asked to photograph images that represented a place or a state of mind and our emotional connection to that subject. Capturing my depression and anxiety during this week allowed me to connect with those emotions on a different level, and make art out of those feelings. I was able to share my emotions and point of view with others who might relate.

This class highlighted how much, as a cultural producer, I am constantly producing for other people. This class allowed me a chance to create images for myself. Even though they would be consumed by the rest of the class, the content of the images and the language of them were entirely up to me and what I wanted to say.

1. The assignment from this semester that I found the most interesting was the third assignment entitled “Picture Yourself” that covered photography and self-design. What I liked about this assignment is not only did it improve my photography skills, but it also helped me to really identify who I am and where I am in my life. Seeing those photos posted on Instagram felt like looking at a summary of my every day life and it made me think about where I am, both physically and mentally. The photographs that I took for this assignment also happened to be the ones that I am proudest of. The intimacy and connection between me, the photographer, and the photos was felt much more in this assignment than any of the others.

2. This course had a big influence on the way I view myself as a cultural producer. Before this class, I didn’t really think about it at all. If anything, I saw myself as any other average college student posting on my Instagram about the things I do and the places I go. I thought less about the photo itself and more about the social image of myself that I was going to put out there. Just like most other 20-year-old girls, I took pictures of myself and chose whichever photo I looked the best in and posted it with a witty caption. But now, I notice the artistic aspects of my photography. Previously, I have taken thousands of photos on my iPhone. Sometimes I tried to be “artsy” and take a creative picture but most of the time, I just wanted to document the way I looked or the things I was doing and I did not care about the photo’s truth or value or quality. Now, I do. Every photo I take can be art.

Which assignment (or assignments) did you find most interesting, and why?

The assignments that I felt were most interesting were Assignment 2: Through the Lens: Photography Then & Now and Assignment 3: Photography as a Form of Self-Design. One of the main reasons that I enjoyed Assignment 2 is because I had the opportunity to try and photograph my surroundings through the eyes of someone else. This assignment allowed me to get a better understanding of the history of photography, photographers’ style, and the capabilities of my iPhone camera. I, also, gained an appreciation for Uta Barth’s style. I enjoyed Assignment 3 because it allowed me to make a statement about myself. I was able to capture my experiences, daily activities, and favorite quirky things about myself to curate the way my classmates viewed me. With this assignment, I became more mindful of the way I craft my images to portray a specific story about the way I live my life. This was the most fun assignment for me because I knew the subject of the pictures I was taking extremely well.

2. How did this class influence the way you see yourself as a cultural producer (i.e. someone who puts visual information out into the world via social media)? If it did not influence you, why not?

As a cultural producer, I try to portray very positive and lively images on my own personal social media platforms. My social media consist mostly of my personal accomplishments, trips, and good days. This class made be become more mindful of the messages that convey within my images. Someone viewing my social media may begin to believe that I don’t go through hardships or bad days. While I want to spread positivity via my personal social media channels, I have come to feel that people have a responsibility to portray accuracy within their images. After this class, I will definitely make sure that I don’t mislead people with my images.

This class not only made me think about myself as a cultural producer, but also become slightly more critical of other cultural producers. I’ve found myself trying to find the purpose and meaning behind the images that some of the Instagram accounts I follow.

3. Was this class what you expected when you signed-up? What did you like most about the class? And, what would you change?

Which assignment (or assignments) did you find most interesting, and why?

I enjoyed the first assignment when we tried to emulate the work of a famous photographer. At first, this assignment made me a little nervous because I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull off the style of someone who had been taking photos for their livelihood. After discovering Helen Levitt and looking more into her style of photography, I felt like I wanted to try to emulate her work (it also helped that I was living in New York and was able to really connect with her work). This assignment helped me look at different types of photos and  think about how to convey a story in the different neighborhoods that I traveled into. I also liked the assignment about “truths” because it allowed me to see my classmates truths and how they were able to capture them in photographs. This assignment also allowed me to convey some of my truths/frustrations with being in New York and away from my friends and family. 

How did this class influence the way you see yourself as a cultural producer (i.e. someone who puts visual information out into the world via social media)? If it did not influence you, why not?

This course showed me that photos have a strong impact on people who view them, but not everyone views a singular photo the same way. For example, the photo set that I did about “truths” showed me that the set of images meant one thing to me, but it could mean something else to each of my classmates who looked at it. While I was focusing on my physical self being in NYC but my mind being elsewhere, other people could have seen these photos as a jumble of photos that were seemingly unrelated. I think there is a beauty in these photos being up to interpretation. In terms of being a cultural producer, this course gave me insight into how to create photos that have a deeper meaning than what meets the eye. I found myself wanting to dig deeper as I was taking my photos in order to have them make sense with one another.

Was this class what you expected when you signed-up? What did you like most about the class? And, what would you change?

1. Which assignment (or assignments) did you find most interesting, and why?

I think the assignment I found the most interesting was the last assignment where we had to document a ‘truth.’ I thought this was a very interesting assignment because you got to experience a plethora of different truths from everyone in the class and personally, I found myself appreciating my own truths ten times more than I did before. I think this was the case because I was able to concentrate on one specific truth, which was the truth about Philadelphia, and where I have spent the past 4 years growing and learning. It was interesting to see my own diversity in the different type of shots I took to exemplify this truth. After looking back on this assignment I realize dhow different but specific each bundle of photos was and I think they represented my Philadelphia experience to the best of their ability.

2. How did this class influence the way you see yourself as a cultural producer (i.e. someone who puts visual information out into the world via social media)? If it did not influence you, why not?

This class influenced the way I see myself as a cultural producer because it allowed me the opportunity to produce original content form my own personal perspective. With the rapid growth of social media, sometimes I catch myself posting things to please other people rather than posting raw, personal things that I find to be the most important aspects of my life. This class has influenced me to not be afraid of my own artistic/personal perspective on things and encouraged me to take pride in my work.

3. Was this class what you expected when you signed-up? What did you like most about the class? And, what would you change?

1. For this week, I tried to express the “truth” that every moment encompasses some form of beauty. I really wanted to capture the essence of the environment surrounding me. I decided to focus mostly on North Philadelphia because I feel many people associate the area with poverty. I wanted to show the area through a different view.

Originally, I was just capturing the areas I happened to be in. As the week went on, I focused my time on a specific area of Philadelphia each day. This gave me the ability to get a greater appreciation for specific areas, as well as, the city as a whole. To highlight whatever subject was in each image, I used different strategies, such as shooting through the fence, shooting at night, and shooting at different angles.

2. The “truth” in my images is to make people reevaluate the way they perceive the urban communities, such as the North Philadelphia community. I believe my images will make people speak about the beauty of the community in the same manner that they talk about other communities they classify as “desirable” and “beautiful”. While I cannot force someone to stop thinking that a neighborhood with less affluent people isn’t beautiful, I hope people at least start to reevaluate the beauty in these neighborhoods.