Evaluation

Evaluation.

Whilst Visual Sociology is arguably a study that is still in its infancy, its contribution to the understanding of society is undeniable.  It has been argued that the study of the visual “has added unique knowledge to sociology” (Harper 1989: 81).  With this in mind, the project that I produced aimed at improving a sociological understanding of my local area.

When I started this research it was with an eye to producing a project showing the role that Wick Harbour plays in the everyday goings on of the town.  The aim was to compare this with the historical uses and importance of the harbour.  I also opted for a photographic project that would not present any major ethical considerations and was careful to avoid photographing people during the course of photographing the harbour.

After one session of taking photographs, it occurred to me that the project was too vague: I couldn’t take enough photos in one session to reach any conclusions about the role of the harbour within the town; it is too vast a topic.  However, one thing that did interest me a great deal was the signs that are present at the harbour, something that I became more interested in as I revisited the photographs and wrote short comments about them.  The final project was seven photographs of different signs present in the harbour, each one with a brief comment about it. 

There was a certain amount of personal amusement in this decision – after all, if semiotics was the study of signs, then this must be semiotics in its purest form!  Of course, I do realise that this isn’t how it really works, but the idea made me smile.

There was another key reason for choosing to produce the project on signs at the harbour rather than the harbour itself: I thought there was a link between signs and photographs, as they are both things that often provide a link between two people who do not meet, i.e. Person A who takes the photograph and Person B who views the photograph, or Person A who designs the sign and Person B who views the it.  In short, this is a method of encoding and decoding that we rarely stop and think about.  The importance of encoding and decoding photographs is highlighted in the claim that “the snapshot is understood as a symbolic form embedded in a communication process that necessarily includes making (encoding), interpreting (decoding), and a multi-faceted use of pictures” (Chalfen 1998: 215).

I think the most important aspect of signs that comes across from this project is just what a considerable reliance there is on having a shared encoding and decoding understanding, along with the claim that “visual researchers need to understand both the processes of encoding meaning in which he or she has engaged, and informants’ approaches to decoding photographic meaning” (Prosser & Schwartz 1998: 125).  I think that the best example of this is Picture #7, which shows a road sign.  A secure understanding of road signs is required in order to pass a driving test, and children are often taught to understand many of them for the Cycling Proficiency Theory Test.  The sign on this photograph is therefore indicative of the continuing socialisation that goes on throughout life in order to ensure that everyone will understand the intended meaning of a sign, which could otherwise be decoded in different ways.

The decision of how people choose to portray themselves on signs was also interesting.  For example, the red, white and blue flags on Picture #6 can be understood to be a metonym for the Union Jack, but it may also be a metaphor for the United Kingdom itself.  The presence of the Isabella Fortuna on the Wick Heritage Centre sign is used to evoke a connection with history, in particular the history of the local area.  The use of emblems and logos can also be seen as a metaphor for the group or organisation who they represent, or an alternative to their signature.

This project also allowed me to look at the method of advertising used on signs.  I mentioned the use of the Isabella Fortuna on the sign advertising the Heritage Centre, and link that it provides with the past.  It is also another good way of understanding the process of encoding and decoding that is key to the study of semiotics, and highlights the fact that it is also prevalent in advertising.

The fact that this project went through a visible process of development, including entirely altering its main focus, allowed me to explore some of the different facets of Visual Sociology, a few of which have been mentioned here.  I took comfort in the idea that even professional sociologists have at times found a challenge in the fact that “the information encoded in photographs is still far from transparent” (Ball 1998: 137)!   However, overall the project allowed me to make better use of my photographic equipment, as well as encouraging me to look at my local area in a different way.  The prevalence of social constructs in everyday life is perhaps the most significant aspect that I will take from this project.

List of References.

Ball, M.  (1998)  ‘Remarks on Visual Competence as an Integral Part of Ethnographic Fieldwork Practice: The Visual Availability of Culture’.  In Image-based Research: A Sourcebook for Qualitative Researchers ed. by Prosser, J. London: Falmer Press 131 – 147

Chalfen, R.  (1998)  ‘Interpreting Family Photography as Pictorial Communication’.  In Image-based Research: A Sourcebook for Qualitative Researchers ed. by Prosser, J. London: Falmer Press 190 – 208

Harper, D.  (1989)  ‘Visual Sociology: Expanding Sociological Vision’.  In New Technology in Sociology: Practical Applications in Research and Work  ed. by Blank, G. & McCartney, J.  New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers  81 – 98

Prosser, J. & Schwartz, D.  (1998)  ‘Photographs within the Sociological Research Process’.  In Image-based Research: A Sourcebook for Qualitative Researchers ed. by Prosser, J. London: Falmer Press 115 – 130

My Final Project: "Signs at Wick Harbour"

Here are the seven pictures that I have chosen for my final project.

Picture#1

This photo (above) has the emblem and the contact telephone number for Wick Harbour. It's reminding people (tourists or otherwise) that the walkways in the harbour can be dangerous in poor weather. It's true: in high winds the sea can storm right over the harbour wall, which is almost impossible to imagine in good weather! Unfortunately, I don't really have any photos to show this as salt spray and camera lenses don't really get on too well with each other!

Picture#2

Here's another sign with the Wick Harbour emblem on, although no contact number this time. The purpose of this sign is not to warn people of the dangers associated with the harbour, but to boast that the harbour building is using renewable energy - thereby "proving" that the harbour is moving into the 21st century as it is clearly considering and acting on contemporary issues. One particularly interesting thing about the sign (shown clearly on this photo) is that the font choice for the Sponsors is far easier to read than the main body of text, suggesting that it is more important to see who sponsored the Photovoltaic Roof than it is to read what the roof actually does.

Picture#3

This picture is fairly self-explanatory. It shows the sign on the lifebelt equipment that is prominently placed on the harbour front. I particularly like the warning at the bottom: "do not interfere with this equipment - the life it saves could be yours!". It's clearly suitably foreboding, as no one has tampered with the lifebelt for as long as I've been in Wick, symptomatic of the fact that many people who live in coastal towns have a considerable respect for the sea.

Picture#4

The sign on this photo is an advertisement for the Wick Heritage Museum (which takes as its main focus Wick's role in the herring industry). This photograph shows the sign on an old building, which is actually the old lifeboat station. I think the sign looks quite old, and I'm not sure whether that's because it is (!) or whether it is a conscious decision on the part of the Heritage Museum to make it look old, and therefore tie in with the harbour's history. The boat on the centre of the sign is called the Isabella Fortuna, and is dated 1890. Here is a bit more about it.

Picture#5

This is the final sign that I photographed. It is another advertisement, but quite different from Picture#4, in that it is full of coloured photographs. It is advertising marine tours that sail out of Wick (and Lybster) and what you can expect to see if you travel on one. This is a large board next to the marina and the orange boat seen behind the sign is similar to the one that is used for the tours. Obviously they only run in good weather!

Picture #6

This sign on this photo is advertising an event at the harbour in June 2012.  The sign is covered in red, white and blue flags (the colours of the Union Jack - the flag of the UK) and has two emblems on: one for the Queen's Jubilee and one for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, this is symbolic of the fact that the event that is advertising a joint event from the two organisations.  

Picture #7

This road sign is just in front of Wick Marina and is warning drivers to slow down or risk driving straight into the water.  Actually, there is a pavement and a fence between the road and the water and this, combined with the fact that this sign is very faded, makes me think that perhaps the sign was put there before the marina was redesigned - at a time when there was more danger of actually driving into the sea.  From a personal point of view, this picture makes me chuckle as I think it makes it look a little bit like the road suddenly goes straight into the sea... 

A Couple More Signs...

Picture #6

This sign on this photo is advertising an event at the harbour in June 2012.  The sign is covered in red, white and blue flags (the colours of the Union Jack - the flag of the UK) and has two emblems on: one for the Queen's Jubilee and one for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, this is symbolic of the fact that the event that is advertising a joint event from the two organisations.  

Picture #7

This road sign is just in front of Wick Marina and is warning drivers to slow down or risk driving straight into the water.  Actually, there is a pavement and a fence between the road and the water and this, combined with the fact that this sign is very faded, makes me think that perhaps the sign was put there before the marina was redesigned - at a time when there was more danger of actually driving into the sea.  From a personal point of view, this picture makes me chuckle as I think it makes it look a little bit like the road suddenly goes straight into the sea... 

Wick Harbour

Signs....

So... here are some signs from my first visit to photograph Wick harbour (27th March 2012). I'm guessing the signs won't change much between now and the next time that I go and take pictures so I won't be taking pictures of them again.

Picture#1

This photo (above) has the emblem and the contact telephone number for Wick Harbour. It's reminding people (tourists or otherwise) that the walkways in the harbour can be dangerous in poor weather. It's true: in high winds the sea can storm right over the harbour wall, which is almost impossible to imagine in good weather! Unfortunately, I don't really have any photos to show this as salt spray and camera lenses don't really get on too well with each other!

Picture#2

Here's another sign with the Wick Harbour emblem on, although no contact number this time. The purpose of this sign is not to warn people of the dangers associated with the harbour, but to boast that the harbour building is using renewable energy - thereby "proving" that the harbour is moving into the 21st century as it is clearly considering and acting on contemporary issues. One particularly interesting thing about the sign (shown clearly on this photo) is that the font choice for the Sponsors is far easier to read than the main body of text, suggesting that it is more important to see who sponsored the Photovoltaic Roof than it is to read what the roof actually does.

Picture#3

This picture is fairly self-explanatory. It shows the sign on the lifebelt equipment that is prominently placed on the harbour front. I particularly like the warning at the bottom: "do not interfere with this equipment - the life it saves could be yours!". It's clearly suitably foreboding, as no one has tampered with the lifebelt for as long as I've been in Wick, possibly also symptomatic of the fact that many people who live in coastal towns have a considerable respect for the sea, but then again I could just be psychoanalysing people too in-depth!

Picture#4

The sign on this photo is an advertisement for the Wick Heritage Museum (which takes as its main focus Wick's role in the herring industry). This photograph shows the sign on an old building, which is actually the old lifeboat station. I think the sign looks quite old, and I'm not sure whether that's because it is (!) or whether it is a conscious decision on the part of the Heritage Museum to make it look old, and therefore tie in with the harbour's history. The boat on the centre of the sign is called the Isabella Fortuna, and is dated 1890. Here is a bit more about it.

Picture#5

This is the final sign that I photographed. It is another advertisement, but quite different from Picture#4, in that it is full of coloured photographs. It is advertising marine tours that sail out of Wick (and Lybster) and what you can expect to see if you travel on one. This is a large board next to the marina and the orange boat seen behind the sign is similar to the one that is used for the tours. Obviously they only run in good weather!

Plan for Project.

The Brief

Wick harbour used to be a major herring port, but since the collapse of the herring industry after the Second World War, the harbour is a far less significant player in the industry and economics of the town. The aim of this project is to document the harbour as it is today, with the intention of illustrating what industry still exists, as well as the harbour’s part in the day to day activities of the town. Producing the project in early spring rather than summer will also give a clear idea of the harbour’s role outside of the tourist season.

The Methodological Considerations

As this project takes as its focal point the harbour, my aim is not to photograph people. Therefore, any identifying features of individuals accidentally captured on the pictures will be removed from the photograph. Care will also have to taken during photographing as the harbour is still the site of industrial activity and a lot of heavy machinery.

Equipment Needs

To conduct this project, I will need a digital camera (the one I will be using is a Fujifilm Finepix S1600) and a computer. The computer must have software able to pixellate any faces, as well as internet access for the creation of the blog.

Sample Considerations

The activity in the harbour will be photographed on at least two separate occasions, which should allow for comparisons to be made.

Ethical Issues To Be Considered

As this project is not about photographing people, and any identifying features will be removed from the photographs prior to them being put onto the blog, ethics should not pose any concerns.

Restraints and Issues Expected

Because this is an outdoor project, the weather will be a consideration, as my camera has a tendency to function poorly when it’s cold, and I avoid taking photos with it when it’s raining heavily. However, I don’t anticipate any other issues arising during the development of the project.

A comment on Validity and Reliability in Visual Methods

It is easy to put too much weight on research that is gathered quantitatively, especially as digital photography encourages people to take multiple pictures of one shot in order to produce at least one image that they are pleased with.

On the other hand, qualitative research is perhaps more useful to sociologists as it shows what might be considered a “truer” depiction of society. Validity and reliability are both concerned with discovering the truth, and understanding the place that accuracy occupies in the production and development of various Visual Methods.

Validity of an image focuses mostly on how the research was gathered, and whether it was appropriate for the subject matter. Validity should never be considered on its own, and images that are created must also be questioned with regard to their reliability before they are understood to be a true depiction. In what circumstances were they taken? Even a family photograph may give a false idea of the circumstances: did people smile simply because they were told to? Alternatively, an image of a child crying may evoke strong feelings in an adult looking at the picture, but without knowing the circumstances in which it was taken it is impossible to tell for what reason the child is crying.

The study of Validity and Reliability in Visual Methods may be concerned with offering a true depiction, but it remains important to study both of these in relation to the context in which the picture was created.

A comment on the Journalistic Image as Visual Sociology.

The world that is portrayed through the media is a very visual one, and photo journalism plays a key role its portrayal. The old adage ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ is evident in the success that has been enjoyed by the Journalistic Image.

With this is mind, it is important to look at just how useful the journalistic image is in terms of understanding Visual Sociology.

Questions have been raised regarding “the public’s perception of the relationship between an ostensibly journalistic image and reality” (Wheeler 2002: 9), which disputes the claim that the camera never lies. It becomes apparent whilst studying the journalistic image that photographers have, for as long as cameras have been in existence, been using other technology to alter the reality that was the focus of the image. For example, “The Harvest of Death” (1863) American Civil War photograph by Timothy H. O’Sullivan was actually “a composite made from three photographs” (Wheeler 2002: 15).

When it is considered that the journalistic image is not always an accurate representation of the truth, it important then to question how representative it is of Visual Sociology. Although journalistic images are not necessarily historically accurate in how they depict people and events, they can still be seen as a key part of Visual Sociology because they are encoded by the photographer in such a way that certain societies share a collective consciousness that allows them to decode a particular meaning behind the photograph, and the image is created with that in mind.

Wheeler, T. (2002) Phototruth or Photofiction. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.

WORD COUNT: 253

Task 5a

Summarise the key points and focus on the relationship of Time and Visual research.

In Psychology and Photographic Theory, the author is largely concerned with the use of phototherapy in the treatment and consideration of mental health patients, whilst acknowledging that the benefits of it are not limited to those with mental health issues.

There is significant emphasis throughout the text on definition and understanding of reality, further developed by references to Roland Barthes’ theory of punctum and studium. During this consideration of ‘reality’, the question is raised as to whether photographs show “a past reality” (Cronin 1998: 64) or simply a version of ‘reality’. For example, the “family unity and cohesiveness” (Cronin 1998: 61) that is believed to be evident in family photographs may have been constructed for the brief time that it took for the photograph to be taken. The text looks closely at family photographs and is also concerned with what effect looking at family photographs has on people.

The question of ‘time’ is another one that is raised during the text. As photographs contain a “slice of time” (Cronin 1998: 64), it is not surprising that photographs are seen as a way of connecting people with a moment in time that has passed. It is noted during the text that the “passage of time, and the reifying of time into discrete units, is inherent in some uses of photographs in therapy” (Cronin 1998: 64). This demonstrates the ability of a photograph to make time into something that is more tangible, and something that can be dealt with by an individual.

The paper also makes reference to the fact that people begin to take more photographs in an attempt to control the passage of time and references claims that “people take up photography at times of rapid change in their lives” (Cronin 1998: 64) and the even more explicit claim that “photographs are a protection against time” (Cronin 1998: 64). The paper goes on to mention how photography can be used to help people “overcome the sorrow of passing time” (Cronin 1998: 64). Whilst this may be an accurate depiction of how photography can help people, it should also be mentioned that, as photographs capture a moment in history, they may not always have a positive effect on someone who is distressed by the passing of time, especially if the punctum contained in the photograph evokes a less positive emotion, such as highlighting the loss of a loved one or of a happier period in one’s life.

The idea of photography to document “rites of passage” (Cronin 1998: 65) is also raised within the paper, showing the weighting that is given to rites of passage throughout life, and also marking them out as specific examples of moments that people wish to relive through the emotion captured within the punctum of the photograph.

The text puts considerable emphasis on the relationship between time and visual research, particularly in terms of how it can be used to provide psychotherapy for mental health patients. Time is put across as a destroyer, and photography described as “providing a magical substitute” (Cronin 1998: 64) for what it has left in its wake. However, it is important whilst reading the text to retain a balanced opinion of the power of phototherapy in order to avoid the conclusion that phototherapy is the cure for any mental health issues concerned by the passage of time.

Cronin Ó. (1998) ‘Psychotherapy and Photographic Theory’. In Image-based Research: A Sourcebook for Qualitative Researchers ed. by Prosser, J. London: Falmer Press 61 – 73

Compositional Shots ... OR ... The Rule Of Thirds.

Compositional Practice #2

Here's another picture of trees (you might be noticing a recurring theme by now!). I chose this image because the artist in my liked the trees next to the lampposts - I suppose it evoked memories of the lamppost-tree in Narnia (!) as well as placing the man-made next to the natural. Here the trees are once again right in the middle of the picture, and the lampposts are slightly off to the side. You can also see a little building on the right hand side, as well as a car.

Here's the new and improved picture:

For this second picture, I left the idea of the trees as the main focus, and put the focus on the man-made things, whilst keeping much of the top two-thirds as sky, just to maintain some sort of balance. The left third is roughly where the trees are, and the right third includes the two nearest lampposts.

Admittedly, one flaw of the use of the Rule Of Thirds for this picture is that the points of intersection don't instantly leap out as being over anything particularly interesting. However, I liked the use of the different thirds to much to pass up on using this photograph.

Compositional Shots ... OR ... The Rule Of Thirds.

Compositional Practice #1

Here I've taken a picture of a tree on an island in the middle of the River Wick. Because I've made the tree the focal point of the photograph, I've positioned it pretty much in the centre. I know the geographical context in which it was taken but there's not too much on the picture to really give anything away about it.

Aiming to improve the composition of this photograph, I used the Rule Of Thirds technique and took the picture again. The general idea is that you imagine splitting the frame into three rows and three columns (so nine segments). The points of intersection are the key points. Luckily, my camera has the option to show the grid, which is a good thing as my idea of spacial awareness etc is not up to much...

Here's the new and improved picture:

This picture shows a lot more of the context. The right hand third is almost completely taken up by the tree, and the sky takes up roughly the top third of the photograph. By just changing the angle from which the photograph was taken, the tree looks even more magnificent as it is put into its context by the presence in the photo of more trees and, mostly importantly, the river itself. Because the sky is mostly limited to the top third of the photograph, it also brings the viewer's focus back down to Earth, whilst still successfully framing the trees.

The intersection points roughly work out as the place where the branches on the tree begin and where they begin to thin out, and where the line of other trees begins a downwards curve.

Oops...

I am really bad at this blogging malarkey. I seem to make a habit of doing all the work but then um-ing and ah-ing so much about actually putting it into the blog that it never gets done. I am going to have to change this as it means I’m technically not getting my assignments in on time. Therefore, over the next couple of hours, I’ll be uploading my rule of thirds (or compositional) shots.

Sorry!

Welcome :)

Hello and welcome to my Visual Sociology blog!

Before I write anything else I do have to admit that I'm very bad at blogging so you'll have to be patient with me :)

This is where I will post my thoughts and photos for my Visual Sociology module, something that I really need to start working on straight away!!! So... let the fun commence! (Starting with "The Rule of Thirds" I believe!)

Disclaimer: life may not be a weasel - that is just the way that life currently seems to me. Also it should be noted that I think weasels are lovely. They are quite possibly my favourite member of the animal kingdom.