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.