Chapter 8

Throughout this book we have looked at the ways in which digital photography differs from analog. The main point of course, is that digital images can take the viewer deeper in the image, to seek for more information and gain a better understanding of the story. Photographs can be, “linked, transmitted, recontextualized, and fabricated”. We have looked at various ways in which this can result in both positive and negative, like the many examples of government misuse of images. With this in mind, I thought it was quite interesting to read the section that discussed creating synthesized images that would give us a look into the future. This could help to avoid future issues instead of waiting until they happen to deal with them such as the shrinking glaciers at Glacier National Park. I feel like this is an extremely positive thing that photography is able to contribute to the improvement of our lives. People are more apt to change if they can see with their own eyes the actual repercussions of their actions…Chris Jordan anyone?? If only some of the energy that is spent altering, planning, and reshooting images would be put towards more productive avenues I think we’d all be better off.

Moroccooo

Warmness

Scanographs

Chapter 7

Ritchin talks about how Polaroid cameras were given to young people to explore their surroundings and how such a simply act hit so many aspects that are completely skipped over but provide such amazing insight into a culture. The Photographs be Iraqi Civilians, "was featured for its intimate and ordinary perspectives showing how a marginal project can fill a void that mainstream media may overlook". I suppose the media is trying to portray only tragedy in hopes to more deeply affect the viewers, but there is so much more behind these situations that it seems incomplete without them. Like your watching a movie but instead of fluctuating between the inventible ups and downs, it just continues to be a path of sadness and despair. Who wants to watch that?

I am surprised that I have never heard of the "Nuclear Nightmare" series. After looking through the images and reading the captions I am mortified. They are horrible and seem so distant from reality, its hard to comprehend that events like this actually occur and people are still feeling the repercussions today. Ritchin discusses how many tragic documentary images are overlooked because they are to depressing, but it is completely necessary to show the world such strong and meaningful shots. Without the photographic evidence the majority of people would go on living their lives never knowing that such events were even going on. Now, I as I'm sure most do after seeing these images, will pass them on to people I know and the effect with continue, creating awareness around the world.

Fluid Negative Scan

Chapter 6

Ritchen talks about his project working at the Times to create a future multimedia newspaper. It's curious to consider that only a few years ago this concept was such a huge leap in journalism. Their vision was, "for things to be seen or heard when it was important, not just because it could be done". Each persons own interest and desire would create a specific pathway to allow for further exploration. This potentially could be dangerous because it takes power away from the photographer and the true meanings of the images. "How can the author maintain a voice or vision when the reader is filling in so many of the gaps, adding materials, making connections that the author may never have envisioned or known about". The ease of linking photos, texts, sound, and videos can therefore be used carefully to provide a great source of information for those who can correctly use and sort through the huge amount of information provided to them. At the same time it allows for a lot of personal interpretation which can lead to completely unintentional results.