Blog Prompt #7 Reply

Pay close attention to the types and number of photographic portraits you see in one day. Where did you see them? How do you think that the content of the portrait changes based on the context in which you see the image (news, Facebook, magazine, advertisement, television, Youtube, etc)? In other words, what is the difference between the portraits you see on Facebook vs. those on the news? What is the difference between the “viewpoint” of the photographer in each situation? What is the difference between their “intents”?

I believe that our generation is exposed to way more photos in a day than any other generation older than us. This is do to the mass amounts of social networking going on as well as the increase in technology. We are on the same level of exposure as other generations while watching the news or TV, but it is Facebook that sets us well above the older generations. When I think about how many photos I see in a day, it is insane. Facebook alone, can feed your mind with a ton of portraits, even down to the display photo by everyone's names. There is a large separation though between photos we see on these networks and the photos that we see in commercials and the news. Facebook photos are much more casual, candid, and impromptu. They are often times photos of friends, couples and families instead of the ideal, edited and smoothed faces that we see on television, in magazines and advertisements. The viewpoint of the photographer is often much different in personal Facebook photos as well. The most common viewpoint is when we see people holding their point and shoot cameras out in front of them and photographing themselves and the people next to them. These cameras have allowed us to not even need another person to photograph us. The intents behind these different types of photos vary too. The ones we see on Facebook are far more relaxed, fun and casual, while professional portraits are more thought out, lit well and planned. All in all, a photograph, no matter what type is interesting to look at...at least for me anyways!