COMM121: Introduction to Mass Communications

Welcome to the Spring 2009 edition of Intro to Mass Communications.  Here is a link to your course wiki page.  Remember that you need to log in to post to either the wiki or the blog!
Showing posts with label image. Show all posts
Showing posts with label image. Show all posts

Friday, April 24, 2009

Photography is used too


This is my week 1: posted it in wrong place

I also found the reading on "The Myth of Photographic Truth" fascinating as well, and I also agree with Jenna in that I have a hard time believing that a photograph is more reliable than a painting or sketch, especially this day in age. I am familiar with photoshop and understand all the things that can be done to a photograph, and the youtube video that Jenna posted reminded me of just how drastic you can change a single photo. I started looking at other videos on youtube about photoshop and realized that photoshop is not the only place a person can add his personal touch. A photographer can add his personal touch and make a photograph look the way he wants with the way he takes the photo. I came across the youtube video that explains some of the ways to take a photograph at high noon in order to get a certain look. The book explains that "the creation of an image through a camera lens always involves some degree of subjective choice through selection, framing, and personalization." I believe that photographs are not completely objective. Two photographers can take a photograph of the same image or event and get two different stories out of it by the way they take it. So taking a photograph itself creates a "myth" because the photographer creates an image the way that he wants and makes it universally true to society. So advertising agencies have always used photography to influence society, but it is just made even easier with the new computer technology.

Jump Roping taken to the Next Level

I also wanted to post this video that I was sent today because I thought it was cool.  These girls, performing at the Naval Academy, can do some really cool tricks with a jump rope, or at least I think so  It really is jump roping taken to the next level.  This made me think of a topic discussed a few weeks back about cheerleaders.  These girls are obviously in amazing shape to be able to jump for that long; it take a lot of dedication, coordination and athletic ability to do this.  But are they considered athletes?  Like cheerleaders, they are made up to look pretty and made into performers to entertain.  Because of this, many people see these girls as performers instead of athletes; the video clip especially presents the girls as performers having fun.  But, also, like cheerleaders, I could see this becoming some kind of competition.  The question keeps coming up, when does a hobby or performance become a sport?