Final Blog Post

This semester has been an incredible learning experience. I find that I am much more aware of the visual imagery that surrounds me. When I look at a visual representation, I stop and think about what the inherent message is, why the image has been placed  there, and how it fits into the rhetorical situation as a whole. I am much better at describing exactly what I see and picking apart certain elements of an image that make an argument in order to persuade such as layout, colour, tone, or verbal messages.  I also got to use my creative side in the visual articulation project which I enjoyed. I have a better understanding of how art functions in our culture and how there are many different opinions on what counts as art. A very useful skill I improved on was how to build an argument for an essay. I realized that some of my past writing didn't always make a strong case and this got in the way of the clarity of the work.

The photo that most intrigued me was "Tennis Girl" taken my Martin Elliot. I had never seen the photo before and am still confused whether it is art or not! I know that this is a subjective opinion and that everyone will look at it in a slightly different way. I think the significance of this photo is that fact that it has been parodied a lot and has come to be seen as an icon. It definitely straddles the line between art photography and commercial photography in my opinion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TennisGirl_thumb.jpg

Thanks for everything this semester, I enjoyed reading everyone's blog posts. Good luck in the future!

Blog Post #7 - Minimalist Advertisements

I have always liked ads that are simple and visually appealing, but reveal a strong message. The minimalist style works very well for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the eye doesn't have to work hard to find the central image of the ad. In the below ads for Colgate dental floss, the bright coloured fruits are front and centre; you can't miss them. As you can see, all of the seeds from the fruit have been removed to represent the idea that dental floss will remove all off the unnecessary food particles that inhabit our mouths.

Minimalist ads are also effective because they grab the attention of viewers. I am so used to seeing ads in magazines that are full of text such as makeup ads that list reasons why the product is better and what scientific discoveries prove that this product will make you look ten years younger. These ads tend to be too busy and I hardly stop to read the copy. For the ads below, my eye can register what the product is and what is being sold to me. It is visually appealing and also clever. Minimalist ads tend to be witty and smart; you usually take a second to look at the page and figure out what is going on. I think this contributes to the ad being more effective because viewers till tend to look at the ad longer than a typical make-up ad. Viewers might want to know what is going on and why this kiwi has no seeds!

I also like that the product, which is Colgate dental floss, is secondary and much less important than the images of the seedless fruits. Minimalist ads play on the idea that viewers are already aware of the brands and products. I do not think a minimalist ad would work well for an unknown brand unless social media was integrated so that people could link to more information. When I look at this ad, I don not need to know anything else. It is simply dental floss!

Today, with so many visual messages being thrown in my face, I am not as responsive to text-heavy, visually cluttered ads. I prefer a minimalist message that is clear, concise, and with a hint of cleverness.

Both images from this site: http://blog.the-dot.co.uk/tag/minimalist-print-ads/

The Persona of Carrie Bradshaw

For this post, I decided to talk about one of my favourite celebrities, Sarah Jessica Parker, better known as Carrie Bradshaw from HBO's Sex and the City. This is my all-time favourite show and as a result, I became obsessed with the persona of Carrie Bradshaw. In the show, Carrie is a 30-something single woman, constantly hovering between old flames and new relationships. She is shoe-obsessed and is known for her eccentric but glam fashion sense. She has come to be seen as a fashion icon because of her array of stylish, fashion-forward outfits as seen on the show.

Since I began watching, I was in love with everything about Carrie, from her flawless blonde curls, to her fast-paced and glamorous lifestyle. Now, looking back on my love for her, I realize that it was the persona of her that was created on the show that I was drawn to, and not the real person inside. I realized I didn't actually know much about Sarah Jessica Parker. This probably contributed to my love for Carrie as a persona because Sarah Jessica Parker wasn't in the public eye compared to a celebrity like Angelia Jolie; her true personality was unknown to me so I solely identified with Carrie as if she were real. It is interesting to think about television characters and how much people invest in their devotion to them.

Below is a series of images taken from the Sex and the City Movie. Her costumes for the movie were amazing, each outfit looked better than the last. They showcased how her style had evolved and portrayed her as a more grown up, sophisticated woman. Carrie's outfits on the show allowed a large majority of viewers to identify with her unique style. She was always changing it up. Her persona is largely based on her love of all things fashion and of course, shoes. She was best known for popularizing the shoe designer Manolo Blahnik. "Manolos" were granted a certain prestige because of her.

I still adore Carrie Bradshaw, although now I recognize it is her persona that I am drawn to, and not the real person on the inside!

http://www.fashionsteelenyc.com/2011/11/inspired-by-carrie-bradshaw.html

Topic Proposal #4: Research Paper

For this research paper, I wanted to focus on fast food advertising. I stumbled upon an article that was discussing McDonald's newest commercial for kids that advocates healthy eating. In the commercial, a cartoon goat eats everything in sight and it ends up making him feel sick. The "catchy" song playing over the images explains next that the goat must eat a better diet of fruit and dairy. The family takes the goat to McDonalds to eat milk and apple slices. Now the goat is strong! Meanwhile, the other character who is a kid is eating McDonald's Happy Meal of fries and chicken nuggets.

The commercial can be seen by visiting this link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/06/mcdonalds-happy-meal-ads_n_1323809.html

I would like to argue that the commercial makes use of rhetorical strategies to convince young viewers that eating McDonalds is healthy. I will consult academic sources to prove that fast food advertising to children promotes a negative message and an unhealthy diet. I will look back to the specific strategies we've discussed in class to strengthen my argument about the visual messages, such as the idea that the characters in the commercial are from a farm.

For my multimedia component, I would like to create a mock website that critically analyze's the advertising campaign in a more visually appealing way. I will highlight important points from my essay such as nutritional information, rhetorical strategies, and past advertising campaigns.

Any feedback would be helpful! Thanks!

Blog Post #5: Lynching Photograph

For this blog post, I decided to choose a more serious topic. The idea was inspired by a photography and politics class I took in MIT. We studied lynching photographs and asked the question, how can we view these photographs today in a different light? The photo below is a well-known lynching photo from 1930. The two young boys were hanged because they were accused of raping a young white girl.

http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0309/lm18.html

In class, we were first shown only the bottom half of the image with all the spectators. We talked about what we saw. I noticed the young woman in a flowery dress holding a man's hand. It appears as if they are on a date or at least some sort of couple. They look perfectly content. We also talked about the people who seem to be looking straight into the camera, such as the man in the middle with a moustache.  Without seeing the two lynched bodies above, this photo appears as a normal social gathering of people. However, the meaning of the photo drastically changes when we learn what is actually going on. Therefore, the layout and arrangement of the photograph is key to how viewers interpret the image. 

For me, the importance of this photo is that it shows how context can completely change the meaning and purpose of a photograph. Originally, these lynching photos were printed on postcards to disseminate the idea of white supremacy. Now, these photos are shown in textbooks and classrooms to teach a lesson of tolerance. This photo can be used to convey the argument that it is not right to stand by and watch injustice. By showing how easy it is to misinterpret this image, it is revealing how the seemingly innocent spectators are really witnesses to a terrible act of cruelty. Their blank, sometimes smiling faces come off as disturbing when the true photo is shown.

Topic Proposal #3: Visual Articulation Project

For this assignment, I have decided to be creative and do the visual articulation project. I wanted to take a song lyric from one of my favourite musicians John Mayer. His lyrics have always captivated me and I believe there is a lot of meaning behind them. I love how his lyrics make me think beyond the song to relate to life lessons and this will help me to visually articulate what I believe the lyrics represent.

I have two possible lyric choices. One is from the song "No such thing":

"I'd like to think the best of me is still hiding up my sleeve. I'd love to tell you, stay inside the lines. But something's better, on the other side"

The other lyric comes from the song "Bigger than my body":

"Someday I'll fly, someday I'll soar. Someday I'll be, so damn much more. Cause' I'm bigger than my body gives me credit for".


The first lyric is about how society tells us to all be the same and act a certain way, but that it's more fulfilling to be unique and think outside of the box. This stresses the idea of individuality. In terms of visually articulating this lyric, I see the image as having lots of color and brightness. I had the idea of an image with two frames, one frame of something boring and dull, and the other of the same image but made to look vibrant and fun.

The second lyric is about overcoming obstacles and being the best you can be. It's about personal growth and proving people wrong. I see lots of symbols in this image such as the sky and wings. I could do a collage of images that represent reaching higher limits.

I am not sure which quote to choose! I think both could make for an interesting project. Any suggestions on which one will lend me a better overall argument? Thanks so much!

Blog Post #4: The Walden Games

For this blog post, I searched through my personal collection of images and stumbled upon this photo taken from my old summer camp. Every summer, we had a camp-wide competition called Walden Games. The camp was divided into four teams: Holland, Great Britain, Japan, and Greece. For two days, the entire camp wore only yellow, red, green, or blue and competed in various challenges in order to be the ultimate winner of the games.

This image was taken at what we call the "break" of the games. The campers are woken up late at night, and taken to a big field where the opening ceremonies begin. The photo has a "W" which represents Walden, the olympic rings, and the number 31 commemorating the 31st anniversary of the games. The break's purpose is to get all of camp pumped up for the next two days. I think this image represents intensity and strength, two qualities that must be present during the games. Walden wants to promote a competitive, spirited, and high energy environment where every camper feels part of a team and has a desire to succeed and put their physical abilities to the test.

The person in the photograph is one of the team captains and is posing before the fire display with his arms up in the air. His stance looks like a sacrifice, as if he is giving himself over to the games entirely. The powerfulness of this image is the fact that it wasn't staged or constructed in any way. Fire represents power and intensity and definitely set the scene for the games to come. I can see this image being very effective on the camps website or brochure in terms of advertising for the camp. It would show off one of Camp Walden's most intense, fun, competitive and enthusiastic events of the summer.

Blog Post #3: Maxwell House Commercial

For this blog post, I will analyze the Maxwell House coffee commercial below. The strategy that is used in this commercial is simplicity and the idea that it isn't supposed to be a commercial at all (when we obviously know that it is).

The commercial begins with the statement:"Instead of watching a Maxwell Coffee House ad, how about we take an optimism break?" This intrigues viewers because they are being told that what they are watching is not a commercial, and thus not trying to sell them anything in such a blatant way. This makes viewers more open to the message. The video of the young girl is significant. This was originally a YouTube video that someone posted of their adorable daughter singing a happy song about how she loves her life, her house, and her family. She does a cute dance and jumps up and down. It was popular because people enjoyed watching the happiness of this innocent child. The commercial ends with the line: "Optimism is contagious. Share it at brewsomegood.ca". This ending line is where the commercial urges people to buy their product. Drinking Maxwell coffee will restore the optimism in your life and make you as happy as this little girl is.

The commercial is taking advantage of pathos. Audience members are supposed to feel a deep connection to the cute girl singing about the happiness of her simple life. The ad functions to remind us all that we should be grateful for what have and that its not about the products we buy, but the people we're with and our attitude towards life that is important. Maxwell's brand wants to distinguish itself from a brand such as Starbucks, as it wants to appear simple and affordable in comparison to Starbucks sophisticated, luxurious appeal. Maxwell's ads are supposed to just make sense to viewers. Maxwell is confident of the quality of their product and as a result, their ads go beyond the actual product and simply equate the brand with a way of life.

I liked this commercial because I enjoy watching the cute girl sing her song. I do think its effective in the sense that it attracts viewers to be open to the message by coming off as "not an ad". However, because I watched this video online before it was a commercial, I have a hard time believing the message connects to a brand of coffee.

Topic Proposal: Rhetorical Analysis #1

For this essay, I chose to analyze the popular comic strip "For Better or for Worse".  I found this strip very humorous but also recognized the argument it was giving off.

http://www.68k.org/~spraints/comics/20050417/

The argument revolves around the idea that the technologies we rely on everyday hinder our ability to communicate with each other and ultimately distance us from reality, rather than keep us connected to it.

The character in this comic spends her whole day on the phone, to the point that she is engaging in actions mindlessly, such as putting on her jacket and finally arriving at her guitar lesson. She has no idea how she ended up there because she was so involved in her phone conversation. This is obviously an exaggerated situation but it is a very relevant and valid argument in my opinion. The character spent time communicating with someone while on the phone, but did not pay attention to the person she was face-to-face with, which I can assume is her mother. The comic is playing on the idea that we only talk to people who are out of reach, and this is somehow more meaningful than a conversation in person.

I will explore other techniques used in the comic, such as the layout, color, shading, arrangement, intended audience, cultural significance, and tone. I will look into the author and see if this adds to my argument. This comic strip successfully appeals directly to a young as well as old audience. An older audience would definitely find the humor in this situation probably having experienced something similar. A younger audience can laugh at themselves and realize that they have probably done something similar to this.

I'm interested in knowing if I'm on track with my argument! 

Thanks for reading

Blog Entry #1: "Real" Beauty

For my first entry, I will analyze an example from the popular advertising campaign called "The Campaign For Real Beauty" by Dove. These advertisements were hugely popular because they went against the idea that models need to be stick thin and flawless. Dove's campaign targeted women of all shapes, sizes, colours, and ages in order to send a message that we are all beautiful in our own ways.
The example below is the format used in some of the ads where a picture of a woman would appear and there would be two boxes to check. One box was the stereotype that would normally be placed on the image, and the other box was how Dove wants us to start viewing each other.

In this example, there is an elderly dark-skinned woman with a head wrap. She has a soft smile and warm eyes. Dove is sending the message that we should stop viewing her for whats on the surface, in this case wrinkles, and start seeing her for whats on the inside. These ads sparked some controversy because many people felt it was ironic that a beauty product company is selling "real" beauty when their products contradict that very message that beauty is real or natural. Regardless, in my opinion the campaign was very effective and definitely got the attention of viewers because it did something different. I think the two boxes are very effective because they give the audience the illusion that they have a choice in how they should view this woman. However, in reality, they are suggesting how they want us to see her with the tagline below which reads, "Will society ever accept that 'old' can be beautiful? Join the debate."

I think the minimalist white background works very well to highlight the large image of the woman. The white theme acts as a unifier because most Dove products are in a white bottle and I think it draws associations with the brand which in turn will allow consumers to identify better with the product. The font choice is simple and clean. These small details work well to promote the entire ad as a simple, clear cut message.

This ad makes use of pathos. It is drawing an emotional response from the viewer by showing us someone older. This image might function to remind viewers of their own grandparents and how they view them. Surely, someone who respects and loves their grandparents wouldn't only see them as someone old with wrinkles. The ad is trying to get viewers to feel sentimental towards this woman, arguably using her age to their advantage. This ad is also ignoring the actual product, in fact, it isn't even selling a single product but the entire Dove brand. 

Topic Proposal #1: Personal Narrative Essay

For my personal narrative essay I will be constructing my essay based on option 2 using images of myself. I originally thought I would find images online from various photo sharing websites to construct my argument but I looked through my own personal collection of photos on my computer and discovered that there is much I can say about myself through my own pictures.

I have found 5 photographs that I believe can work well together to construct a visual description of who I am. The photos are as follows:

I haven't yet decided if this is the order I will display the photos but broadly, all of these photographs describe the key factors that give me the confidence and motivation to move forward in my life and go after my goals. These factors are: family, personal growth, travel, happiness, and confidence.

The first photo is a picture of some of my family members: my grandmother and my cousins. Family has always been a huge part of my life and I am lucky to have many supportive and loving family members. I chose this photo because of the joy that is present on my grandmother and cousins faces. The second photo is of the group of teenagers and staff that I traveled with this summer on a trip called "The Adventurer" for the company Westcoast Connection. I was a counselor and being part of a group and in a position of responsibility taught me many valuable lessons. The next photo is a picture I took while on a trip in LA. I find this photo so beautiful and feel that it describes my love for travel and relaxation. Going on trips makes me appreciate the beauty of other places and motivates me to do what I can so I can continue to travel throughout my life. The next photo is of my friends and I laughing. I love this picture because it reminds me to have a positive outlook on life and not take everything too seriously. I think my cheery disposition is something that can be infectious to others. The last image was taken this summer while I was surfing for the first time in San Diego. It was one of my favourite days of the trip as I accomplished something completely new and challenging. 

Looking at the order of the photographs, I can almost see them as telling a story, with the ending of me accomplishing a major challenge and feeling confident about myself. Again, my argument is that these photos represent family, personal growth, travel, happiness, and confidence, all factors that motivate me to move forward in my life and accomplish goals.

Thanks for reading, I am looking forward to getting some feedback about this idea. 

Introductory Entry

Hi Everyone,
I'm Jackie and I'm a fourth year Honors MIT student going for a certificate in writing. I'm really excited to start a blog. I've never made one before and am curious to see how it will turn out. The purpose of this blog is to look deeper into the images we are exposed to everyday and find the hidden meaning or argument behind them.

http://pinterest.com/pin/113997434287553093

I found this image on a photo sharing website called pinterest.com. What drew me initially to this image was the quirky piano-like staircase. I loved how a seemingly regular setting could be transformed into something more meaningful and representative. What I thought about when I saw this image is a story of a young girl who walks through this staircase everyday to remind herself to fill her life with happiness. This is similar to the person I am. I have been known to have a very positive outlook on life. I am constantly smiling and I think that this quality tends to rub off on others. 

Music is a huge part of my life; I was fortunate to have a grandfather who was a famous jazz musician.

I am always listening to music and love how a simple song can completely change your mood and make you feel happy, sad, or perhaps nostalgic. I love the connection that can be made between images and music. I think this image stresses the idea that we all have a creative side within us and it is important to awaken that aspect of ourselves. I want to have a very open mind and be very creative throughout this course. Looking back at this photograph each time I work on the blog will remind me of this goal.

I think the staircase in this image is symbolic of the journey I will take through this class. Each assignment or class I partake in will be another step up towards learning more about myself and how the representations around me shape the way I see and understand the world.

This image helped me to find a name for my blog. I believe that a beautiful image can function as music for the eyes, as it allows our minds to see things in different ways and make discoveries about the world around us. Not only that, but images can allow us to feel something. 

I look forward to this semester. Thank you for reading!