WP1: Pre-writing Assignment 2

"Sitting on Rail" is arranged so the viewers are positioned behind the boys and the rail. The vectors of attention are away from us, pointed out into the gray skies and the water. This makes the viewer feel not as if they are involved in the picture but that they are observing the picture. The kids faces are not interacting with the audience, you cannot see them at all. I think this appeal to logos, having the vectors of attention pointed away, makes an argument that we viewers cannot be involved in the picture because we cannot imagine what those kids are going through in Rwanda. Viewing the boys slumped over on the railing, looking to the gray sky, is a strong appeal to pathos. It makes the viewers feel sympathetic toward those boys. We are looking on because we cannot possibly understand, but that leaves us to feel sympathetic.

He took the picture at an angle that makes the railing and sky look as if they must go on forever. The focus is on the sky, due to the vectors of attention as stated above. These both could be appeals to ethos. If the gray sky is a symbol of the hard times they are going through in this child's life, he could view it with no end in sight. So, he took the picture to match his feelings, that the gray sky could go on forever. He cropped it to include a variety of boys, similarly having to go through the difficulties he is.

The lighting is about half way between light and dark. It is light enough that the viewers can see everything, but the sky is the only thing light enough to see really clearly. Where the boys are standing is a bit darker, not as easy to clearly see them, their clothing, or the objects they have with them. Taking this picture in this lighting, could be an appeal to logos, putting the focus more on the sky. It is the most lit thing in the picture.

The coloration adds to the overall appeal to pathos in this photograph. Their clothing are hues of tan, green, and red. Although they are highly saturated, the are not bright. The green and red hues are dark colors. It draws on that sympathetic emotion because it keeps with the dreary mood. Because their faces are pointed away, their clothes is what makes them unique from one to another. Yet, they are all dark colors that bring about sad or bored moods. On top of the coloration in their clothing the surrounding area is also made up of gray hues. Again, it is highly saturated, but do to the hue itself it is not vibrant. Gray is often characterized with sadness, or pain. The water could have been blue, or green, but it is also gray. Looking at this photo we get the feeling of sadness but because we are not involved in the photo, it is like the sadness belongs to the boys. That leaves the audience to feel sympathy.

Weekly Blog Post 8

The boys in this picture may not know each other personally or very well, but they all have a lot in common. They come from the same community, dealing struggle within that community. You can see the community's struggle by looking at the boys. I see it in their clothes and shoes. They have average clothes. It does not look particularly torn but none of it looks anything near designer, just average street clothes. The most effective to me is their sandals or no shoes. This is popular in communities that are not as well off and in that part of the world. By looking at them from behind, you can not see their faces, what makes a person most unique from one to the other. From behind they all look very similar. Although ever person, besides identical twins, look a little different from this angle, you can't tell them apart. This adds to them being all being like brothers from their community.

Most likely the two groups of three do know each other more than just by their community, possibly as friends or as brothers. Though you can not necessarily tell if they are talking, it does not appear that they are talking to each other. I assume that because they are all looking out past the railing and not a single one is looking at another person. For boys at this age to be around other boys they know as friends or brothers and not be talking must mean they have a lot running through their mind. It makes me sad to think of kids at that age with so many burdens and so many worries. It is typical to see kids having fun, but not a single one looks like they are having fun in this picture.

Showing the boys slouched and resting their heads on their arms or on the rails shows them having the emotions of being tired, disappointed, or distraught. Showing the kid walking to join them makes me think of all the other kids around that are feeling as they do, like more and more could just keep walking into the picture. The vector of attention is toward mainly the sky and somewhat to the water or peninsula. The sky mirrors the attitude of boys, being gray, cloudy and dull. The water is also gray, not the beautiful green or blue color. It does not seem to be too rough but it is not completely calm either. The peninsula off to the distance could be their village or a village close to theirs, either way it is shadowed with the clouds overhead. The angle in which he took the picture adds to this effect too. Because it is at an angle and not straight on the gray sky and long railing look as if they go on forever. It makes me feel as if it represents how they are feeling, that the rough times are going to be their forever. I found myself staring at the picture determined to find some sun peeking through to show some hope, but there is no sun. This picture makes me feel sympathy for these kids and their families.

Weekly Blog Post 7

I have never been too involved with photography, just taking a few pictures on my digital camera and being in various pictures, but never knowing the techniques or the vocabulary. I never considered myself a very "artsy" person so I did not take the classes offered in my high school. My parents also were not too involved in photography either just basic pictures at events or vacations. Although I have never taken the classes or been too concerned with all the technicalities I can find some photographs breathtaking. I enjoy looking at them to see what friends or family have been up to and I love looking at scenery pictures. The absolutely gorgeous scenery pictures have the power of making me dream about how I wish I was there, or could have scene that beautiful sight. So, I guess in some ways I was interested in it, but not overly, just as a small way to pass time and brighten my mood.

I am a little concerned because I don't know how exposure, different lenses, or other options in photography work or what effects they have. Since I have only taken basic pictures making what I wanted to capture straight, front, and center, I am slightly worried that I will not be able to look at the photographs and necessarily know what the photography was trying to capture, or the point they were trying to make. However, after reading chapter 11 I now understand simple differences like vectors of attention and framing. I understood what the book was saying and the effects they were pointing out. It was even a little interesting to me the different arguments they could find in a photo essay or even one photograph. It is slightly unnerving to know that I will be studying and writing on things that I do not have much background knowledge in, so I will only know the basics, but at the same time it is exciting. What I learned so far in chapter 11 did make sense, was interesting to me, and gave me something to think about and consider when looking at different photographs.

Weekly Blog Post 6

The video begins by showing his legs walking down the sidewalk. The viewers eyes are drawn to his moving feet and keep their focus on him as the camera moves up to show his face. This makes him the focus of the whole video because he is presented first as the "protagonist", the visual hierarchy has been set. Towards the beginning of the video there are a few shots where he is not in the shot and the camera is showing multiple groups. They are spread out and the ones that are placed in front are more unique and therefore grab your attention. With these shots the few exceptions, for the most part the creator has the video composed to clearly direct the viewer exactly what to look at. Either you are following Eric and look at whomever he interacts with, or if he is not in the scene it zooms in on a specific group of people or a thing, such as the ice cream or the sign with his name. Although the people are spread out at first, the camera moves in one direction showing that they are headed to one destination. As the video continues the people get closer together and are in a straight line in that same direction. The creator did a great job producing a video so that the viewers know where to look and can follow it without being overwhelmed.

The point of this video, and the song, is about people acting the way they please and not worrying about how everyone else is responding. The arrangement of this video, its appeal to logos, brings this out very well. Showing him first, making him the central focus of the video, draws the viewers into his actions and his story. He is the one being contrasted with all the different people, acting how he pleases without worrying about the others. With the creator of the video making it very clear what to look at the viewers see this video through his eyes, making an appeal to ethos. By knowing what he expects the viewers to look at we can think about what kind of person he is to be moving in one direction, following the line to the front. Also, the individuals he focuses in on, are those ones most unique to him? As the video continues, showing a clear line, headed in one direction, the viewers are drawn in to know where the line is headed. This is an appeal to pathos as it makes the viewers excited or anxious.

Weekly Blog Post 5

In the video "Rock and Roll" the appeal to ethos begins right away. He is dressed differently from the people around him, and acting different by moving along and singing with the music. Despite some of their initial sour responses to him, he always holds a smile on his face. This shows us that he is a happy guy, who is also carefree. He doesn't care if he doesn't fit in, which is also what the lyrics of this song are about. The song is about two people who, it says "if they want to rock they rock, and if they want to roll they roll" meaning they are also carefree and don't worry about fitting in. Him and the people in the lyrics just care about having a good time for themselves, not about the norms. The appeal to ethos is very effective because of how the lyrics and his actions line up.

The appeal to pathos is intended to make the audience feel happiness and even humor. The humor is seen by all the stereotypes shown throughout this video, and also how they react to him. For example, at one point they show one man in a business suit dancing along with him, right next to another man in a business suit who is stiff and without emotion. Just the thought of these business men dressed as they are in this long line is odd, but having the two total opposites right next to each other makes the stiff one look funny. The way Eric Hutchinson moves with a little bounce, and a smile on his face projects the happiness on to the people at the front of the line, or at the end of the video, but also onto the audience who watch the video. By showing all the happy and carefree people, they are using pathos to give us the same emotion. This is achieved because smiles are contagious. I can never watch this music video and stay in a bad mood.