Statement of Purpose

My decision to do the photo essay was influenced by my interest in taking photos. I wanted to try something against the norm for our writing assignment. I felt that I could express something that was enjoyable for me through my photo essay. With a photo essay, there is no need to depend solely on words. Having a photo essay gives the audience a unique insight into your argument or purpose. My purpose is to present my photos in a way that will make a difference. I hope that they will not just be something pretty to look at. I sincerely hope they generate thought in those who look at my essay.
When thinking about the message and essentially the purpose for my essay, I need to find the appropriate pictures. They must support my argument and help guide my audience to the appropriate conclusion. The pictures I chose were taken in western Nebraska. Chadron State park, Ft. Robinson National Park, and Toadstool National Park were a few of the locations in which I took my photos. They were rich with nature and scenes that I felt needed to be documented. I felt that others, besides me, would appreciate the scenes of nature. Many don’t see the simple beauties right in front of us.
With my photo essay, it is important to consider who my audience might consist of. I realize my audience will mostly consist of my instructor and my fellow class members; however there are others that may come in contact with my project. Anyone with access to a computer and internet is a possible audience member. This creates a large and diverse audience. With this size and diversity of an audience, there is great possibility that my argument may not come across in the way it was intended. I need to keep in mind not only who my audience is, but also that it is not my duty to drill my argument or thought into the audience’s mind. Rather, I need to present it in a way that all can relate to, or even gain some insight on. I will need to adequately explain parts of my essay and reasons to which I present it the way I do. The ways in which I edit my photos will bring about the desired focus and will help narrow down the meaning. For example, framing or cropping a certain point or aspect of the image will bring attention to that section. A change in hue, color, or saturation, will alter the perspective in which the picture is observed from. In addition, I must provide my audience with proper captions to match with each photo. These captions will give insight and direct further to the purpose of my photos.

Another key thing to consider is the context in which my photo essay will be. I will not have much control as to the context in which my essay will be viewed. With my classmates as the audience, my essay will be in the context of a peer review. This context may result in frustration and boredom due to the fact that the reviews are required to participate in. As for the other audiences, I can hope that each context in which it is viewed will not make my essay seem dull or pointless.
In conclusion the purpose of my photo essay is to try and draw and bring forward some aspects of nature. I hope to shed light on some of the beauties we can find in the simplest places. By adequately taking into consideration my audience, context and purpose I will be able to create a more successful way of forming my argument.