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.

Blog post # 9

The picture I chose is based from the Shanghai Longtang-Pu Tuo District in China. Shanghai is one of the largest metropolises in the world and is the largest city in China. Geographically, it is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River. According to Wikipedia Shanghai is the “largest center of commerce and finance in mainland China”. While looking for background of the district, the sites showed Shanghai as a very prosperous city. Tourist sites pop up when you Google the town.
It is rather interesting seeing all the travel sites and “pretty pictures” they put on Wikipedia showing the nice and financially stable portions of the city. However, nothing comes up in relation to the Longtang-Pu Tuo district. The less prosperous section of Shanghai is not even mentioned or thought about. Worn streets and alleyways go without being noticed. Only the tourist portions of Shanghai are discussed. With the large expansion of Shanghai and the abundance of people there is a lot of area to cover and talk about. But there is still plenty of space for tourist advertising and referring to the less glamorous parts of Shanghai. The most shown on Wikipedia for the Longtang-Pu Tuo District is the land area, population, and a mention that the Shanghai West Train Station is located in the district. This gives us one sentence about a district that holds over one million people.
With the knowledge of Shanghai as the tourist hub and high dollar living standards, it is hard to see where the photo fits in with all of it. The picture shows a battered up alleyway while the photos online are of tall skyscrapers and bright city lights. As opposed to the Shanghai that is “center of finance and trade in mainland China” (Wikipedia), this district shows little prosperity.
Hu Yang had a number of other photos like the one I chose. In this collection of photos, Yang showed scenes that are not shown when Shanghai is being described. Looking at this photo now, I can see the diversity between the image shown by Yang in the photo and those of that show skyscrapers and bright city scenes. Those in the Longtang-Pu Tuo District have less spectacular conditions and do not have a life like those I found while I researched Shanghai. Like the photo I chose, Yang included a caption for each photo. These captions helped paint a better picture of what is left unnoticed about the District. In these photos the families are not as well off, but seem to be making it just the same.
This picture now shows a deeper meaning and viewpoint. It makes you wonder why this side of Shanghai goes unnoticed. Why do most just show the vast city as a tourist site that is a huge part of trade and finance in China? It makes you wonder how a city like Shanghai, with its large population and wealth, can still have the living conditions that this district has. Where does the large tourist and financial center of Shanghai break off from this district?

Works Cited

"Shanghai." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, Web. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai.

Yang, Hu. ShangART Gallery. ShanghART Gallery , Web. 1 Oct 2009. .

The photographer of the image I selected used a variety of elements to alter, or compose, her photo to convey the desired reaction. Each element gives the viewer an opportunity to interpret, and separate each part of the image.
The aspect of the image that first draws viewer’s attention is the billowing smoke that takes up the majority of the image. The smoke’s snake-like appearance weasels its way to the top right corner of the photo drawing attention to the other half of the photo. Hu Yang uses the smoke to create a vector of attention that manipulates what the viewer looks at first and thereafter.
Cropping of this photo narrows the view on what is most important to Yang and his purpose for the image. The cropping of the photo has taken out many of the buildings that outline and crate the alleyway in which the photograph is taken. It clears the majority of the buildings away. So that the viewer’s main attention is narrowed down to the alley itself and the smoke consuming it rather than the buildings that surround it. This focus allows for less obvious detail to be brought into a clearer view. Such as the cracked cement on the ground and the paint-chipped wall of the building in the left portion of the photo. Even further you are better able to make out the figure that is in the midst of the smoke. They seem to be bent over occupied by something on the ground while another sits in a chair further behind him.
Yang frames the photo around the young lady and this burning pot. This decision helps us notice the expression of disgust on the woman’s face. This is your average woman. She is not dressed special and has no fancy clothes. However, she is very much affected by the smoke. Her gaze towards the pot alters the feeling we have towards the burning pot giving us a new perspective and a different viewpoint. The burning pot, that once seemed simple and harmless, is now the source of the woman’s disgust. It’s consumption of the alleyway now affects other people in the alley. Not just the woman who seems to be just passing through. This use of pathos gives meaning to the portions of the image altering and changing the thoughts of the desired audience.
The use of the grayscale in this photo has simplified this photo to contain a less complicated background for viewers to look at. Lighting of the photo makes the alley itself more eliminated and makes the building to the left of the picture less noticeable. It also makes the woman darker than that of the bright road upon she is walking. As opposed to the building that is more or less hidden, she stands out more against the background.
With the use of these elements, Yang manipulates the scene. Each part works together. The grayscale and lighting help influence the vectors of attention while all of the elements bring together the picture and its purpose.