Assessment 2: Review
Name: Rachel Webster s3662089
I declare that in submitting all work for this assessment I have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration – https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/equitable-learning-services
Blog reflections
Week 5 – Analogue Photography (practice analysis)
Week 6 – Analogue Video (practice analysis)
Week 7 – Networked Photography (practice analysis)
Week 8 – Networked Video (practice analysis)
Review
The prompt: How do the affordances of Instagram affect the way photos and videos are authored, published and distributed in the network?
Provide a definition for ‘analogue photography’.
Analogue photography is a very physical form of photography with no digital elements to it, and often recorded using an analogue camera, for example the Leica camera. Once the photographer has taken the photo there is the delicate step by step process that needs to be taken in order to get it printed. Using Gelatin silver print, in the dark room, the photograph must be put through a lengthy process of the different chemical baths and the photographer is unable to see the result until the end. There is also a strict process to ensure that no light hits the photograph – as this would damage the image. There is also not much room, if any, to edit the photo if the practitioner wanted to with analogue photography.
Provide a definition for ‘analogue video’.
Analogue video is very physical and expensive to film. Analogue video processes all imputed data which is converted to numbers and this data takes the form of qualities such as light or sound to represent the moving images (section 1.2.1 Digital, p. 16). It involves more people behind the scenes filming on larger/heavier cameras and the quality of the video is reliant upon the broadcast signals not being interrupted or interfered with. The publishing or distributing of analogue video, which comes in the form of cassette tapes or VHS, is also a lot harder to collect. Over time the quality can also become disintegrated or destroyed more easily. Which makes it more difficult for the producers to reach their audiences as they do not have a direct relationship with the consumer.
Provide a definition for ‘networked photography’.
Networked photography is produced and distributed online. Since the introduction of new technologies photography is rapidly becoming more mobile through online programs. Networked photography offers the ability for users to take photos and distribute them much more conveniently since users now have greater access to editing apps or cameras on their phones. The introduction of the Internet and social media apps, like Instagram, have enabled users to distribute their content online, therefore granting them the ability to reach a larger audience a lot easier. Networked photography is faster and enables users to connect directly, immediately and personally with an audience by sharing their visual experiences. This direct connection is reciprocated by audiences who can like, comment on, or share their photos thus enabling the user to have a larger communicative presence.
Provide a definition for ‘networked video’.
Networked video is produced and distributed online, much like networked photography. It can be networked, shared and downloaded by everyone easily. Mobile video is now the most common and culturally significant uses of the technology. Networked videos, as Trine Berry states offer a “commitment to free software, open source, community-oriented values and excitement of building technical infrastructure and new aesthetic and grammar of video culture” (Berry, p.11, 2018). There is greater portability with networked video as the content is flexible across multiple devices and the availability of home networks means giving people faster and more reliable access. With networked video people are in charge of their video consumption as they have greater choices and ability to personalise to adapt to their viewing needs.
Provide definitions for the terms ‘authoring’, ‘publishing’ and ‘distributing’.
Authoring is how the practitioner creates and produces the content.
Publishing refers to releasing the content to the public or bringing the users content from offline to online.
Distributing is how the content is shared after it has been published for a wider audience.
What differences and similarities did you discover between the way analogue and networked photos are authored, published and distributed?
The way analogue and networked photographers’ author their content is quite similar. Both forms of photography require that the practitioner take and produce their own photos, whether this be on the Leica camera or the iPhone. The practitioner’s need to seek out their content and figure out how they will take the photography and if necessary position themselves in different ways in order to achieve the right angle or shot. When it comes to publishing, both analogue and networked photography need to release their images in order to be seen. whether the images are published by printing the images or uploading it to social media apps like Instagram, both work in the same way. Distributing is how the content is shared after it has been published. Analogue photography and networked photography both need to distribute their works if they want their content to be acknowledged or noticed. Sharing the content on Instagram is just the online version of having the photographs displayed in a printer magazine or art exhibition, the main importance is these methods work to ensure that there is a wider audience that will have the opportunity to see the content the practitioner has created.
Obviously, however, there are some substantial differences between these two methods. Analogue photography is limited and reliant upon the moment the shot was taken. Practitioner’s like Henri Cartier Bresson waited for that perfect moment to take multiple photographs just in case – as it wasn’t until the photos started printing did they know how it would turn out. Now, when you look at networked photography it goes beyond that moment. Practitioner’s now have the ability to see each photo instantly as they take it and, with the availability of editing apps or software’s, these practitioners can edit or change their photographs with ease, fixing any errors or adding in completely new elements to the raw image. Analogue photographers had their images published by printing the images using the Gelatin silver print in the dark room, which was a lengthy and delicate process. Networked photos can be shared or viewed instantaneously by uploading the images to the Internet or social media platforms like Instagram. Remember that publishing and distributing become blurred also with networked photography and the practitioner has more control over their content. Distributing the content means to share and by uploading content networked photographers are doing just that, however, they can share their content further through other social media or websites or other users may take it upon themselves to repost and share it to their own followers. Whereas, with analogue photographer’s, print was the only way to get recognition from editors who would publish their content in magazines or if selected have their works on display at art exhibitions.
What differences and similarities did you discover between the way analogue and networked videos are authored, published and distributed?
Analogue video is a very labouring process that involves more people working behind the scenes to manage the broadcast signal. The technology to edit the content is expensive and not as accessible. Networked video can be created by amateur or semi-professional creators as a result of the increased availability of mobile phones and free readily available editing software. Publishing of analogue video relies on the broadcast signal. Whereas, with networked video there are many servers and it is not restrained to one physical device having the ability to be accessed anywhere much easier. Distribution of analogue video is not as accessible. Copyright laws do hinder the reach of distribution, but, there are generally more issues and reasons why you can’t access the content also. Over time, the quality of analogue video disintegrates and it can get destroyed more easily. Streaming services provide people with much more choices in the content that they consume and videos, and especially on apps like Instagram, where the content can be shared or downloaded by everyone and lasts much longer.
References:
Berry, T. B 2018, ‘Situating Videoblogging’, Institute of Network Cultures, viewed 14 March 2018, pp. 11, 8–22, <http://networkcultures.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Videoblogging-Before-YouTube-web.pdf>.
Lister, M et al 2009, New Media: A Critical Introduction, section 1.2.1 Digital p. 16-21, Routledge, New York.
Kamila K & Zylinska J, editors. Photomediations: A Reader, Open Humanities Press, 2016, viewed 2 February 2018, section Photomediations: An introduction by Joanna Zylinkska pp. 7-16, <http://www.openhumanitiespress.org/books/ titles/photomediations/>.
Palmer, D 2014, Mobile Media Photography, in The Routledge Companion to Mobile Media, (eds) Goggin G., Hjorth L., Routledge, New York pp. 245–55.