Surprise, Surprise

Not only am I no longer pursuing the "cool hunting" topic I was originally considering for my final project, I am no longer pursuing the subject outlined in my storyboard either. After a very productive and beneficial conversation with my best friend, I have decided instead to tackle the subject of grading. Though my images will appear in a college context, the argument my photographs will make applies to all levels of evaluation, even perhaps into fields beyond education.

I will be making the argument that broad and generalized systems of evaluation, including but not limited to the lack of a plus/minus grading system, are inadequate. Yes, like everyone else in my graduating class at TCU I have been screwed at least once by the plus/minus grading system, but I also see the value of it and the possible benefits of the system for students. My images will seek to reveal this.

I am excited at the possibilities of my photographs, but after researching Ansel Adams I definitely feel a certain sense of ineptness, both in photographic skill (I have none) and in subject matter. To be honest I just foresee environmental advocacy being a tad bit overdone at the current moment. I hope mine will suffice.

Side note to peers: Don't hate me for arguing in favor of the current grading system. Trust me, I get it. And two weeks ago, I never would have thought that I would make the argument that I am. Just for what it's worth...

The Great Ansel Adams

The fact that Ansel Adams's works, though landscape, black-and-white photographs, are still so popular and appreciated in contemporary society reveals much about our current generation, and perhaps reveals what we most lack and desire.

Tetons and Snake River

Ansel Adams was an American photographer and social activist whose black and white landscape photographs have maintained their presence and popularity in modern culture. Adams co-developed the Zone System, which is a process of determining proper exposure and adjustment of the contrast in a print. This process is responsible for Adams’s images’ characteristic depth and clarity. In addition, Adams preferred to use large-format cameras, despite the labor they incurred, because of their high resolution and resulting sharpness (Alinder). Furthermore, Adams advocated for visualization, or the practice of planning an image and its aesthetic and mechanical elements before taking a photograph (not unlike the approaches we have used for this class).

Clearing Storm, Sonoma County Hills

Adams photographed both close-ups and large forms, like mountains and factories. When in the 1930s many other photographers adopted the opinion that “they had a social obligation to reveal the harsh times of the Depression through their art,” Adams began to use his artistic capacities on behalf of wildlife preservation (Alinder). The infringement upon the natural settings of Yosemite National Park in particular inspired many of Adams’s shots. The next decade, Adams’s contracted with the federal government to photograph other national parks, reservations, and other similar locations. During this time, Adams discovered another social crisis arising in American culture: the confinement of Japanese Americans. This conflict became a new subject for Adams’s photography in addition to his other various photographic subjects as determined by the Department of the Interior. 

Northern California Coast Redwoods

Though he used his images to advocate for several different causes, Adams has one constant, clear approach to making his arguments: the simplicity and clarity of his photographs. Adams spent his entire career perfecting the mechanical tools he used to develop his images, simply so that his images were as sharp, as deep, and as profound as the live views themselves. He realized that the scenes he sought to share with others were powerful enough in and of themselves, so his task was purely to convey them as realistically as possible. 

Alinder, Mary. Ansel Adams: A Biography. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996. Print.  

New Beginnings

And yet another new project begins, bringing with it new beginnings of brainstorming and thought...

In the advertising industry, many professionals utilize a form of market research called "cool hunting." The first idea I had for this first project involves examining and critiquing such a concept and practice. If I pursue this option, my first idea is to base the project on my roommate, Lindsey, and her founding of TCU's Quidditch Club. I'm not spoiling the rest of the argument, though!

My next idea stemmed from our class discussion about store windows and displays, and I have considered using such set-ups as a model for another point I would like to make. I have several topics of "discourse" to which this examination could apply, so this idea is also still very much in the works.

Other ideas I have had, which are even less developed than the aforementioned, stem from religious icons, uniforms, and the color red. (And yes, several of these ideas came directly from class conversation, but I have every intention of taking these in different directions.)

Ancap & Ad Design

For my fifth mini-project I annotated the above ad by Ancap. The ad utilizes all appeals, including ethos, pathos, and logos, though it uses these to different degrees.

On a basic level, the ad utilizes the commonly recognized symbol of star grades to reveal the safety, or lack thereof, graded by the company. In addition, the image uses a realistic setting, characters, and vehicle to inform the audience of the reality of testing cars and the practical standard of assuring a vehicle’s safety.

On an emotional level, this image appeals to its viewers’ sense of fear. The thought of a car as unsafe as the one implied in the ad, a car so unsafe that a dummy would be terrified, successfully conveys the importance of the auto safety company’s work. This image also uses comedic appeal. The hilarity of the dummy clinging to the pole, and the man’s attempt to get the dummy to let go, are humorous and unexpected images that catch and retain the audience’s attention and lead them to think twice about the message.

The first of the appeals to credibility, and a classic example of such appeals, is the presence of the tester’s white lab coat. Though in jest, this instantly gains the viewer’s trust of the “professional” depicted. And in addition to the logical function of the realistic elements of the image, these various elements also lend the image a further sense of credibility. Their presence makes the message more credible and believable in its similarity to reality.

Reform TCU

The new site, Reform TCU, is up and running! Check it out, and see if you agree with my proposed modifications of TCU's tuition policies.

http://student.tcu.edu/rebeccaaallen

The Grind

I'm getting into the grind on this Reform TCU site. I was excited about my proposal and my ideas for the site, but after seeing many of my classmates' pages in class, I'm suffering from a major self-confidence crisis. On the bright side, props to my classmates for an awesome job!

I am not too worried about content; I have a lot of faith in the relevance of my topic and the supporting information I have found. I am worried about my page itself and its design. My biggest fear is that it will seem amateur, but truth be told it is. I have no idea what I'm doing in Dreamweaver. The closest sensation I can associate it with is groping around in the dark, and after a lot of frustrating time I might eventually find an answer.

How do you stay motivated in piecing together large projects? Do you have any tips for helpful information or insight in web design?

Stay posted for updates! (and perhaps a brighter outlook)

Below are some photographs from TCU's image database that are serving as inspiration as I draft photos for my upcoming website, which will advocate a specific reform at TCU.

As we discussed in class today, photographs should have rhetorical meaning, and in the context of my prospective reform, images similar to those above will carry meaning relevant to my ideas. My topic, increased tuition rates and possible buffers for TCU families, is not very conducive to images of people. However, several of my original concepts for photos included elements utilized by those above. Such images will reinforce the fact that such issues and their reform affect the campus as a whole.

On a lighter note, after today's class I am feeling much, much better about my website. It still has very little on it, but many of the technical issues I was having have been explained, and I am finally able to go about modifying the site's elements.