Read Gareth Dent’s article ‘Dealing with the flood…’ on https://weareoca.com/
subject/photography/people-are-hungry-for-stories/ [accessed 08/12/18]
• If you use social media, spend a few minutes reflecting on how you use photography within
it, particularly if you engage in photography in other contexts as well.
• What is the purpose of the photographs you post on Facebook or send via Instagram? Do
you stick to ‘social’ photos or would you disseminate something more considered or ‘artistic’
by the same route?
I am not a social media enthusiast. I barely post photos on Facebook and I have no Instagram account at all. However, I can understand the purpose of people posting photos on social media. Initially, people were mainly uploading pictures of themselves enjoying their lifestyle. Gradually, as many started to understand the power and the influence of social media, it became easy to spot them changing their photos: better posing, more (or mainly) use of filters, and more information about time/place. Today, most of them with their photos, are trying to sell a certain way of life. Some of them have already become brand ambassadors or ”influences”(apparently this is a whole new job title). To summarize, photography has become the main social media user’s tool: it is the expressive medium to help them fulfill their wildest dreams and promote any given purpose.
• Do social media democratise or devalue photography?
I think they do both. Social media users can use photography to promote their own purposes, their own goals.
Noting the above, it is easy to comprehend the amount of manipulation that is taking place and devaluation that occurs to photographs, as a result, of this behaviour: Photography as a tool is giving a certain point of view; the view of the one capturing the photo to promote certain purposes or even to receive more likes is sometimes going beyond the acceptable limits; the Facebook/Instagram user is using photography as a witness of their purposes promoted. The social media revolution started in order to bring people together. But as always, everything new and innovative, every revolution has been utilized and controlled; in this case, social media are been operated by giant organizations whose only purpose is to make a profit.
• Are you contributing to the ‘flood’ and is this a good or a bad thing? Make some notes in
your learning log.
I’m not contributing at all. I’m aware also that social media is not only about vanity, eager ”influencers” brand ambassadors and gossip geeks; It is about better communication and ideas free flow.
In my opinion, we have lost it.
I’m not judging though. I don’t want to say if it is a good or bad thing either. I’m writing my own thoughts using my own (good or bad) point of view, and the way I understand things. Social media is now a cult, a way of life for many people on this planet. The more the users, the bigger the ”flood”. I have only decided to stay out of it. I’m not interested in other people’s lives and I don’t want people to be aware of mine. I’m just wondering: If posting flamboyant filtered photos of a certain lifestyle is the answer, what is the question really?
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