Responding to Ritchin [chapter 6]

What I kept coming back to in this chapter was the ideas/possibilities of using a collective everyone to create art, pictorial data bases, etc in photography. That is where we are in the realm of technology – computers, cameras, and editing software are all affordable and available to the masses [not just those with money and ‘training’]. The ability to teach oneself anything one needs to know about photography can be found on the internet. Finally, the ability to self publish [whether virtually or in print] is also available through free and low-cost programs; i.e. editing (Photoshop, GIMP), book formats (blurb), prints (mpix, online galleries that handle printing, packaging, shipping for others who want to purchase one’s prints), and online domains (blogs, Facebook, Flikr, etc).

::FACEBOOK::

Going along with the idea of society as collective contributors and Ritchin’s idea of ‘conversation’ and virtual reality I believe that we can already see the virtual reality that we live and breathe through. For me it always comes back to Facebook (but there are blogs, myspace, Youtube, and others too) – the virtual land where everyone has to post where they are, what they look like, who they are with, what they plan to do, and most importantly what they are thinking and or feeling. Where we used to be content having one on one conversations we now have to format that conversation so EVERYONE that we are ‘friends’ with can also see how that conversation went down. We feel the need to compulsively post photographs of ourselves through a bathroom mirror (sometimes 1000+ images of a single person on their own account). *

Earlier this term I was stuck in Eugene while the community I grew up in (and surrounding areas, family members, etc) was land-locked between two slides with flood waters rising around lower residences. Feeling helpless I found myself checking Facebook constantly to see status and photographic postings updating everyone as to what was going on and where. It was an entirely new world than the last large flood (in 1996) where texts, FB posts and images could all be utilized to either ask for help or ask what help was needed in the community. It felt altogether a bit safer knowing the networking/communication that was occurring to meet everyone’s needs. I could tell, however, exactly when the electricity would go out in the area because the FB postings would stop. Honestly (and pathetically)a very eerie feeling would occur, as if something were really wrong (rather than a simple and normal power outage during such circumstances) and I became amazed to realize how much I have come to depend on this type of technology. During that same time period Corvallis’ local newspaper, The Gazette Times, implemented a live news blog that allowed for anyone to post questions and answers about road and area conditions (also very fascinating to witness).

*DISCLAIMER: I am absolutely 100% guilty of that which I mentioned above…While I am commenting on the ridiculous nature of our virtual culture I also accept that I am part of and have helped encourage that culture.