Final: The Fake Polaroids

This is just a small sample of the almost 50 photographs I collected for what I am calling the “The Fake Polaroids”. For the first 3 days of December I mass texted, twittered, and facebooked anyone who would listen to participate. My goal was to create a body of work created by mass collaboration between multiple people, at the same time (5pm), and all through my phone. Every request for a photo was sent out via my phone, and every picture was received through it. The content of the photo was completely up to the sender just under the basis that it show what they happened to be doing at 5pm. 45+ people participated, some that I hadn’t heard from in years…the photos came from 5 different states and 2 different countries!

It was definitely a learning experience from testing how hard I could get my phone to work, to how different phones and networks dont always speak the same language which made for some tricky technology hiccups along the way. Another tricky part of this project, actually probably the hardest part, was trying to figure out how to display all of these images. Finally I found a really great free online application call poladroid, which converts images into very realistic looking digital polaroids, I found the play on “instant” images to be interesting. Camera phones enable us to have digital polaroids always instantly showing us the photograph taken, however the physical aesthetic of an actual polaroid could be argued to resonate much more with a viewer. Therefore I thought it would be a fun twist to create this digital polaroid hybrids mixing the speed and accessibility that cell phones provide with the nostalgia of the original instant photography. Once I get all the images into an album I will post a link to them.

Sordid Hipsters of America

Very first video project!

Inspired by On the Road and sentiment.

Gestalt O’ Bling

I made about 4 more than this, but thanks to a very sketchy flash drive have lost those. Including my favorite which was a diamond encrusted silhouette!

youtube for the win

also everything on this blog —> http://failblog.org/

Global Warming Warning

Assignment #6 – Define Metaphor and Cliche

I know we were supposed to use images for this assignment but I couldn’t help but jumping at the opportunity to integrate this project with my last. Upon researching the 2004 Declare Yourself campaign for the previous post I was surprised to find out that their was a companion series of video PSA’s made, and lucky me they use cliche and metaphor stupendously! I digress…

Cliche – A cliche is a phrase/opinion/image etc. that over time has become a popular and thus overused way to convey content, therefore when it’s as chosen as the vehicle for something it may become overlooked because of its predictability. This ad uses the cliche of the beauty ad that women especially are bombarded with almost daily. A beautiful women in a beautiful room trying to convince us that ____ product can make us just as beautiful! Most of us have seen an ad like this before and could agree that this spoof is pretty accurate.

Metaphor – Metaphors are comparisons in which two seemingly different phrases, objects, or actions are compared so as to convey what similarity they have been given as a much bigger idea. In this ad the metaphor used is likening the actual lipgloss being sold to the idea of indifference. We as a viewer know that ideas can not be physical sellable objects, but the concept revealed when putting the two together is intended to move the viewer.

These two elements combined are what make this a great PSA. Using an already cliche beauty ad formula establishes comfort, but then tweaking that formula and adding audio that isn’t quite right surprises the audience and forces them to re-evaluate what they are actually seeing. Combining this parodied cliche with the metaphor of the lipgloss to the idea of indifference toward voting creates an entirety and reveals the true concept and purpose behind the ad.

Assignment #4 – Analyze an Ad

This particular ad is from back in 2004 but it came to mind immediately when reading the guidelines for this assignment. I was on vacation in New York City that year and if you have ever been you understand what a cluster fuck Times Square is. People, cars, lights, ads, and noises of all sorts. Yet amidst this absolute sensory overload this series of ads caught my eye. Enough so that I even snapped a few pictures of them. 

I believe the fact that this ad was able to catch my eye (in aforementioned environment) speaks worlds about its success. The success of this ad can be broken down into 4 main elements:

• A familiar face – There is nothing this country loves more than its celebrities. Using one is a surefire way of creating a sense of familiarity between the viewer and the ad.
• Color – This image is vibrant, the colors are heavily saturated and at the same time limited in number so as to not exceed into overpowering. 
• Simplicity – The image in its entirety is a person, a plain background, and the slogan from the campaign. Eliminating any excess elements ideally helps the viewer absorb the message intended without having to try too hard.
• Shock – Nothing can make a person stop and stare quite like something that makes them uncomfortable. Just like the lookie loos that back up traffic during an accident you can be assured to get a second glance from an image that pushes boundaries. (Side-note: this is one of the more tame images from the series.)

So upon first encountering this image I believe the flow would translate to something like this for the viewer:

->  Is that Christina Aguilera? I love/hate/dont care about her.  ->  Why is her mouth all laced up like that? Thats weird/cool/interesting/morbid.  ->  Whats that say on the right?  ->  ”Only you can silence yourself” …

From there I believe what comes next is entirely dependent on the context of your own life. Many people that saw this ad were likely not even from the states and therefore its intended meaning wasn’t valid. Many others had likely not heard of Declare yourself and didn’t take the time to research what it was. Yet I have no doubts that there were still others like myself that found the ad very powerful and made note to check out the organization behind it. Regardless of the infinite ways this last part of the thought process ended up I believe it was the first part, getting noticed, that ultimately made this campaign successful. Any person attempting to advertise should agree that in the end this is the only part that matters, because if an ad doesn’t get noticed it simply wont be seen.