Presence:
A Precious //Commodity
Zoe Woomer
OBJECTIVE
The goal of my final project is to show the importance of true presence with another person, and how that builds connection. I want to illustrate through an artistic lens, the barriers to true presence, and show the possibility of change.
BRAINSTORM
Elements I want to include:
● Warm light (human presence) blue light (digital)
● Focus- blur to emphasize what is “present”
● Aperture
ARGUMENTS
PRESENCE
“It can restore balance, harmony, and health to your mind and body as well as help you connect more deeply to spirit (Brady 2019).”
THE ULTIMATE TRANSCRIBER OF THE MUNDANE
“where traditional boundaries between the public and private spheres are being extended, challenged or eroded (Davies 2007).”
Presence:APreciousCommodity
ZoeWoomer
DepartmentofGraphicCommunication,CaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversity-SLO
GrC301:DigitalPhotographyandMotionGraphics
ProfessorHocheolYang
OneDrive:ZoeWoomer
PortfolioLink:https://zoewoomer8.editorx.io/presence
Presence:APreciousCommodity
Thegoalofmyfinalprojectistoshowtheimportanceoftruepresencewithanother person,andhowthatbuildsconnection.Iwanttoillustratethroughanartisticlens,thebarriersto truepresence,andshowthepossibilityofchange.Peopleseekconnections,andIwanttobuilda senseofcommunitywithmyaudiencetoshowwhatthatcanlooklike.
Presenceisaveryambiguousterm,especiallyinthecurrentday.Canpeoplebe“present” withanotherpersonthroughascreen,arepeople“present”intheirlivesiftheyarechronically online?Peoplearesocialbeingsthatstriveforconnection.Thisistrueevenwiththeever-present digitalizationofourworld.Thefacebehindthescreenprovidesacloserconnectionandtherefore “presence”forthereceiver NicholasGuéguenandCélineJacobwereinterestedinthistheory andconductedastudywheretheysentemailsaskingstudentstoparticipateinasurveyand testedwhetheraddingaphotographofthesurveysendermadeadifferenceinresponserate (2002).Theresultsshowedthatshowingthefaceofthesenderhadapositiveresponsetowhat theywereaskingfor.Thisprovesthatphysicalpresenceisn'tnecessarytoformsomekindof connectionwithanaudience.PhotographerGordonParksdoesanextraordinaryjobofcapturing presenceinhisportraitwork.Heworkedforlocalnewspapersdocumentingthepovertyof southsideChicago(GordonParksFoundation2022).Bydocumentingthepervasiveissueofthe impoverishedsouthsidehewasabletomaketheissuepresentinthenews,therebymakingita realissue.NanGoldinisanotherphotographerwhousedpresenceasathemethroughouther photographs.AsaprolificLGBTQ+activistalotofherworksurroundstheideasofintimacy andsubcultures.Shephotographsthosewithoutavoiceandillustratesthemomentstheycannot share,theirpresencewitheachother,andwithinsociety(Tate.(n.d.). Nan Goldin 2022).
AsIearliermentioned,thedigitalworldischangingthewayweinteractasasocietyand mergingthelinebetweenrealandonlinelife.Theconvergenceofphysicalandonlinereality. Thisofcourseextendstothephotosweshare.JuliaDavisexploresthisideainherstudyofthe photo-sharingsite“Flickr.”ShedescribesFlickrastheconvergencebetweentwoworlds,“where traditionalboundariesbetween the public and private spheres are being extended, challenged or eroded(Davies2007).”Theever-evolvingdigitallandscapeallowspeopleto publicizehowevermuchoftheirlivesastheywouldlike,whichissomethingthathasneverbeen possiblebefore.VanessaColaretaisaphotographerwhothrivesontheideaofconvergence.She isknownfortakingtypicalstill-lifephotographsoffastandprocessedfoods.Shedescribesher workas“theseobjectsreflectourrelationshipwiththeworldandthroughthem,itispossibleto outlineacertainlifestyleorasociety(Story behind by Vanessa Colareta 2022).”Sheconverges identityandsocietywiththepresentationoffood.Anotherexampleofhowimpactful convergencecanbeisinFrankJiminHop’sinstallation“Wrong.”Inthisinstallation,he manipulatedphotos,textiles,andothermediatoshowhowcorruptgarmentproductionisin Bangladesh(Two fifty 2022).Hisuseofmultiplephotographsinacollage-likemannerillustrated convergenceinbothaliteralandmetaphoricalway Beingabletomanipulatephotographsand bringthemtogetherissomethingthatIadmireandwouldliketoexperimentwithinmyown workaswell.Itnotonlyaddsphysicallayerstothepiecebutwitheachphotographitchanges themeaningofthework.
Photographyisoftenportrayedinawaythathighlightstheuseofstudiosandset-up shots,butoftenthemostmovingphotographsarethoseofeverydaylife:theultimatetranscriber ofthemundane.InClareGallagher’spaper“BoringPictures”shedepictstheimportanceof mundanelifeinphotography Shecontrastshowartisoftenrareandseparatefromthe
authenticityofeverydaylife(Gallagher2009).Thisisimportantbecausebeautyshouldbeseen intheaspectsofa“normal”life,orhowwillpeopleappreciateit?Mostpeopledonotlive extraordinaryorspectacularlives,thereforeartshouldbeinclusiveofthoseeveryday experiences.Photographyisagreatwaytodothisbecauseitcaneasilycapturethesmall momentsweexperienceeachday,exactlyasweexperiencethem.Theromanticizationof everydaylifeisthethemeofVivianMaier’swork.ShewalkedaroundthestreetsofNewYork andChicagoanddocumentedthethingsshesaw.Hereverydayexperienceswereturnedintoart andsawthingsfromtheperspectiveofanaverageperson(Smithsonian2022).Shedidn'thave anyformalphotographyknowledgewhichalsogivesherphotographsareminiscentfeel,asif youcouldhavewalkedbythesamestreetscene.
Withmyfinalproject,Iwanttoshowtheimportanceofpresenceineveryday interactions.ThisconnectstotheideasIdescribed:presenceandtheultimatetranscriberofthe mundane.PresenceisimportanttomebecauseIdon'tfeelasifthereisenough,especially genuinepresence,amongpeopletoday.Withthefast-pacedlifeweareallaccustomedtoitis hardtotrulydedicatetimeandspacetoanotherperson.Iwanttoshowthisthroughthedepiction ofclosenessinmyrelationship,takingportraitsofmeandmypartner Iamnotspecialbyany meanswhichiswhyIwanttoalsopursuethethemeofcapturingthemundane.Iwanttoshow thatthesemomentsoftruepresenceareimportantandshouldbedocumented.
Withmyphotos,Iwanttoexperimentwiththeshutter.Theshutteristhespeedatwhich thecameratakesaphoto.IwantedtoseetheeffectsIcancreatewithalongershutterspeed,and contrastwithhowthatlooksindifferentlighting.Ithinkplayingwithshutterspeedcanbean unconventionaluseofthemechanism.Alotofphotographyisaverystraightforwarddepiction ofthesubject,butwiththemanipulationoftheshutter,Icancreatemoreartisticand
nonconformingimages.ThiscanhelpfurtherillustratethethemeofconvergenceIamtryingto portraywithmyphotographs.Shutterspeedalsoaffectslighting,dependingonhowfastthe shutterisandthenaturallightingthatthesubjectisin.Iwantedtousethistocreatesilhouettesas wellasanincreasedemphasisonhowlightaffectsportraitsinblackandwhite.
Aftertakingmyfinalphotos,Ireflectedonthetruepurposeofmyproject.Ihadgrand plansoftakingaseriesofphotosshowingdifferentaspectsofpresence,withothers,with technology,howtheyconverge,etc.butthingsdidnotgoexactlyasplanned.Itookthefirst photooftheseries,whichwasmesittingonmycouchlookingatmyphone.Istillusedmy originalideaofhavingthebluelightcontrastwiththewarmlightofthebackground,butitwas moredifficultthanIhadanticipatedtotakeself-portraitscompletelyonmyown.Itwas problematictryingtoadjusttheshutter,aperture,andfocuswhilealsoposingandadjustingthe lightingofmyphoneandbackground.IttookmuchlongerthanIthoughttotaketheonephoto, andIstillwantedtospendtimedoingpost-productionwork.Itookthephotosinoneafternoon andstartededitingthesameday.Ittookme2hoursofshootingtogetafewphotoswithslight variationsthatIwantedtoplaywithmoreinediting.Ittookmeanother4hourstotrydifferent editingtechniquesandgobetweenwhichphotoIlikedbestandwithwhatedits.IfIweretohave donethisprojectagainwithalargerbudget,Iwouldhaveoptedforamodelandphotography assistantsothatIdidn'thavetodoeverythingmyself.Iwouldbepayingthembothaswellas myselfbecauseitwasalotofworktodoforfree.Iwouldalsohaveoptedforastudiowherethe lightingcouldbemorecontrolled.Iwasshootingonasunnyafternoon,sothelightshining throughthewindowwasn'texactlywhatIwasgoingfor.IwouldalsochangethelensIwas using,Ionlyhavea50mmlenswhichIdon'tthinkwasidealforthelookthatIwastryingto
achieve.IfIhadalloftheequipmentandstaff,IthinkIwouldalsobeabletoaccomplishmy originalideaofaphotoseries.Itwouldbecostly,likelyaround$6,000.
Iendedupfocusingmostlyonlightingandshutterspeed.Isetupwarmlightsinthe backgroundoutoftheshotsothatthelightwouldreflectoffthewall.Forthebluelight,Iturned thebrightnessallthewayuponmyphoneandopenedabluescreentocreatetheeffectofblue onmyface.Iusedahighshutterspeed,1/400tokeepmostofthelightoutandkeepthefocuson theartificiallightsIhadsetup.Iexperimentedwithafewothershutterspeeds,butIfoundthat thelowertheshutterthelesstheblueandwarmlightsshowedup.Originally,Ithoughtitwould beeasiertoachievethelightingIpicturedinmyhead,butIendeduphavingtodomostofitin post-production.
AlotoftheworkonthisprojecthappenedafterIshotthephoto.Ifirstopenedtheimage inlightroomandadjustedthecurves,emphasizingthedifferentlightingpoints.Ialsoadded contrastandsaturation,tocreateafurtherjuxtapositionbetweenthewarmandcoollight.ThenI broughttheeditedimageintophotoshoptoaddbluranddistortion.Iwentthroughalotoftrial anderrortofindthebestwaytoblurmyfaceintothephonescreen.IpreviouslythoughtthatI hadaprettygoodunderstandingofphotoshopbutIwashavinglotsofissueswithfiguringout brushesandmasks.Myoriginalideawastohaveadirectionalblursolelyfrommyfacetothe phonescreen,butIcouldnotachievethatlook.SoIdecidedtojustaddasoftblurwithmost attentionfocusedonthelighting.
WhilethingsdidnotgoexactlyasplannedIamstillhappywiththeresultofmyphoto andtheideasitrepresents.Thisprojectendeduphavingamorepersonalmeaningratherthan generalbecauseitwasaself-portrait,shotinmyapartmentandworkedoncompletelyonmy own.WhileIthinktheideasofpresenceandthecontrastbetweentruepresenceandthe
distractionoftechnologycanberelatedtobymany,Ithinkthisprojectwasimportanttome becauseoftherealizationsI’vehadinmyownlife.Goingintothisschoolyear,Ihadthegoalof spendinglesstimeonmyphoneandmoretimetryingtoconnectwiththoseinmyreallife.
WhenImovedtoSanLuisObispoforcollegeIhadnoideawhattoexpect,andIspentmyfirst yearherejusttryingtonavigatehowtolive.IwouldntsayI’mlivinga“normal”collegelife.I movedoutwithmyboyfriendwithnosupportfromourfamilies,afterspendingmyfirstyearof collegequarantinedathome.Webothworkfull-timejobswhilegoingtoschool,andwedon't reallyhavemanyfriendsotherthaneachother.I’veusedsocialmediaasabitofacrutchtofeel moreconnectedtofriendsandfamilybackhome,andhaveneglectedtheimportanceoftryingto formnewconnectionshere.It'sdifficulttorelatetootherkidsmyagewhenIhavesomany responsibilitiesandlivesuchanunusuallifeforacollegestudent.Mostofmytimeisspentat work,school,ortakingcareofmyhomelifeandrelationship.Theideaforthisprojectstemmed fromthedeepconnectionIhavetomyboyfriendandthedesiretoconnectwithothersmyage, contrastedwiththedistractionofsocialmediaasaformofattachmenttothepast.
IbelieveIwasabletoaccomplishintegratingtheideasofpresenceandtheultimate transcriberofthemundaneintomyfinalimage.AsIdescribedbefore,theideaoftruepresence incontrasttosocialmedia“presence”isdepictedthroughmyphoto.Someonecanbephysically presentwithothersbutiftheyaredistractedbytheirphone,truepresenceisimpossible.Thisisa commonphenomenonwhichiswhyitalsoconnectstotheultimatetranscriberofthemundane.
EverydayIwalkintomyclassesandmostpeopleareontheirphoneswaitingforclasstostart. Wearesurroundedbypeople,butchoosetointeractwiththepeopleonourphones.Thisisn'tthe onlyexampleofthiseither.Therearecountlesstimesthatsocialmediaandsmartphonesin generalarejustadistractionfromexperiencingreallife.Thereshouldn'tbeareasontowantto
distractyourselffromlivingyourownlife.Themundanityoflifeshouldbecelebrated,and beingpresentinthosemomentsisjustasimportantasanyother.
References
Guéguen,N.,&Jacob,C.(2002).Socialpresencereinforcementandcomputer-mediated communication:theeffectofthesolicitor'sphotographyoncompliancetoasurveyrequestmade bye-mail. Cyberpsychology & behavior: the impact of the Internet, multimedia and virtual reality on behavior and society, 5(2),139–142.https://doi.org/10.1089/109493102753770525
JuliaDavies(2007)Display,IdentityandtheEveryday:Self-presentationthroughonline imagesharing,Discourse:StudiesintheCulturalPoliticsofEducation,28:4,549-564,DOI: 10.1080/01596300701625305
Magazine,S.(2022,June16). How Vivian Maier, the enigmatic nanny who took 150,000 photographs, found her place in history Smithsonian.com.RetrievedOctober24,2022,from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/vivian-maier-photographer-180980267/
Photography archive - the gordon parks foundation.GordonParksFoundation.(n.d.). RetrievedOctober24,2022,from https://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/gordon-parks/photography-archive
Still life photography: Story behind by Vanessa Colareta | Dodho.(n.d.).Retrieved October25,2022,fromhttps://www.dodho.com/still-life-story-behind-vanessa-colareta/
Tate.(n.d.). Nan Goldin.Tate.RetrievedOctober24,2022,from https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/nan-goldin-2649
Two fifty FRANKJIMINHOPP (n.d.).RetrievedOctober24,2022,from https://frankyjimin.com/two-fifty/