WA3 Code of Ethics

I am working with photographers because they have a large variety of art styles. In conducting my research I want to find if different factors influence photographic styles. In guidance of the American Anthropological Association, I will be basing my Code of Ethics. In my research because most photographers are freelance, there is no “guidance” from someone else. Availability to confer with the photographers is solely based on their schedules. I will attempt to conduct my research in all different types of weather and conditions to observe thoroughly the process’ that are taken during photography. Accessing different photographers and their processes shall be conducted respectfully and only with the permission of there said photographers. Permissions are identified by each participant signing a consent form. I plan on observing photographers passively and undisturbed to make sure none of the processes are hindered. I will be observing as an “insider” but because of the passive observation, my position will not have any influence on my studies. To fairly observe, one of every factor of person and type of photography will be observed. Interviewers could possibly learn from the research or even notice something they do different compared to others. To ethically mind others privacy and work, all work, names, and information will be properly mined to the observed. No data will be stored other than the information that is collected in interview and also what is observed.

The goals of my research is to find the different techniques of photography and evaluate how they are used and by who. Photographers can work in any environment given at any specific time because anything can recorded. The research that is bound is to reflect the different contexts that photography can be used in. In the end, what is to be presented is a reflection of the core principals, techniques and values of photography shared across the different subtypes of photography and their subjects, techniques and contexts of practice.

            Because of the nature of photography, working in the field can require working with others as they are usually the subjects but also does not exclude non-human animals and nature. Photographers must be aware that different cultures may not allow photographs or see it as a sign of disrespect, or that the flash of the camera and different materials may harm living organism in a sort of way. Therefore photographers must be sensitive to the cultures and environments that they are attempting to document to remain ethical in whichever sense. Working In a field of such involvement with many different rights and responsibilities, it may be inevitable for a misunderstanding, conflicts, and the need to make arduous choices will occur. Photographers are responsible for having the proper professionalism and permissions although sometimes those boundaries may be pushed to document candidly. However they are still expected to confine to a compatible form of the principles to minimize ethical hardships. These principles provide photographers with tools to engage in developing and maintaining an ethical framework for all stages of the photographic process – when making decisions prior to beginning projects, when shooting, and when reviewing and exhibiting their photographs and preserving those records.

WA2 Life through the Lens

Photography is an interesting and very complex hobby and profession that requires an extensive amount of knowledge and technique to create an image that grabs the attention of others. I chose photography being there are many different forms of photography from informal selfies to family portraits to professional photo-shoots. Also there are inventions and ever evolving techniques and technologies that create a new perspective in the world of photography. As I am considered a professional photographer, being licensed in post editing and owning my own equipment, I am very knowledgeable about photography but it is still ever evolving and I am still young so there is plenty left to learn about photography. I want to research many of the different variables in photography and the different techniques that are used amongst others to create the photos that they want to achieve. Photography is everywhere, my site will be in studio, candid photography and also photography outdoors.

            I became interested in photography at a very young age. As a kid my family and I traveled a lot, so much to the point where you began to forget some of the places you went and events that happened during that trip and I began to want to document these moments. Photographers know that yes you may have your own technique but it’s a learning hobby. You can create new forms of your own photography by taking stylistic examples and techniques from other photographers. I want to discover some of the most popular techniques used and also discover techniques that aren’t that popular, if any. Also I will delve into finding different factors that influence the way someone photographs whether it be comfort, artistic efforts, where they are from, geographic location and style of photography.

            I will conduct my research by observing other photographers in many different settings and use photographers who have different goals and compare them to get the “outsider” view. Furthermore I will take many techniques and styles into consideration and compare them with my own style of photography giving the “insider” perspective of photography. Observation versus doing. There isn’t per say a way to “serve the community” but because there is a niche of people who value photography as an art and can see the efforts put into the photographs, the works of art can be displayed to the community but I don’t intend to showcase the works to the community other than to get opinions by other photographers about styles and techniques.

            Photography has a large community within society furthermore within the professional community and pop culture with millions of photos being taken every day for pleasure, showcasing and advertisements. It requires a literacy that you will learn nowhere else except for slightly in Video/Audio but there are still aspects between video and photography that persist to differ.

Photography is highly related to drawings and literature because it is a way for groups to express themselves. Photography is a way of communicating visually and requires a literacy further than just looking at the picture to be able to understand the message that is being conveyed in the photograph. Also using the settings on the camera and understanding how they work requires research, understanding and experimentation especially with some of the older or alternative methods other than digital photography. Looking into the alternative methods of photography, I can research how these methods are conducted and why they are being used or preferred compared to digital photography. Everyone looks at some sort of photography every day, therefore this research will create a greater understanding and give others a greater understanding of how much effort is being put into photographic processes.

WA1 Literacy is Double Sided

Literacy can be compared to the concept of general knowledge. Knowledge is an infinite mental skill and just alike so is literacy. Both aspects can be used in the physical world but literacy can affect the way we learn, read and write because of the different forms of literacy. Literacy can be a way of understanding literature and the use of it in certain situations. The general concept of literacy is the ability to read and write, but in terms of understanding literacy, there is a single minded mentality of conformity. Literacy is the ability to not only to be able to read and write but to also be able to understand the reading and writing not of only common literature but also of different cultures and forms. Szwed touches on this, “But the stunning fact is that we do not fully know what literacy is.” He further continues that literacy has been viewed as a yes-or-no matter but it is much more complex than that basing his main reasoning on diversity and socioeconomic classes (Szwed 4-5). There is a general belief that with further education comes literacy such as for doctors, lawyers and other professions that require a mass of schooling. With this in mind, to be literate is to be well-rounded in literature as a whole in multiple cultures not only the literacy you were taught. Each country, culture, race, subculture and even neighborhoods have different forms of literacy and with so many forms and types of literacy, there is no way to be one hundred percent literate. In EIIW, the general term of literacy is used in most of its discussions but includes excerpts that explain that literacy is not a conformation or shouldn’t be in that matter and although many theorist have tried to define literacy, because it’s such a broad skillset, not only can someone not be completely literate but also it cannot be concretely defined.

Literacy events are social events in which writing, reading or even speaking is used amongst the participants’ interactions and the systems in which they interpret each other. Literacy events can also be loosely defined as an event in which if a person arrives having no affiliation with the group, they might have little to no understanding of the literatures that’s used within the group. These literacy events are where groups practice their literacy and they are largely inspired or shaped by their forms of literacy. Literacy events can be any form of communication such as discussing a subject, telling a story or writing and reading. Practicing literacy is largely influenced by the general population of an area and also the cultural aspects of everyday life of a group. A literacy event is the act of using a literacy such as a photo-shoot. You must be literate in the use of cameras in also directing a scene to get the photograph that you want. The shooting and directing of that scene is the event in which you use those literacies. Also driving long distances, there is a separate literacy compared to the casual drive within the city. There are universal courtesies that long distance drivers use to help the highway flow freely and the drive is the event to where you use those courtesies. The different cultural aspects of a group shape the literacy and the way they use it by forming values and rules that apply to the literacy group.

Literacy is all around us, in almost everything we do. You can see literacy in its natural habitat just by looking at workers of a certain store, or a group playing video games or even avid readers. There is a form of literacy to most events that happen in everyday life but those events are just our practice and use of literacy. Understanding EIIW, although many may think literacy requires knowledge and you will only see it in educational or professional settings, there is a literacy for everyone and everything they do. When looking for literacy you must consider the trivial works of literature and understanding because literacy is everywhere in all types of forms. Szwed also explains that everyone has literacy in their own form especially reading; everyone reads certain texts and documents and there is a literacy of understanding to those texts (7).

            There is an ever evolving understanding and definition of literacy that changes over time as society advances and many new forms of literacy surface and different forms of literacy are accepted. Alternative forms of literacy provide diversity and the more we are able to accept these forms of being different, the more literate we are. Primary literacy shouldn’t discourage alternative literacies because with more literacy comes knowledge which creates a circle for a gain in both skillsets. Your primary literacy is only a stepping stone setting you up to be able to use other forms of literacy creating unity between groups of people and nations because not only are we accepting other forms of being and literacy, but we are understanding them and maybe even putting them to use in our own lives for the betterment of literacy and knowledge.