The Final Project

I am really excited to be working on the final project. I am also in a photography class this semester so I am excited to use those new skills in another class.

My project is on taking care of the environment and my target audience is going to be TCU students.

I want my images to show TCU students how not taking care of the environment affects them personally.

When I first moved to Texas I was shocked by the vast amount of people who do not recycle. It is honestly a struggle to find a recycling bin on campus which is pretty sad.

Today in class, the image drafts are due. I have learned SO much this semester about photoshop, before this class I never used the program. I was excited to show off my new skills (even though they are not perfect.)

A few of my photos I just edited the colors and accentuated certain parts of the photo that I wanted to stand out. With the remaining photos, I tried to think out of the box and try new things.

Here are the photo drafts:

TRASH ON CAMPUS

With this photo, I wanted to show TCU students that if we don't recycle and if we litter it affects us all and our campus. No one wants to be in a place where there is trash everywhere. We also need to recycle for all of us and the future generation. These pieces of trash can both be recycled. I edited this photo by brightening it and adding saturation. Then, I selected the pieces of trash and brought up the contrast and exposure so they would really stand out.

GOODBYE ENVIORNMENT 

With this photo, I wanted to show how if we don't recycle it affects nature. I turned everything green to gray to show that one day it will all be gone if we don't protect it. I used the selection tool and turned the selected to black and white.

TRASH AFFECTS ANIMALS

I took this picture of my puppy chewing on plastic (he did not eat it) to show that if we don't recycle and if we litter it can affect innocent animals in our world. My main inspiration was images of sea animals caught in plastic. Since the assignment was original images, this is the best I could do. But I do think it is powerful because obviously if this puppy ate the plastic it would harm him, but he doesn't know any better. We have to protect animals and recycle. 

I changed the coloring of the photo and also used the selection tool to highlight the plastic.

WASTE OF MONEY

I think that this image is the most powerful of the four. I wanted to show that not using re-usable products is like burning money. For example: instead of buying plastic water bottles and throwing them away, use a re-useable bottle. For this image, I took a picture of a burning match then a picture of a dollar bill. I edited the match photo by deleting everything except the flame. Then I zoomed in on the dollar bill. I put the match on as a layer and made it more transparent so you could still see the money. 

Photographer: Harry Benson

Harry Benson 📷

http://www.loeildelaphotographie.com/en/photographers/harry-benson/

About

Scottish born photojournalist, Benson arrived in America with the Beatles in 1964. He is one of the most beloved culture photographers of the century, photographing people such as Donald Trump and Michael Jackson.

Photographs 📷

Benson is not phased by his famous subjects. His photos are candid and memorable. They are also very surprising and humanizing. Benson wants his subjects to be themselves and to look as though they are in their natural habitat. He wants each image to be real which can be extremely hard to do with celebrities. He uses each image he takes of his subjects to explain to the world who this person is and to argue that even though this person is famous, they are normal. He followed his subjects around and would catch them in a real and vulnerable state to get his desired image.

Benson told Rolling Stone Magazine:

"I hate studio pictures! I like everything out of control! Like myself!"

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/pictures/revered-photographer-harry-benson-talks-iconic-shots-w454843

Examples

Photograph @HarryBenson

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/pictures/revered-photographer-harry-benson-talks-iconic-shots-w454843/the-beatles-w454860

The Beatles 

1964, Paris, France

This photograph was taken the night that the Beatles heard they were number one in America and the night that they had broken through. It shows a real reaction that the band had. Even though they were a world famous band they still got crazy excited about things and flipped out! Benson uses this image to show us the real side of the Beatles. They were a young group of friends with a giant dream and they had just made the big time. 

Photograph @HarryBenson

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/pictures/revered-photographer-harry-benson-talks-iconic-shots-w454843/the-beatles-w454860

Yoko and Sean Lennon

1985, Central Park, New York City

I think this photograph is particularly powerful. It shows Yoko and Sean in a real state. Mother and son missing a father and husband. The imagine on the ground represents their loss of John. Although this picture seems as if it could be more staged, I still think that it shows both subjects in the realest state. It is a glimpse of their life and their feelings, and Benson captured it very well. This subject choice is powerful as well as location. John had died and they were still living in the city where he had passed, missing him. 

Photograph @HarryBenson

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/pictures/revered-photographer-harry-benson-talks-iconic-shots-w454843/the-beatles-w454860

Dolly Parton 

1976, Nashville, Tennessee 

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Benson said he had been following Parton around all day trying to get a photograph that was real and captured her. He said she knew why he was there and it was difficult, but then he caught this real moment. I think this photograph captures the real Dolly Parton with her southern charm and girliness. She is a performer but still proper and elegant. She is in her home, getting ready to perform. You also can tell right away who it is, it is very self-explanatory. The big hair, dress and curves give it away. Benson uses contrast and black and white to add this self-explanatory feeling to this image. 

Visual Arguments

Our class reading "On Visual Argument," explained how visual arguments are used and how they are effective. 

After I read, I began thinking of visual arguments that I have seen before that were powerful. I immediately remembered this ad for the Salvation Army and Care Haven.

This ad came out right after there was worldwide circulation of this photo: 

Some people saw the dress as gold and white and others saw black and blue. Social media had a frenzy over this dress and what the true color really was! 

I think that the strongest part about this visual argument is that the focus is clear and direct. It is to the point with the only image being the woman in the dress. 

Advertisements

Our Mini Project #5 was to find an advertisement and dissect it, pointing out who and what the ad appeals to.
I chose an add that popped up while I was reading the New York Times.



CIEE is a website that I have visited often. I have thought about studying abroad in the past but decided not to.
Because I know this ad is directed towards people like me, I thought it would be easier to analyze.

Here is what I came up with:



This project got me thinking about advertisements and how they appeal to people.
Here are a few articles I found that I thought were interesting:

• https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/10/thinking-vs-feeling-the-psychology-of-advertising/247466/
• http://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/emotional-ads-work-best.htm#

According to smallbuissness.chron.com there are 5 top appeals that advertisers use to sell a product. 

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/top-five-appeals-advertisers-use-sell-product-31373.html

• Fear
• Humor 
• Rational
• Sex
• Bandwagon

I think that the bandwagon appeal is the most interesting and the most embarrassing to fall for. The ad makes the consumer believe that they need the product to belong.
"You need this because everyone has it."

Here is an example:

Most people simply enjoy Apple products. But if we all are honest with ourselves, most of us want iPhones because it sucks to be that one person with a droid. 

Awareness Course

Issues the course will address:

• Sexual Assault and Harassment
• Stalking
• Victim Blaming
• Domestic Violence
• Binge Drinking
• Drug Use
• Mental Health

Course Goal:

• To educated the student body about issues they may face on campus and to increase sensitivity regarding these subjects on campus.

Course Details:

• This class will be a requirement for freshman students. 
• Exceptions can be made for students that have a doctors note or PTSD in result of these issues. 
• This class is about educating; there will be grades, tests and projects. 
• Students will learn definitions, warning signs, what to do, et. 

My Reform

Throughout my college career I have learned that college kids really do not know a lot about the issues most students face during their time as a student.
I want to suggest a new class that would be a requirement for every freshman. This class would take on and dissect issues such as victim blaming, sexual assault and harassment, stalking, domestic violence, binge drinking and drug use.
TCU requires students take online courses before they start at TCU but those online "classes" are not effective. If they were effective we would see less of these issues on campus.
As a journalism student I once interviewed Detective Robert Rangel from TCU PD he said, "Binge drinking is involved in 95% of our crimes."
Students go through these online classes without paying attention. A one time online course is not going to change something that has become so normal in society.
Students need to be educated in depth about signs, definitions, and testimonies from people who have been through these issues.
Students will also receive a grade for the course and their will be tests.
I believe these changes need to be more drastic. Hosting a awareness weeks do not make a difference because not everyone pays attention. This needs to be a mandatory semester long class for all freshman.

I truly believe that with a class like this, campus life would be a much safer place for all of us.

Here is an article that explains what other schools in the US have been doing to make changes on campus:
https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/08/28/how-colleges-are-battling-sexual-violence

Rice University has made changes, requiring freshman to take a mandatory course called "Critical Thinking in Sexuality."
This class has taken a lot of heat from the Rice community. My class suggestion would also be very different because it will take on more issues and will be a semester long class.

Here are some links to articles about the course:
http://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/rice-university-implement-mandatory-sexual-education-course/
http://www.ricethresher.org/article/2016/11/proposed-ctis-class-not-a-win-but-a-disappointment