Project 1- Final Submission

 

            “The image is liberated from the vaults of cinemas and archives and thrust into digital uncertainty…”

When thinking about this essay and project, I thought this quote by Hito Steyerl was a great starting point and captured the message I wanted to convey. The photo I chose was something unlikely to see the light of day. It has sat on an old computer for over 15 years and through this process- was “liberated” as I extracted it from our own family “archives” and shared it with those around me. In the essay, Steyeri discusses how the poor image is “a copy in motion” and the I tried to embrace this idea as I copied and manipulated the image. Resulting in a tattered, worn, grainy photo. It seems to have lost value, the appearance is worse in quality, details supposedly lost in the process… but to me, the value has only increased. 

The value of this image increasing involves the story that was already present. The image is nostalgic and wholesome to me. But as the photo was uploaded onto that first edition MacBook computer- the story paused. Its movement came to a standstill as it was tucked away among thousands of other images of my childhood. This was however, until recently- when I rediscovered this picture and set it back on a path where it would be shared and connected with people. Bringing it more value as it connected me with those around me and my past self in ways a stored photo on an old laptop otherwise may not have. What started as physical copies of the image, printed, folded, held… eventually evolved into a file. Sent, screenshots, jpegs, scans… the image went from something telling a story of life back then- to now being an image that connects deeply to life now. 

I think that when considering the relationship to the Hito Steyeri essay, this image does “serve as a reminder of it’s older self.” a reflection of what once was, and who I am now. And how as I have grown up, so has technology and ways of sharing images and memories.

Project 1 Progress Update

 For this project, I started by uploading the original image from our first edition MacBook computer to a hard drive.

On my laptop, I took the image from the hard drive and printed it on my home computer- creating a physical copy. 

From there I was able to carry around this image in my pocket for a few days before scanning the printed photo using our photo scanner. 

I took the scan and saved it on my computer- emailing it to myself and screenshotting the email to save it onto the iCloud. From this process I had a much grainier, bent, photo where the folds from carrying in my pocket were evident. It tells a story through the journey it went on but also the physical content of the image. 

To finish this project off, I sent the image copy to close friends and family that I know would appreciate the image. Further encouraging the story this image was part of. 

Project 1- Assignment 1

 

                This is a picture of me as a little girl, It sums up my childhood and I thought it would make a great starting point for this project. I'm excited to digitally manipulate this image and then experiment with printing it out and scanning it through different ways.

    I really connected with the aspect of the essay that talks about narrative and the passing along of images. How this tells a story and message as it makes it way through media. 

For this project- I hope to communicate a story as I alter the image and process is through mediums. As I begin with the image- I will use more analog forms of copying the image. Manually scanning the printed photo, storing in a photo book, sending through the mail... will all be accurate to the way photos were passed at the time the photo was taken. (early 2000s) 

As time moves, I will use more and more modern technology and ways of moving images. Ultimately representing the time that has literally passed since this photo, but more importantly- showcasing the way forms of photo transfer have evolved. My process will tell a story just as much as this nostalgic photograph does. 

Ideas:

1. Take image (transferred off first edition MacBook, onto Latest iMac desktop computer) 

2. Print off (at home printer)

3. Send through Canada Post to my home address

4. Take photograph from envelope after it has gone through the postal service...

5. Copy through printer scanner

6. put onto USB 

7. Take USB to laptop computer, upload image...

8. Send Image file through email to iPhone, 

9. Post on social media? 

10. Screenshot photo

11. Print from phone on home printer

12. Frame and display

... physical framed photo will tell a story just as much as the content of the photo will. 

"Nostalgia, worn, time passing, childhood" all words to describe the story I want to tell