Now that you have read and thought about Susan Sontag's views of photography, it is time to craft your own meditation, analysis, and argument.
In terms of your essay's overall topic, your thesis should answer a simple question: "What can/does/should a photograph do?"
When you explore this topic, I want you to consider how a photograph is both an object and a tool and how its utility changes depending on context and intent. For example, we see photographs in museums, in advertising, in news stories, on the walls of our homes, and on our driver's licenses and mugshots.
As you develop this essay, use Sontag's ideas (and direct quotes from her essays) as support for your claims, and use specific photographs (from your fellow classmates, from Slate's Behold blog, and from your own life) as examples.
To help you generate ideas and plan an overall structure, use the nine rhetorical modes for guidance. These modes are methods of structuring and presenting information and will keep you focused (and will help you avoid writer's block).
Argument: Make an assertion, and support that assertion through reasons and evidence.
Description: Illustrate an object or idea by providing specific imagery (such as visual details) or figurative language (such as metaphors).
Definition: Specify the essential qualities of an object or idea.
Exemplification: Provide examples.
Narration: Tell a story.
Compare/Contrast: Detail similarities and differences.
Cause/Effect: Detail the causes (and/or effects).
Process Analysis: Explain how to do something or how something was done.
Division / Classification: Break an idea down into categories, and then label each category.
These rhetorical modes often work in conjunction with one another. For example, a writer using division/classification would probably find him/herself transitioning from there into exemplification.
Your essay does not need to use all nine rhetorical modes; rather, think in terms of what you want each paragraph or section of your essay to accomplish.
This essay needs to be at least four pages long, so assuming your introduction is 1/2 page and your conclusion is 1/2 page, you will need to have at least three pages of body paragraphs. Assuming that your body paragraphs will be well-developed, that will probably work out to somewhere between four and six body paragraphs.
For this post, provide a rough outline of what each of these body paragraphs will do.
For example, if I were writing this essay, I might want to explore how bureaucracies use photographs, so...
Body Paragraph 1: Division/Classification. I will explore how bureaucracies (such as the judicial system, the educational system, and the health care system) use photographs. I will explore both the types of bureaucracies as well as the various purposes/functions of photography in those contexts. I think I'll have a lot to say in this section, so this might end up being more than one body paragraph...
Body Paragraph 2:
Body Paragraph 3:
Body Paragraph 4:
Body Paragraph 5:
If you get stuck and can't think of what to say, read what your fellow students have written, and feel free to steal their ideas. First of all, they won't mind, and second, when you actually write the essay, it will turn out completely different anyway.
Body paragraph 1:
ReplyDeleteI will explore photography as an object and a tool in social commerce. I will look into the purposes and functions of photography in this context,
Body paragraph 2: I will explore photography in social media platforms that drive social commerce; these include Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. This could take up to three paragraphs as I analyse each of these platforms.
Body Paragraph 5: I will look into how to achieve the best results and make your photography work for your site in order to achieve your goals.
Body paragraph 1: Argument. I will make the case that photography is a powerful tool in teaching. I will argue that so-called "visual learners" aren't the only students who benefit from the use of photos in learning material. My essay will be focused on microbiology, since that is my area of specialty, so I will also give some relevant information on how photography ties into that subject. This may develop into >1 body paragraph.
ReplyDeleteBody paragraph 2: Description. I will describe detailed ways in which photography can be used in teaching; especially regarding microbiology.
Body paragraph 3: Exemplification. I will list examples of applications for using photography in teaching.
Body paragraph 4: Narration. I will relate how I've used photography in my teaching experience and how my students have reacted to it.
Body paragraph 5: Process analysis. I will explain in more detail the process of how I use photography in my teaching, as well as provide some uses/areas for future direction.
Body paragraph 1: Argument. I will make the point that photographs of sports teams strongly help to advertise the game. I will explore how sports photos, whether they’re action shots or posed photos, are used by marketing teams, magazines, in games, and other cases that come to mind.
ReplyDeleteBody paragraph 2: Exemplification. I will go more into detail of the examples I listed from paragraph 1 and possibly provide more examples.
Body paragraph 3: Description & Narration. Talking more about these examples I will provide specific imagery and then tell a story to continue the imagery. This will more than likely end up being two body paragraphs.
Body paragraph 4: Definition & Process Analysis. I will describe the qualities that are required for taking sports photos and also describe how to do just that or how it was done.
Body paragraph 5: Compare/Contrast. I will describe how taking sports photos is similar and different to taking any other kind of picture and tell how both hold purpose and meaning.
Introduction: In my intro I will describe photographs and how they have expanded throughout the generations. My argument would be how a photograph should give us exposure to the outside of our norm world.
ReplyDeleteBody P1: I will break down to three aspects a photo can contain: beauty/ugliness, truth/lies, and influencing/degrading. Then I will elaborate how those reflect a photograph. Also, how they;re essential qualities.
Body P 2&3: Exemplification/description. I will give examples how those aspects show around us in everyday life.
Body P4: Describe how these photographs can cause us to react (eyeopener/questioning). The how they affect us as a person (keep in note that everyone is different and responds different).
Conclusion: Come up with a good wrap up of the essay, unclear how I will do that right now.
Body 1: Description. I will describe about the meanings of photographs on home walls. I will explore why people have photographs around their home.
ReplyDeleteBody 2: Argument. I will make the point that photographs in homes all have differ meanings; in terms of psychological and hidden truth. I will argue that not all photographs in a home brings an emotional attachment as there is some kind of truth to the whole photo.
Body 3: Compare/Contrast. I will compare/contrast photographs.
Body 4: Exemplification. I will provide examples from a personal view point.
Body 5: Narration. I will relate this to my personal wall photographs.
Body Paragraph 1: I will present an argument in how photographs are a helpful resource for students learning.
ReplyDeleteBody Paragraph 2: Exemplification. I will provide examples on why photographs are helpful resources.
Body Paragraph 3: Narration. I will tell a personal story on myself stating how seeing photographs in a classroom, book, or even in the internet has helped me in my learning experience.
Body Paragraph 4: Compare/Contrast. I will list similarities and differences between students who find photos helpful and those who don’t.
Body paragraph 1: Argument: I will argue that Instagram and other social media platforms allow photographs to be both and object and a tool depending on interpretation and purpose of posting. Many mindlessly scroll and see the posts (photographs) as objects. However, many use the platforms to express messages or assert objectives that allow them to have a voice and effectively communicate with the world.
ReplyDeleteBody paragraph 2: Division/Classification: I will divide instagram posts and provide examples of the different types of posts: the standard mindless posts and then the posts that have an objective and how each is classified. I will also describe the classification of different social platforms and explain the division between the styles of social media.
Body paragraph 3: Compare/Contrast: In this paragraph I plan to compare and contrast the differences between the types of photography used on social platforms and describe specifically what each type entails and the detail of the objects vs. the tools.
Body paragraph 4: Process Analysis: I plan to analyze the photography used as tools and how they were used and in what format. I will continue to analyze the effectiveness of these tools and explain how social platforms allow for these tools to be more influential than when they were printed in newspapers, etc.
Body Paragraph 1: Explore photography as an object and tool in social media. I will provide purposes.
ReplyDeleteBody Paragraph 2 & 3: compare and contrast social media pictures with other pictures such as school pictures, driver license, and picture at homes.
Body Paragraph 4: Narration. I will tell a personal story about pictures on my social media pages.
Body paragraph 5: Exemplification: provide other examples of other people and examples from the news.
Introduction: How the meaning of photography has a different meaning to everyone and how it is complex yet simple at the same time. “A photograph can fluctuate viewpoints, emotions and ideas in every still moment captured."
ReplyDeleteBody P1: Description. I will begin to describe why it is that people enjoy to take pictures of what seems to others as random moments. What dictates a moment as important enough for a photograph to be taken at that very specific moment.
Body P2: Argument. I will give set forth my argument as to why people have such a different view on photographs in that experiences and culture play a role in it.
Body P3: Exemplification. I will use examples from Michelle Frankfurter, Irina Werning, Nick Brandt and Stacy Kranitz’s photographs. I will also provide personal examples to elaborate.
Body P4: Compare/contrast. I will use one photograph from a classmate and give it the many different interpretations possible and compare and contrast the different views.
Body P5: Division/Classification. I will describe how photographs are categorized depending on their different sets of interpretations and intent.
Conclusion: i will bring my ideas and argument around and summarize.
Intro: Explain how photographs are both an object and a tool and how its utility changes depending on context and intent (for the good or bad). Photographs are everywhere.
ReplyDeleteBody Paragraph 1: Compare and Contrast. How the media and magazine companies, promote and advertise, true or false, just to make money.
Body Paragraph 2&3: Tell A Story. Social media, the fast way to look up/search for photographs. Since it’s online, it gives people to be hateful. However, it is also a way for long distance families/lovers to stay in contact.
Body Paragraph 4: Division/Classification & Exemplification. The good in photographs. Look back and reminisce.
Conclusion: Wrap up on how photographs are everywhere and depending how the photographer’s intentions can make it the most beautiful or ugliest photograph.
*Paragraphs may change
Body #1: I will give a little history about photography and state photography’s main purpose.
ReplyDeleteBody #2: I will give description to illustration the main purpose of photography.
Body #3: I will compare and contrast the different purposes of photography
Body #4: I will make an argument to justify the main purpose
Body #5 I will use process analysis to explain how/why photographs are taken.
Intro: A photograph can be used as a happy memory or used for sadists.
ReplyDeleteBody Paragraph 1: Definition/Description of a camera/photograph
Body Paragraph 2: Compare/Contrast being an art minor I will give similarities and differences from taking a photo to drawing a photo.
Body Paragraph 3: Narration - My personal story of using art, a camera or of a personal photograph. A horrific story of a sadist that uses photographs? This will more likely end up being two body paragraphs or more depending on how long the story/stories are.
Body Paragraph 4: Exemplification of how some photos can be viewed as a fond memory or a horrific one.
Conclusion: Wrap up and summarize how a photograph is a powerful object that can help/change a person.
*Paragraphs are subject to change
Photographs should be able to tell a story and invoke emotion in the viewer.
ReplyDeleteParagraph 1: Explain how the photograph is an object, tool, and utility.
Paragraph 2: How photographs can tell a story
Paragraph 3: How photographs can invoke emotion
Paragraph 4: How invoking emotion in the viewer is used commercially and in businesses
Paragraph 5: How the positive feelings invoked by emotion can be therapeutic to the viewer.
Photographs should be able to tell a story and invoke emotion in the viewer.
ReplyDeleteParagraph 1: Explain how the photograph is an object, tool, and utility.
Paragraph 2: How photographs can tell a story
Paragraph 3: How photographs can invoke emotion
Paragraph 4: How invoking emotion in the viewer is used commercially and in businesses
Paragraph 5: How the positive feelings invoked by emotion can be therapeutic to the viewer.
Body Paragraph 1: give a little background of what is a photo/picture.
ReplyDeleteBody Paragraph 2: go in depth about how the photograph is an object and give some examples.
Body Paragraph 3: how the photograph can be seen as a tool and utility.
Body Paragraph 4: give my personal point of view of a photograph.
Intro: Photographs can alter our perceptions of reality and instill inferiority complexes into people by altering or putting our false images (as seen in food/body/makeup/movie/video game/toy advertising).
ReplyDeleteBody 1: The falsehoods of food advertising and the how they alter our perception of reality/effect our worldly expectations
Body 2: The falsehoods of body and makeup advertising, leading to feelings of inferiority and unrealistic expectations of beauty (<cliche, I'll work on that)
Body 3: Advertising for video games/movies that aren't in the film/game and result in feelings of betrayal
Body 4: Advertising toys to children with 1-inch tall disclaimers stating the toy isn't as is shown, which instills early on in life an inability to trust (skepticism)
Finale: Photographs do a great many good deeds in the world, but when they have been mutilated to fit an agenda that simply results in a faulty advertising campaign, they only end up hurting people who put faith in the honesty of the proposed imagery.
Intro Paragraph: I want to explore how photography can become symbols.
ReplyDeleteBody paragraph 2: I will explain how famous photography has a distinction from normal photography.
Body paragraph 3: I will explain how repetition comes into play.
body paragraph 4: I will explain the importance of these symbolic photographs.
conclusion: I will provide a personal view on symbology in symbolic photographs.
Introduction: What was the cameras purpose when it was first created? I will briefly explain the history of photography, and I will explained who photography has changed the throughout the decades.
ReplyDeleteParagraph 1: How people interact with the camera
1. the photographers view
2. the model
3. the observers
Paragraph2: Explain how a photograph has helped us see the world in a different ways.
1. how we view other countries
2. other people
3. outer space photography *
Paragraph3: How it has changed the world
1. art
2. social
3. education
Paragraph4: How a photograph can have different meanings
1. art ,news
2. educations
3. a symbol of change
Body #1: I will provide history and photography's background.
ReplyDeleteBody #2: I will talk about how photography can give a story to the viewers.
Body #3: I will compare and contrast photography and see how they are distinct from one another
Body #4: I will discuss why photography is important and how it is symbolic.
Body #5: I will give all my ideas and regards to photography and summarize what I spoke about.
My essay will explore the ways photography is used in connection with emotion, both in personal and artistic photographs as well as through photojournalism.
ReplyDeleteBody Paragraph 1 Exemplification + Effect on specific photographs (life stages photographs such as weddings, birthdays, pregnancy, newborn, graduation, children etc.)
Body Paragraph 2 Exemplification + Effect on specific photographs
(artistic photographs – breastfeeding series)
Body Paragraph 3 Exemplification + effect on specific photographs continued (Photojournalists; Syrian drowned boy, napalm child in Vietnam war; photojournalists)
Body Paragraph 4 Narration/exemplification relate the topic to my personal life (social media ‘selfies’)
Body paragraph 1: The history of art.
ReplyDeleteBody paragraph 2: In this paragraph I will address the effect social media has on young adults in regards to the exposure of their bodies, and the level of criticism many people face due to the standards that have been set by society as the technology of photography develops further.
Body paragraph 3: The effect of advancing technology.(photoshop, Apps..etc.)
Body paragraph 4: I will use one of my classmates pictures as an example to support my argument.
ReplyDeleteBody Paragraph 1 and 2: A photograph allows people around the globe to be connected via social media and photography blogs (exemplification: HONY via facebook and Behold)
Body Paragraphy 3: A photograph elicits raw emotions far more effectively than words alone. (narration: tell story of an image you saw that elicited raw emotion – madisonviningphotography on instagram)
Body Paragraph 4: A photograph tells a piece of your unique life story. - instagram and snapchat (description: use metaphors and imagery) (Compare and contrast: Snapchat vs instagram – daily life vs big life moments)
Intro: define what photography is. Pose a question
ReplyDeleteBody Paragraph#1: Explain how the photographer can show their perspective through the photos they
Body Paragraph #2: Explain how the audience can give meaning to a photo.
Body Paragragh#3: Explain how the meaning of a photo can change through the years
Conclusion: Conclude the body paragraph
Explore how photographs are used as document moments
ReplyDeleteBody Paragraphs Division/ Classification
#1 Personal events
#2 world events
#3 scientific events
body paragraph #4: Description.
pick a fellow classmate photo and describe what is documented.
body paragraph #5: passing of time
Conclusion: Conclude overall essay