Laura Poitras & Edward Snowden Response

The article follows Laura Poitras and her work with documentaries. It begins with her role as a "documentary maker". She often times would blend in to her surroundings. Glenn Greenwald, a columnist Poitras worked with, described her as "completely invisible and yet ubiquitous". The article touches on her background and then proceeds to get into her early work.

Poitras traveled to Bagdad to go to the Abu Ghraib prison to document a visit by members of Bagdad's City Council. This was where she shot a scene of a Sunni doctor's interaction with prisoners. She also got permission from the doctor Riyadh al-Adhadh to report on his life in Bagdad. She eventually completed the documentary titled "My Country, My Country" which focuses on the shootings and violence that took place in their neighborhood. Her film premiered in 2006 and received an Oscar nomination for best documentary.

Poitras faced many accusations regarding her work on the story of the war's effects on the Iraqi citizens. For example, while working on her documentary (My Country, My Country) she stayed with the doctor and his family. Occasionally they'd go up on their roof to "get a sense of what was going on". Coincidentally, a group of insurgents attacked the neighborhood and killed and american while Poitras was on the roof "getting a sense of what was going on". Shortly after there was speculation that Poitras knew about the attack beforehand and went on the rooftop to remain out of harms way.

The article eventually touches on Snowden but I found her early work more interesting to reflect on because I'm interested in documentary filmmaking. I don't necessarily see myself taking on such controversial topics in such risky and dangerous environments but I find that how she got to where she is is something to consider.

The Art of Peeping Response

The Art of Peeping follows photographer Arne Svenson's series of photograph's titled the Neighbor's. Svenson's images depict individuals in their homes. He took these images without their permission, and proceeded to display them. The issue regarding his actions is whether or not he invaded their privacy, which in my opinion, he did. As a photo minor interested in candid photography it's hard to just snap photos without feeling "creepy" or as if I've invaded someone's privacy. Angry parents eventually sued Svenson due to images of their children, but his actions were ruled "defensible" under the First Amendment's freedom of speech. Svenson believed the verdict was an accomplishment for artists rights. Svenson's intentions weren't to invade these people's lives, but to capture them in their natural state because he believes they're "more beautiful to photograph" this way. While I understand his explanation as a photographer, I believe that if someone doesn't want their picture taken, it shouldn't be taken. To avoid miscommunication I generally ask for permission. What Svenson does do is leave mystery to his photographs. You can't necessarily pick out who the figures are (unless they're you) in his photographs. To me this plays more on an aesthetic level versus an invasive level.

Shizuka Yokomizo's approach is smarter and more respectful because she asks their permission. Not only does she avoid a lawsuit but she makes a connection with her subjects. She explains that at the core of "peeping" is the urge to connect with strangers versus invade their privacy. Svenson had the same idea but his method was more controversial. Again, I understand his intent but I wouldn't gone Yokomizo's route.

Surveillance Project

Photo 1

Photo 2

Diptych

The Medium in the Massage

The Medium is the massage talks about how the "family circle has widened", meaning we're not solely influenced by our parents, but by electric media. Technology is so advanced and what we see and hear (television, radio, social networking sites, commercials, ads, etc.) at such a young age affects our values and ideas. Another aspect to consider is why we use technology as an emotional outlet (facebook, twitter, etc.) versus our family, and at what point does our family become those outside of our intermediate family.

The way the text approaches education is interesting in that it criticizes the television and how it influences children. It suggests that the average child that watches television is exposed to "adult news", meaning war, inflation, taxes, as well as ads featuring sex appeal and superficial desires, don't really know how to handle and adjust to a structured schedule in which they learn information (in a specific setting). The text then goes on to say that before the seventeenth century there was no such thing as "childhood" because during that time children "merged" into the adult world. This is interesting to think about because when I reflect back on my "childhood" it becomes unclear as to when it was over. Was is when I started doing my own laundry or when I got my cell phone?

Amount of Times I Sleep in 48 hours

11:00am

4:00pm

12:00am




             
     
                   


  7:00am

1:00pm










6:00pm








1:00am

Surveil Yourself

• wake up
• wash face
• brush teeth
• get dressed
• leave for breakfast
• breakfast at ernie davis
• walk to shaffer
• art photography class
• go back to my room
• take a nap
• wake up
• eat a snack
• walk back to shaffer
• meet with advisor
• go to library
• homework at library
• go back to shaffer
• survey of film history class
• go back to room
• make dinner
• eat dinner
• do homework
• take shower
• get into pajamas
• wash face 
• brush teeth
• go back to homework
• put retainer in 
• go to sleep

Erin and a Story.

There's not really a story to my name other than the fact that my parents wanted it to be coed. There was no deliberation involved, they came up with it and stuck to it unlike my other sisters. My parents chose between 5 different names for my older sister!