Selfie Assemblages and the Aesthetics of Experience - Essay Example

Name: Professor: Course: Date: Selfie Assemblages and the Aesthetics of Experience Introduction Selfie entails a pictorial image or a photograph produced by a camera. Assemblages provides a link with individuals or collective via activities, and networks to particular bodies arrangements, materials, and technologies in order to pursue something. Therefore, the selfie assemblages involves the collection of pictorials and images with an intention to pursue intended goals. The collection can entail a large number of selfies taken at a particular period or at a particular place. Aesthetic of experience refers to the qualitative experience different from the daily experience. Aesthetic of experience comprises the following characteristics, aesthetic appraisal and aesthetic fascination. It proves to be more valuable as it influences the acceptance of cameras in the society and their implementation. Likewise, the aesthetics of experience changed with the changing technologies of cameras. It varied from camera to camera. The taking of selfies have advanced with time and with changing camera orientations. Taking a consideration of Kodak cameras, the technology employed in their production have changed entirely. Furthermore, the changes have been influenced by many factors based on quality, efficiency, portability and the period taken to produce the photo. Besides, the advancements are the articulations of the following factors that influences their reception and advancement: mobility of the various products, the ease of usage. They also entails, the specialised knowledge required in the photography industry, competition and viability of the products. Quality of the products and their reception in the market further influenced the development of advanced, more effective, efficient and portable cameras in the industry. Kodak development The advancements in the Kodak camera technology were influenced by the following factors: 1. Mobility of the various products in the market 2. The ease of usage and the specialised knowledge required in the photography industry 3. The competition and viability of the products 4. The quality of images attributed to the various technological innovations 5. The reception of the various types of technological changes in the sector The Kodak development in the selfie assemblages and photography industry have passed through three main categories and technological advancement. I. Roll-over camera The Kodak industry in 1982 introduced the roll-film camera. With the technology, taking a snapshot was a very complex procedure. The procedure involved the photographer installing a glass plate in the back of the camera to be used. The photographer had to initially allow light to pass through the camera’s lens which focussed the light on the glass plate. Thereafter, he would cautiously remove the glass plate and keep it away from any form of light. Afterwards, the pre-sensitized plate would be treated using a series of chemicals in a darkroom by the photographer. The glass plate technique required prior specialized knowledge of photography to undertake[Ben15]. The procedure was tiresome and demanding since the photographer needed specialised knowledge in order to execute the task. It was due to the fact that the image had to be developed in a dark room with the help of a series of chemicals and other equipment. The roll over film constituted various steps, coating, drying, and cutting. However, the steps had to be presided by the treatment of the glass plate in a series of chemical processes. The emulsion in the dark room was to further strip off the pre-sensitized glass plate[Seb11]. Thereafter, the glass plate was cut into long ribbons. The long ribbons constituted the films to be rolled in order to print a selfie. Though, the procedures involved were tiresome and required specialized knowledge to undertake the photography service[Mat12]. The laypersons were therefore not favoured by the process, as they had to seek specialised information on the use and application of the camera. Since it was the outstanding technology of the time, the camera received aesthetic appraisal and fascination of experience. Many people in the society embraced the technology as fascinating and adapted to its usage. The camera thus exercised dominance in the market due to the fantasy associated with it. It grew and established itself in the society as people came out to be part of the fascinating aesthetic of experience the camera at acquired at the time[Jim04]. The technique enabled the creation of a photograph during that period. It was the widely used technology to take photos and snaps at the time. Nonetheless,the glass used during the procedure was fragile and needed extra care in handling. In addition, the photographer had to carry a hoard of the glass plates when he ventured out of the workshop. It would enable him cover an event or war that had ensued[Mal15]. It pose a greater risk on the photograph since he had to handle the glass plate with care. The pre-sensitized plates furthermore were cumbersome. The usage of the glass plates had numerous limitations. The production of a photograph involved cumbersome procedure and required specialized knowledge on handling the plates and the various chemicals used in the production process. Also, the glass plate was fragile and extra care had to be employed. It proved cumbersome and demanding to undertake the task. The specialised knowledge to undertake photography proved to make people shy away from employing the technique[Eli12]. Nevertheless, the technology was viable at the time and people tend to use it for special occasions only. Furthermore, it was situated at a particular place where a dark room was accessible. II. Chemically coated films The technology that ensued replaced the fragile pre-sensitized glass plates with chemically coated films that allowed the creation of permanent images[Seb11]. It relieved the photographer from handling the fragile glass plates that were also cumbersome. Furthermore, it made the cameras more compact[Mat12]. It proved more viable to the prior technology with its enhanced portability and ease of usage. The limitation of the technology is that, the photographs produced were of poor quality as compared to their glass plates’ counterparts. They were openly ridiculed by other serious amateurs and professional who then subjugated the photography practise. The introduction of the roll-film were considered a failure in the photography sector[Jul14]. The reason for the disapproval on the viability of the camera was that it produced extremely poor images. The limitation took shape and the dominance of the technology was not felt. It became a failure to the Kodak and the photography industry. The only advantage of the cameras was its mobility but that did not offset the drawbacks of the camera. Besides, the technology did not meet the professional standards of that time market in speed, contrast, quality and resolution. The acceptance and usage of the camera did not take shape at the time of its inception into the market. Thereby, the aesthetic of experience associated with the camera proved low as the people shy away from it. The aesthetics of experience associated with the camera was tarnished and stained. With its reputation in the market of compromised quality, resolution and contrast, the society shied away from the technology. Moreover, since it was ridiculed by the other players in the market for its inability to meet the market demands and standards, it degraded its aesthetic appraisal in the society. It served to discourage the people from embracing the technology for the creation of selfies and snaps. Thus, the market was therefore dominated by the other professionals and artists who further tarnished the name of the company due to its inability to cope with the market standards and demands [Qui14]. The Kodak’s improvement on the roll-film received poor reception in the market. Critics tarnished the product’s image in the market. Photography was considered inaccessible to a layperson due to the complex procedures involved in developing it. It was only considered a practice dominated only by professionals and artists. With the ridiculed technology, Kodak developers had to think of another viable and high quality camera to offset the tarnished image in the competitive market. Over the next decades, the photography and selfie assemblages changed and it took shape and became a part of the daily lives[Qui14]. The photography industry were transformed from an intricate and alchemy-like activity to a very popular social practise. III. The Kodak Brownie camera The Kodak Brownie camera was introduced in 1990s. It comprised of a box that contained a push button. The cameras were preloaded with films[Seb11]. Upon the completion of a roll by a user, they would return it with the film still embedded in it to Kodak. Kodak would therefore take the film out, develop and print it and further load the camera with a new film and return it to its user[Pau15]. Furthermore, the camera employed the use of cardboard to print images. The cardboards were used to print square-shaped images on a 2 ¼ film[Mat12]. It therefore eliminated the need for specialised knowledge on photography. The eliminated procedures involved in coming up with a photograph made the process feasible to the layperson. It enabled them perform the role with a lot of ease. The enhancements were further stimulated by the development and improvement on the quality of images produced. Furthermore, the camera was made cheap could easily be accessed by a layperson. It improved the reception of Kodak cameras in the market thereby enabling mass production[Wil12]. Besides, the ease of using the cameras for taking selfies was enhanced and its efficiency improved to meet the market demands and professional standards. Likewise, the brownie camera had enhanced resolution, contrast, speed and quality viable at the time. The camera took shape and it was embraced by many people. Its aesthetic appraisal and fascination improved as the camera met the market standards. It provided an easier means of taking photos and selfies[Eli12]. The society embraced the technology, as it was convenient and viable to them. They could carry the camera anywhere, it was fascinating to take snaps at anytime and anyplace they went with it. Furthermore, innovations ensured the dominance of Kodak in the photography industry. They were able to enhance their products and improve on their sales. To armatures and professionals, photography and the dominance they had enjoyed were losing its stature. The Kodak Brownie camera received a warm reception into the industry due to its improved quality and ease of usage[Tii15]. Also, it was due to improved quality of the selfie printed. Furthermore, with the ease of mobility, improved contrast, speed, and resolution, the brownie camera technology was adapted and employed in the market. Besides, it enhanced the development of well-equipped cameras to serve the markets and emerging ones at the time. Technological advancements The technology changed in many phases but the listed technologies stood out at their time of inception. They provided an overview of the changes the company underwent as it established itself in the photography industry. Today, high definition cameras with large mega pixels have been incorporated in phones for ease of portability. Further, the cameras’ resolution, contrast and quality have been improved and it is developing further with improving standards and technology[Ben15]. Without any compromise to the aesthetics experience, the cameras are proving worthy and fascinating. Stiff competition in the photography industry has further speed up innovations as companies strive to be unique in its technology and dominate the market at the time. Digital cameras have emerged in the market and are dominating. They provide a high degree of resolution, contrast and quality to its users. Additionally, they have acquired aesthetic appraisal and fascination thereby speeding up its dominance and use in the society. Furthermore, the digital camera are easy to use since only a button is pressed. Also, it is portable and efficient during its application[Mal15]. It is effective as one can delete the unnecessary images choosing those that suits them most. Conclusion The selfie assemblage industry has changed with time. Taking into considerations the factors that influenced the creation and the development of photography industry, a lot have been established and implemented. The technological innovations have proven viable in the industry as the cameras’ resolution; quality and contrast have improved steadily. The factors that influenced the advancements include the mobility of the cameras, ease of use, and the aesthetics of experience associated with the cameras. In addition, the knowledge requisition for their use, reception in the market, market standards and he quality of selfies influenced the establishment of the cameras. The standout stages include the roll-over camera, chemically coated film camera and the Kodak brownie camera. The roll-over camera employed the use of a pre-sensitized glass plate in the production of the snaps. The plate was fragile and had to be handled with in a dark room. The chemically coated film camera, as the name suggest, employed the chemically coated film to replace the pre-sensitized glass. However, its snapshots were of low quality as compared to the prior technology, thus it was termed as a failure as it did not meet the market and professional standards. The last technology is the Kodak brownie camera which gained acceptance in the market. It comprised of a box which contained a push button. Furthermore, it was easily portable and it was cheap. The photography industry has changed as new improved cameras have been established. Likewise, technological innovation is an ongoing process as new high definition cameras are being established and released into the market. Works Cited Ben15: , (Migliorino), Seb11: , (Anthony), Mat12: , (Sparkes), Jim04: , (McGarvey), Mal15: , (Croft), Eli12: , (Easton), Jul14: , (Charlton), Qui14: , (QuinnMoreland), Pau15: , (Frosh), Wil12: , (Johnson, Rice and Williams), Tii15: , (Tiidenberg), Read More

The glass plate technique required prior specialized knowledge of photography to undertake[Ben15]. The procedure was tiresome and demanding since the photographer needed specialised knowledge in order to execute the task. It was due to the fact that the image had to be developed in a dark room with the help of a series of chemicals and other equipment. The roll over film constituted various steps, coating, drying, and cutting. However, the steps had to be presided by the treatment of the glass plate in a series of chemical processes.

The emulsion in the dark room was to further strip off the pre-sensitized glass plate[Seb11]. Thereafter, the glass plate was cut into long ribbons. The long ribbons constituted the films to be rolled in order to print a selfie. Though, the procedures involved were tiresome and required specialized knowledge to undertake the photography service[Mat12]. The laypersons were therefore not favoured by the process, as they had to seek specialised information on the use and application of the camera.

Since it was the outstanding technology of the time, the camera received aesthetic appraisal and fascination of experience. Many people in the society embraced the technology as fascinating and adapted to its usage. The camera thus exercised dominance in the market due to the fantasy associated with it. It grew and established itself in the society as people came out to be part of the fascinating aesthetic of experience the camera at acquired at the time[Jim04]. The technique enabled the creation of a photograph during that period.

It was the widely used technology to take photos and snaps at the time. Nonetheless,the glass used during the procedure was fragile and needed extra care in handling. In addition, the photographer had to carry a hoard of the glass plates when he ventured out of the workshop. It would enable him cover an event or war that had ensued[Mal15]. It pose a greater risk on the photograph since he had to handle the glass plate with care. The pre-sensitized plates furthermore were cumbersome. The usage of the glass plates had numerous limitations.

The production of a photograph involved cumbersome procedure and required specialized knowledge on handling the plates and the various chemicals used in the production process. Also, the glass plate was fragile and extra care had to be employed. It proved cumbersome and demanding to undertake the task. The specialised knowledge to undertake photography proved to make people shy away from employing the technique[Eli12]. Nevertheless, the technology was viable at the time and people tend to use it for special occasions only.

Furthermore, it was situated at a particular place where a dark room was accessible. II. Chemically coated films The technology that ensued replaced the fragile pre-sensitized glass plates with chemically coated films that allowed the creation of permanent images[Seb11]. It relieved the photographer from handling the fragile glass plates that were also cumbersome. Furthermore, it made the cameras more compact[Mat12]. It proved more viable to the prior technology with its enhanced portability and ease of usage.

The limitation of the technology is that, the photographs produced were of poor quality as compared to their glass plates’ counterparts. They were openly ridiculed by other serious amateurs and professional who then subjugated the photography practise. The introduction of the roll-film were considered a failure in the photography sector[Jul14]. The reason for the disapproval on the viability of the camera was that it produced extremely poor images. The limitation took shape and the dominance of the technology was not felt.

It became a failure to the Kodak and the photography industry. The only advantage of the cameras was its mobility but that did not offset the drawbacks of the camera. Besides, the technology did not meet the professional standards of that time market in speed, contrast, quality and resolution. The acceptance and usage of the camera did not take shape at the time of its inception into the market.

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