Why We Say Cheese : Producing the Smile in Snapshot Photography (by C.Kotchemidova)

Why We Say Cheese : Producing the Smile in Snapshot Photography (by C.Kotchemidova)

I. Two Perspectives Toward Understanding Communication I. Transmission Model II. Cultural Perspective

I. Transmission Model Transmitting a MESSAGE from a SENDER to a RECEIVER through a CHANNEL and with the always present but reducible interference of noise

I. Transmission Model Questions asked (e.g.): Was the message accurately transmitted? How does the received message effect behavior? Who says what, to whom, through what channel, and with what effect? (Laswell)

II. Cultural Perspective Communication is the creation of meaning by people through symbols in a specific social & cultural context Communication is a symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired and transformed James Carey

II. Cultural Perspective Questions asked (e.g.): - How is meaning constructed? - What reality is being produced, maintained, repaired or transformed? - Where do the ideas & information that we communicate come from? - By what processes (& in whose interest) is reality produced, maintained, repaired and transformed?

We study: study (and critique) culture. Interpretations & Reception History & Context Institutions Organizations Power Wealth Discourse Media Representations Individual and Shared Meaning Individual and Shared Values Individual and Shared Beliefs

Communication as transmission only? Example: Advertisements If goal is only about sending a message (i.e. transmission ) in hopes the receiver hears it (and buys the product), how do we describe what s going on in this commercial?

Team Bill vs. Team Eric

Team Edward vs. Team Jacob

III. Case Study of the Cultural Perspective A. Kodak Photographs: Snapshot culture & the smile

Why do we say cheese?

Cultural perspective of snapshot culture: RQ: How did the smile come to be the photographic standard? Or, How did the consensus to smile in photographs arise and who produced it? (p. 4)

Kotchemidova: Outline 1. How media construct meaning symbolically 2. Political economy & cultural meaning 3. Media & Technology 4. Social power & ideology

1. How media construct meaning symbolically Kodak s association of photography with fun: Changed the discourse about photography to one of pleasure

Smiling women, Smiling children, Smiling soldiers going to war, Smiling animals

1. Kodak s symbolic construction of meaning Markets photo as play

2. Political economy & cultural meaning Kodak s cultural leadership 1915: controlled 75-80% of photo industry Horizontal & Vertical control Major advertiser and media producer

2. Political economy & cultural meaning What power did Kodak have as a cultural leader? (p. 5) And why the smile? Role of amateurs?

3. Media & Technology Different media do culture differently Medium theory A medium s structure encourages different ways of thinking and processing info

That the medium of choice was visual particularly helped the Kodak message to be uncritically received (p. 13) The Grand Narrative

4. Social power & ideology Cultural symbols are a form of power Who did the cultural construction of the photographic smile benefit? Kodak Advertisers / consumer culture

Application Mcdonald s smile Coca-Cola s Happiness Machine