For use with the Visual Persuasion Class at Ohio Northern University.
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Sunday, April 1, 2012
Journal Entry #7: VSS
For this journal, choose one of the three metafunctions covered for Visual Social Semiotics and proceed through each of the sub-components/processes of that metafunction using the image below as your basis.
Since the representational participants(RPs) within the image are not directly looking at the viewers,there is no demand but offer. Because of this,there is not much going on between the RPs and the viewers. However,among the RPs,the majority of image acts and gazes are demanding. First of all,a man in the center is pressing down a woman,which obviously seems forceful and demanding. Moreover,it seems like every male is looking at the female lying down on the floor. The woman,on the other hand,is not only looking away but also literally "offering up" herself to the man above her by lifting her lower body.
In terms of social distance and intimacy,the image is far social distance,for the viewers can see the whole figures of the RPs and space around them. Among the RPs,the social distance between male and female in general is far. Though the physical distance between the man in the center and the woman on the floor is fairly close,there is no intimacy,because the power relationship the image is representing is not equal. Yet,the social distance and intimacy among males look close and strong to me,because they seem to have the same "looking-down" attitude toward the woman.
Horizontal perspective here is somewhat mixed. Two men in the front and the woman are showing the side parts of their body,whereas the rest of the men are showing the frontal parts. Vertically speaking,the viewers and the RPs are on the same level,whereas all the men are looking down on the woman.
Information Value:I do not think the left/right information value function applies to this picture. The top/bottom function, however, does. The top of the picture features clouds, which lends to the ideas of idealization, emotion and imagination. The bottom of the picture shows the woman being held down by the man. The bottom of a picture often signifies what is real, factual or practical, so this suggests it is common for women to be restrained while surrounded by a group of men. The bottom half of the picture also shows the "Dolce & Gabbana" which suggests that this brand is practical to buy and wear. The center/margin function is also present in this picture. The man hovering over the woman is the center, with the other men and the woman surrounding him. This suggest that the man in the center has the control and the other marginal RPs are subservient to him.
Salience: The largest element of this picture is the "Dolce & Gabbana" text that spans almost the entire width. The picture is very sharp. Nothing is out of focus and there is high tonal and color contrast. The RPs in the front, the man and the woman he is holding down,are most important. Although the man wearing purple on the left side of the picture is also in the foreground, he is not the focus of the shot. He, along with the three men in the background, are the least important RPs of the picture.
Framing: The RPs in this picture are being held together because they are all positioned inward towards the woman.
Modality: This picture's color saturation is full color which suggests a higher level of realness. The contextualization is a little different, however. There are clouds in the background and it is not fully apparent what the RPs in the back are sitting on and leaning against. This provides a lower modality for the picture. There is a bit of depth to this picture. It is clear that some of the RPs are in front of and behind others. Because the RPs are not all on the same plane, the picture is more realistic. The picture also features some light and shade, which again suggests a higher level of realness.
Narrative: This picture does not appear to have any narrative. It seems to be a very random shot of people staring off into different directions. There aren't any action or reactional narratives taking place.
Conceptual: The picture has some symbolic meaning. In this image the symbolism is that the men are surrounding the woman. This symbolizes that men are in control and are more dominant, powerful, and in control.
There is a number of participants involved in this ad. This ad engages the viewer by showing the extreme focus these individuals have on each other, which in turn makes the viewer wonder what is so important to see. These people have a a strong gaze at one another.
I think the social distance is Close personal because you can see the whole firgure of the majority of them. This could also be considered far personal.
The perspective is more Vertical and Power between RP and RP. This as displays a rage of perspectives but the one the stands out the most is High. The higher RP laying over the other RP shows a dominance or power. With the men standing in the background gazing shows a more medium power between them. There equal when is comes to showing power over another RP.
Interpersonal: -Image Act and Gaze --All the men are looking at the woman. She is looking away from the man on top of her. Possibly at the man in the front left of the picture. --The men are over an above the woman creating a sense of dominance over her. --I think that the distance is considered far personal. --The perspective is more vertical because most of the men are in a upright position and with their strong gazes they show a sense of power. The woman who is horizontal is shown in a very weak way.
Interpersonal Metafunction
ReplyDeleteSince the representational participants(RPs) within the image are not directly looking at the viewers,there is no demand but offer. Because of this,there is not much going on between the RPs and the viewers. However,among the RPs,the majority of image acts and gazes are demanding. First of all,a man in the center is pressing down a woman,which obviously seems forceful and demanding. Moreover,it seems like every male is looking at the female lying down on the floor. The woman,on the other hand,is not only looking away but also literally "offering up" herself to the man above her by lifting her lower body.
In terms of social distance and intimacy,the image is far social distance,for the viewers can see the whole figures of the RPs and space around them. Among the RPs,the social distance between male and female in general is far. Though the physical distance between the man in the center and the woman on the floor is fairly close,there is no intimacy,because the power relationship the image is representing is not equal. Yet,the social distance and intimacy among males look close and strong to me,because they seem to have the same "looking-down" attitude toward the woman.
Horizontal perspective here is somewhat mixed. Two men in the front and the woman are showing the side parts of their body,whereas the rest of the men are showing the frontal parts. Vertically speaking,the viewers and the RPs are on the same level,whereas all the men are looking down on the woman.
Compositional Metafunction
ReplyDeleteInformation Value:I do not think the left/right information value function applies to this picture. The top/bottom function, however, does. The top of the picture features clouds, which lends to the ideas of idealization, emotion and imagination. The bottom of the picture shows the woman being held down by the man. The bottom of a picture often signifies what is real, factual or practical, so this suggests it is common for women to be restrained while surrounded by a group of men. The bottom half of the picture also shows the "Dolce & Gabbana" which suggests that this brand is practical to buy and wear. The center/margin function is also present in this picture. The man hovering over the woman is the center, with the other men and the woman surrounding him. This suggest that the man in the center has the control and the other marginal RPs are subservient to him.
Salience: The largest element of this picture is the "Dolce & Gabbana" text that spans almost the entire width. The picture is very sharp. Nothing is out of focus and there is high tonal and color contrast. The RPs in the front, the man and the woman he is holding down,are most important. Although the man wearing purple on the left side of the picture is also in the foreground, he is not the focus of the shot. He, along with the three men in the background, are the least important RPs of the picture.
Framing: The RPs in this picture are being held together because they are all positioned inward towards the woman.
Modality: This picture's color saturation is full color which suggests a higher level of realness. The contextualization is a little different, however. There are clouds in the background and it is not fully apparent what the RPs in the back are sitting on and leaning against. This provides a lower modality for the picture. There is a bit of depth to this picture. It is clear that some of the RPs are in front of and behind others. Because the RPs are not all on the same plane, the picture is more realistic. The picture also features some light and shade, which again suggests a higher level of realness.
Representational Metafunction
ReplyDeleteNarrative:
This picture does not appear to have any narrative. It seems to be a very random shot of people staring off into different directions. There aren't any action or reactional narratives taking place.
Conceptual:
The picture has some symbolic meaning. In this image the symbolism is that the men are surrounding the woman. This symbolizes that men are in control and are more dominant, powerful, and in control.
I don't think I did this right...
Interpersonal Metafunction.
ReplyDeleteThere is a number of participants involved in this ad. This ad engages the viewer by showing the extreme focus these individuals have on each other, which in turn makes the viewer wonder what is so important to see. These people have a a strong gaze at one another.
I think the social distance is Close personal because you can see the whole firgure of the majority of them. This could also be considered far personal.
The perspective is more Vertical and Power between RP and RP. This as displays a rage of perspectives but the one the stands out the most is High. The higher RP laying over the other RP shows a dominance or power. With the men standing in the background gazing shows a more medium power between them. There equal when is comes to showing power over another RP.
Interpersonal:
ReplyDelete-Image Act and Gaze
--All the men are looking at the woman. She is looking away from the man on top of her. Possibly at the man in the front left of the picture.
--The men are over an above the woman creating a sense of dominance over her.
--I think that the distance is considered far personal.
--The perspective is more vertical because most of the men are in a upright position and with their strong gazes they show a sense of power. The woman who is horizontal is shown in a very weak way.