Reflection on personal use of photography
I use photography, specifically using my phone, a lot throughout the day. I am very attentive to my social media profiles, I would say I post at least one photo a day. I primarily use Instagram, as almost all of my friends have accounts too and it has a simple, functional layout and UX flow. I have three Instagram accounts, my main account, my private (closer friends) account, and my account for art and uni work. Having these three different accounts allows me to post a much wider range of photos than I would if I was only using one. It was my personal reflection on how I use different social media accounts that inspired the focus of my interview.
Even before I had a mobile phone with a camera I had a Nintendo DSi, with a very low quality camera which I used to take some of my first digital photos, or at least the first photos I could find. The photos below are some of the earliest from 2010.
I started using Instagram when I was about 14. Although since then I haven’t consistently used Instagram as a consistent social media platform, it is currently the one I use the most.
I mainly use photographs to capture moments with friends, some funny, some intimate, that I want to remember. I post very few of the photos I take; personally, photography is something I do for my own personal reflection.
I have also started using my photography more for work at DJCAD. I take photos of work that needs to be completed or PowerPoint slides with links or references I want to research. I also use photography, sometimes with my DLSR, sometimes just with my phone, to record and capture prototypes, models and sketchbook work.
Insights from interview
In the interview I was looking at two main focuses:
- How we utilise photography, with a focus on social media
- How accessibility of social media allows a more playful and creative exploration of digital self though photography
I tailored my interview questions to attempt to research these points.
From the themes and codes gathered from the interview, these insights can be drawn:
Sharing
- She likes to share her ‘good times’ with other people, including long distance friends
- Sometimes will prioritise taking a good photo to show others what a good time she is having over enjoying the moment
- Posts photos for attention from other people
Working
- Uses photography – usually with her phone – to record her artwork for uni
- Usually uses her phone for taking photos due to how easy it is to use
- Uses her phone a lot when taking breaks from work
- Regularly uses Instagram for inspiration for work
Self image
- Thinks that people only see a tiny glimpse of her life through photos she posts on social media, and that they don’t see the entire story, “just that specific moment where it’s good, but they don’t see anything else.
- Considers one of her social media accounts a “front”, or a fictional all-good personality
Self expression
- Wants to have a positive impact on other people’s lives
- Enjoys looking at photos of art online, and takes photos of visually appealing things
- Feels more comfortable posting embarrassing/intimate things on private accounts
- Posts on stories more than actual posts due to the time limit
Memories
- Uses photos to remind herself of good memories
- Some photos, on social media and on phones, have great sentimental value
To conclude and address the focal points of this research task: Dundee Uni 1st year students utilise photography and social media in a variety of ways; to share, to remember, and to express themselves. A typical first year student might use their phone to take photographs of briefs or work that needs to be done or to record work they’ve done, for example a DJCAD student might use their phone to take a picture of developments in their artwork. This shows the versatility of the uses of photography. Social media, especially using multiple social media accounts, allows a student to be more creative, and feel freer posting engaging, provocative and interesting photos on the internet. Owning and using different accounts does allow some people like they are putting up “fronts”, but also allows them to dedicate accounts to hobbies, interests or closer friends.
Although there are some points I would want to do differently if I was given another chance, overall I am very pleased with my end result and feel like I learned a lot in the process.
Reflection on Learning
I learnt a lot throughout this module; the content on codes and themes (analysis of transcription) proved difficult at first and I struggled with correctly wording the interview questions, but I feel that I have really developed my research skills.
This module gave me a lot of chances to try different working techniques, including mind mapping. I used a large mind map to note all the information from the different talks and start thinking of interview questions and approaches.
I used thematic analysis to interpret information from the interview. I extracted codes, then developed themes making sense and linking these codes together. From this I, as a researcher, can develop detailed and interesting insights into the user I am researching.
