Blog 4: Peer Review
For the final blog reflection, we were asked to read, reflect and analyse one of our peers’ blog entries, focusing on the better lives themes. Since my better lives project was about styling related to fashion sportswear/subcultures, I found it slightly confusing at first picking out a blog based on a different project entirely, and how to analyse it using the better lives themes. However, after much scrolling, I found the blog I wanted: Themes Reflection by Leila Omar.
Her opening line caught my attention, where she stated the importance of just a single photograph, no matter how simple or detailed, simply because of how much information one can obtain from it. Information is knowledge and knowledge is power. She went on to justify that this is why photography is a key method in promoting and educating people when it comes to the better lives themes: sustainability, diversity and social responsibility.
The popular phrase “a picture tells a thousand words” is undeniably accurate. Most of us today take in a substantially large amount of information all through the medium of photographs. No matter how scholarly we like to think we are or how many articles we read, pictures are still a massive part of our lives and a primary source of information. Photographs are powerful. They can be used for almost any reason; good or bad. They can evoke every single kind of emotion from people, to spark outrage or sadness and so on. Of course, this also means that they have the power to bring about change, if used correctly.
How many times do we Google image search things? Or spend hours scrolling on Instagram? Or perhaps flicking through magazines? Most humans are highly visual learners, with “65 percent of us are visual learners, according to the Social Science Research Network.” (McCue, 2013) Another interesting fact I found highlighting the significance of photography was: “Our eyes can register 36,000 visual messages per hour.” (Jensen, 1996)
Leila also gave an example of how fashion photography can help bring about diversity by breaking down barriers between Western and Arab cultures, whilst simultaneously educating people and adding inclusivity into the mix. This was all displayed in Gigi Hadid’s Vogue Arabia March 2017 cover shot by Inez and Vinoodh.
In conclusion, I agree with what Leila Omar has said, especially her final thoughts on how the fashion industry has the social responsibility to inform and encourage consumers to do their part and help make a change. I think her blog had the right material yet could be slightly improved by additional information regarding the impact photography has/can have on sustainability.
References:
Dahabieh, M., 2017. Why Gigi’s Vogue Arabia Cover Matters. [online] British Vogue. Available at: <https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/vogue-arabia-gigi-hadid-cover> [Accessed 30 April 2020].
McCue, T., 2013. Why Infographics Rule. [online] Forbes. Available at: <https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2013/01/08/what-is-an-infographic-and-ways-to-make-it-go-viral/#1316d3737272> [Accessed 30 April 2020].
Visualteachingalliance.com. n.d. [online] Available at: <http://visualteachingalliance.com/> [Accessed 30 April 2020].