"A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into" - Ansel Adams, famous photographer of the American West.
This quote embodies the focus of our blog. Photography is one of the most widely used forms of media; images are everywhere. In theory, photographs capture moments with accuracy and conviction - a place, a person, an emotion frozen in time. Photographs are easy, there's no reading, which usually means there's no interpretation or thinking either. This is where the problem lies in portraying archaeology in photographs. Since viewers are not critically interpreting the image photographs are often being misconstrued as fact.
Throughout this course we have evaluated the success and effectiveness of the presentation of archaeology to the public and have identified a number of stereotypes that are widely associated with the field. In order to deconstruct these public views, we must find the problems with the portrayal in specific media. In this blog we have defined the many ways that archaeology is being manipulated through photography to, both deliberately and accidentally, skew the public's impression and to further stereotypical thoughts. We brought forth visual examples, analyses and explanations of how easily it is for people to change pictures and influence their viewers' perceptions.
Hopefully now you will look at photos a little differently.
- Hailey, Helen, Katie and Suzie
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