Observing the Ordinary

Digital media has a unique way of involving multiple senses. When we watch a video, we see what’s happening, but we also hear it. Plus, we feel emotion brought on by the music or the story, and we read explanations and comments that add to our understanding. This format has the power to take something seemingly ordinary, and make it new and interesting by focusing on detail and showing different perspectives.

Each individual sees the world through his/her own lens, so to speak. We bring to each photograph, video, or blog post our own experiences, opinions, and beliefs. In this way, the same digital story can have a different effect on everyone who experiences it. Through digital media we can also learn the way others see the world, and appreciate the differences that make us unique. It’s important to realize that the way we perceive things isn’t necessarily the best way or the only way. We should also think about what we see, think, and feel and how we might convey our perspective to others. It may seem plain and ordinary to us, but we might have something special we can add to the worldwide conversation. Digital media allows us to do this easier and more effectively than any other medium.

In this Taylor Swift music video, “Ours,” we see a girl as she survives working in a dreary, bland, stereotypical office. She deals with crowded elevators, fake potted plants, and annoying co-workers. The effect is humorous, because we’ve all been in her place – surrounded by so much industrial/commercial/manmade monotony that we feel the need to escape to somewhere fresh and alive. I like this video because it takes the ordinary and makes you chuckle a bit at just how ridiculous some of the things we put up with are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux2k07ToaRA

Ode to Youthful Imagination

Being the oldest of five kids, I’ve been lucky enough to watch all my siblings grow from birth. Something I’ve always admired about kids ages about two to ten is their immense ability to imagine and play. When I was younger, I used to be able to imagine right along with them, but now that I’ve grown, I watch in admiration and appreciation. These pictures feature my sister, who is four, in various moments of play. She can turn anything into a fun alternate reality – a beach, a tube, a piece of paper, a leaf – each is a portal to another world that is entirely and beautifully her own.