I am currently working a new photo project that is attempting to visually articulate the relationships between online virtual communities and traditional communities. I will be posting new images very soon, probably tomorrow or the next, as I am waiting to get my negatives back from the lab. Some of my initial ideas were to photograph public spaces of traditional, rural communities such as parks and town centers and introduce digital references such as a television or computer monitor. I am now dealing with the issue of isolation that virtual communities are meant to dispel, but in reality seem to perpetuate through isolating the online user within their home or apartment. I am visually investigating this through a series of diptychs that show the subject in their home at their computer, and a formal portrait that is taken outside their home and within their community. I’m looking forward to getting some feedback on the images/project. It is very much in its infancy stages, but I will be presenting it at my first year review in a month, so I would like to have it be as complete as possible by then. I’m looking for feedback from my photo friends (you know who you are) and from anyone that is involved in the virtual community (ie. myspace, facebook, online forums). Stay tuned for images!
What if in the portrait in their community tey wore a name tag with their screenname weitten on it? Think about it.
yeh, I was actually thinking about trying to incorporate screenames in some regard. Or putting how many “friends” they have in facebook. but that actually isn’t a bad idea…like one of those “Hi, my name is…” nametags?