A persuasive image

October 2015

Find 3 examples of landscape photographs (or the collective efforts of a set of photographs) that are being used to assert a particular ideological point of view. Look at images that have been used in advertising or other commercial applications, as well as within fine art and documentary photography. This might be a very explicit message or something a lot subtler. If text is used, consider how this relates to the image. In your learning blog, write brief comments (about 300 words) describing how the photographer or designer used the photograph and how the image communicates its intended message.

Election campaign 2015

Straight road through the landscape. No twisty corners but a bumpy road, implying that it may not be plain sailing. (Symbolism). Union Jack is like the car bonnet. Green and pleasant land. No people, no class division. Clue to party is the text in top right hand corner - a strong place for the text.

2012

A campaign of 3 posters by Brake road safety charity to make the streets of London more friendly to vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. The accelerator pedal has 3 different shoes - a male brogue, a female shoe and a trainer which looks like it is stamping on the people demonstrating their vulnerability. The people underneath are stopping the accelerator pedal. The lighting (sunset) demonstrates that the people are not very visible. The viewer looks at this from the perspective of witnessing a road crash. Beyond the people is a brick wall which gives them nowhere to get to safety. (Brake, 2012) "calls for 20mph limits to become the norm across built-up areas, so children and adults can walk and cycle for their health and enjoyment, and for cheap and sustainable travel, without being or feeling endangered."

Reference
Brake (2012) Press release: Advertising campaign calls on drivers to GO 20. 19 November. Available from: http://www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/new/452-rsw12-pr-billboards [last accessed 26/09/2016]

Oxfam 2012

Released on Boxing Day 2012 in papers, Oxfam hoped people would consider the beautiful landscape of Africa and get people talking about the problem of African hunger. Timing - Boxing Day (not advertised on the image). Series of 3 images. Band Aid's stereotypical images of Africa are what people in Britain think of, rather than the landscape so the images were supposed to make people rethink Africa and donate subliminally. Colourful, landscape is picturesque. Doesn't work for me. Trying to capture middle England? Photographs may be representative of the landscape, although I consider Africa to be a large continent and more likely to think of African plains, deserts and national parks.

Consider an issue (social, political or environmental) that you feel strongly about. Design an image that you think will have a persuasive effect upon a viewer. This could be a deliberately rough photomontage or something more polished. You don’t necessarily need to make the photograph or tableau; this is an exercise in generating ideas, thinking about communicating an idea and taking an ideological standpoint. Annotate sketches and any other work and enter it into your learning log.

Using the landscape image of a road heading off into the distance into the setting sun, I would like the public to look through a window onto the NHS and the political intentions which are publicised in the newspapers and on the media. The setting sun is like the NHS. Junior doctors hours contracts, the 7 day working week, possible non-payment of unsocial hours, privatisation of services are just some of the current issues within the NHS which is being portrayed by the media according to which political party they support and the truth of what is happening is not being represented fairly or in an understandable way to patients and potential patients. If the public wish to keep the NHS, they need to help support it but also take a look at how the issues may affect them. 
In this view - the staff are leaving down the road because of their contracts and finding better paid work elsewhere to support their families. Not enough staff leads to not being able to keep enough beds open, so they are thrown out into the landscape like fly tipped rubbish. There is a newspaper flying around - representative of the coverage. Overflowing bins with rubbish and rats refers to current issues with the privatised cleaning contractors and one which made the local news recently. I could take it further and have a battlefield in one corner with politicians fighting among themselves. 

I could also do this another way by reversing the issues and using a picturesque, idyllic landscape and look through a pair of rose tinted spectacles.