Chapter 2. Conceptual Approach
2.5 Photography as Visual Communication
through how a photographer compose the subjects in photograph can help her to interpret their portrait as a visual text and also about how the photography and the narratives photography may contribute to other people lives and work. As Diane also mention about Harper’s observation, which notes a photographer, she realizes that audience knew a little or nothing about the cultural information what contained in the image if there were no photography narrative. Harper also mentions that photographs can be used to understand the world of others. In Diane journal, she wrote about the suggestion from Becker that said although photographs as representation appear to document something that real or true that was in front of the camera, they, in fact, capture what may be more important—
the cultural context that underpins the captured image.
2.5 Photography as Visual Communication
Panke, T. (2016) in his journal stated that photography is the easiest medium to helped people to communicate effectively, they founded the beautiful moment and important social messages in daily life. Photography itself had their own individual ability to communicate in even small moments of life such as timeless expressions, and reactions which changed the mood to explore visual communication expression such as joy, sorrow, humility, or wonder. It changed through the medium of photographical communication to world and promote changes in the way where others can see. Based on his opinion he mentions the photography on the walls of one person's home or office could communicate a lot about what is important to him and his family's behavior. Photography is a well-established medium for preserving family and cultural histories as well as the
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photographs will never be the same again Panke, T. (2016). As far as taking advantage of the opportunity to take photos allows us to remember things as they once were. As in example nowadays, social media channels are often used by people for sharing some photographs to communicate with others. In fact, now more websites and social channels are built just to simply allow people to share photos. Many people do not understand how cameras are used for visual communication. Approaching photography with different artists by taking snapshots, anyone can capture a snapshot. However, when the tool is the eye of the artist one begins to see and perceive the world differently by their own view, but many do not understand this importance. The purpose is to emphasize the significance of uniquely understanding, which can result on effective communication.
Professional photographers often say the main thing is the aim to capture the mood, and everything is in detail. Sometimes they try to find the answers to questions that are ignored such as: senses, learning the rhythms of nature and find the soul of man. Panke (2016) mentions that people always focused on the impact of the medium because it is extensively used. People of all ages, races, genders, and ethnicity can participate in this medium. Photographers have used the images to uncover injustice in society, condemn wars, and unveil the dignity of humankind in the same time they also could show the culture. He believed the issue of social keep changing, as well as how images communicate in society. Photography’s has a unique characteristic, to be elaborated on later research, and has set itself up to society’s principal visual tool. The purpose of a camera is to enable artists to see the world from a different point of view. In the same way, social communication involves us to see things from a different point of view.
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Chapter Three Project Methodology
This chapter delineates the form presented in the exhibition and discusses the theory behind it. Furthermore, this part also explains the creative planning for this project.
3.1 Creative Form
The form I presented by was inspired by Dianne Ketelle as in her journal The Ground They Walk On: Photography and Narrative Inquiry. First, she collected photograph of her students and then share their photo to her colleagues and other students to gain their perspectives and understand in what ways they thought the photographs could be interpreted as visual texts. The portraits thus became visual and written texts. As seen in figure 2, the researcher will take students photo in all their process adaptation and tell the stories as the caption for the photos. As she used the theory from Barthes’ (1981) conceptual framework for photography as she applied to her narrative research. (See figure 3.)
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direction. She had been clear with me that she wanted the picture taken to focus on the professional suit she was wearing, but she didn't want her tennis shoes in the shot. For that reason, the image cuts at the knees.Ordinarily, she would have three or four walkie talkies on her waist, but she removed them for the photo. This is a fun person, someone you would like to get to know. Jessica projects a “can do” attitude in this image which matches what she wrote which simply says, “Leadership is constant, yet changes its form daily.”
Carlos, a sophomore, comes up to Jessica and says, "Ms. B. what's the deal with global warming? Is it true?" Jessica smiles and has a talk with Carlos, who by all accounts hadn't spent much time in school this semester.
Jessica roams the halls. In a school of 2,300 students, it wouldn't seem possible to know all the kids, but it seems that she does. I hardly understand how this can be true. When I arrive Jessica says, "Walk with me and I'll tell you how things have been going." As we walk, she conveys familiar stories of behavior problems, teachers who aren't committed, problems with staff, and between each story she stops to talk to students or faculty. I think to myself, this work is done every day, all day long.
Figure 3.1 Photo and written text (Ketelle, 2000)
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“To Reflect” “To Transform”
Figure 3.2 Conceptual framework of photograph (Barthes, 1981)
This conceptual framework will involve making meaning of the photographic process.
The photograph was constructed between researcher and the subject. Once the photograph was constructed, it invited those who participate in its construction as well as others, to consider new ways in which it may be used. (Dianne Ketelle; 2010)
Hence, the process step of this project will be structured in four steps as seen on Table 1.
Table 3.1 Process
Project steps Action step Time
Step 1
Find two different backgrounds, of Indonesian students and have a deep interview about how they live in Taiwan(this interview will appear in appendix)
One is a Mother, and another one is a student which hasn’t had a family yet.
November 2017
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After having a deep conversation, I observe what actually they do in daily life and took the result of step 1, 2 3 and my observation in all the photographic session processes. exhibition or see them online.
May 2018
3.2 Creative Planning
Photo project is one of my ways to show how the researcher believe picture such as photography, but beyond that, it's also a great way to express the idea and unspoken stories. By definition, a photographic essay is a set or series of photographs intended to tell a story or evoke emotions. It can be only imaged, images with captions, or images with full text. In short, it can be almost anything you want it to be. Which is where I struggle most–when the options are limitless.
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In this chapter, I will explain briefly about the subject I will work with. In every year, there will always a new student that come to Taiwan. I choose 2 students which is have different background because they will tell a different stories. After three weeks photoshoot session, the researcher needs to go to photo choosing to decide which photo will describe the process of cross culture adaptation that happens to Indonesian students.
There are strategies for selecting and organizing photographs to create "photo-stories" (Whiting, 1979, p. 34). Photography has many utilities, including the conveyance of (1) emphasis, (2) differentness, (3) motion or action, (4) the affordance of editing out non-seminal information, and (5) the portrayal of time. The representational function of photography is about creating meaning-to depict and to symbolize-through the use of photographic language. As Hall (1997) writes, "representation connects meaning and language to culture" (p. 15); that is to say that representation (to depict or to symbolize) connects the interpretation (meaning) and the photograph (language) to the context (culture).
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Chapter four Results 4.1 Introduction of the Creative Work
In this chapter I will briefly, introduce all of the process in the exhibition with the explanation and also I will provide the data and the result of this project.
4.1.1 Narrative photography
This photograph below signifies the very start of Indonesian student’s struggle and process of their learning and adaptation. This photography series guides us through the journey of an Indonesian student coming to Taiwan, and the struggle of learning language, university studies and his university life. This process is a unique challenge, that full of frustration and victory.
敘事攝影
這張照片像象徵做印尼學生在台灣學習，適應與奮鬥過程的開始。這個系列攝影
作品引領我們去了解一位印尼學生來台學習語言，接受高等教育，和融入台灣的
生活。這個充滿挫折和勝利的過程是個獨特的挑戰。
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As the researcher mentioned before, there are four phase in adaptation that will show in the photograph.
First Phase: Honeymoon
1. The Acceptance 『融入』
Figure 4.1 This is us, Indonesian students arriving to Taiwan for the first time. We are going to start our university life soon. People say university life is amazing, and we can’t wait for that! We can’t wait to explore. Actually, this is the last photo of us together, because we go to different universities. I hope we can meet again and share some good moments!
這是我們，我們是第一次到達台灣的印尼學生。 我們即將開始我們的大學 生活，人們說大學生活是精彩的，我們很期待！ 我們迫不及待想要探索，
實際上這是我們在一起所拍的最後一張照片，因為我們上了不同的大學。
我希望，我們能再次相聚並分享一些美好的時刻！
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Second Phase: Crisis
Figure 4.2 Hey, my name is Satria Perkasa Hendratama. My Chinese name is 林成財. Before coming to Taiwan to start my new journey in the university, I was so excited to meet my new friends and of course explore the new environment. But after I arrived, I realized that I was feeling left behind. I am having a hard time adapting to the new language, new places and I feel like a stranger. My world seems crumbling down, I don’t know what to do.
嘿，我是 Satria Perkasa Hendratama，我的中文名字是林成財。我還沒來 台灣之前，我很期待大學的新生活，也很期待見到我的新朋友，當然也很想 嘗試新的環境，但是在我來到這裡之後，我才意識到我都沒有進步。 我很 難適應新的語言，新的地方，感覺自己像個陌生人。 我的世界崩潰了，我
不知道該怎麼做。
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Figure 4.3 It really makes me happy if I can find someone to speak Chinese with.
Sometimes I don’t really care if it is a stranger or a waitress, I just want to improve my Chinese, so I can do better in school and get new friends.
我想如果有一天我可以找到某人一直用中文聊天，我應該會讓我很開心。
有時候我真的不在乎是陌生人還是服務員，我想提升自己的中文水平，這樣 我就可以在學校得到更好的成績，還可以結交新朋友。
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Figure 4.4 My Name is Yuherina Gusman, I am currently studying at National Chengchi University. My major is an international doctoral program for Asia Pacific Studies. I am not just a student, I am also a full time mother for my daughter, and wife for my husband. While doing my research I am learning Chinese too; every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Even sometimes I feel tired because the activity is all day long, I will not give up learning Chinese.
我的名字是 Yuherina Gusman，我目前在國立政治大學讀書。 在亞太研究 國際博士課程念博士學位。 我不只是一名學生，我也是一位媽媽，我同時 也是丈夫的妻子。 在進行我的研究的同時，我也在學習中文; 每週二、週四 和周五都去上中文課程。 即使有時候我因整天的活動而感到疲憊，我也不 會放棄學習中文。
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2. The Struggle 『掙扎』
Figure 4.5 Oh ya! I am telling you that I am majoring in Information Management!
Look at my books, they are all in Chinese. I really don’t know how to deal with it every day! Although I try my best to read and understand my Chinese books, I still can’t understand them. It’s feel pretty bad. I keep going to the library after class.
Sometimes I just feel like giving up!
歐對！ 想告訴你，我是資訊管理學系的學生 ！ 你看我的書，全都用中文。
我真的不知道如何面對每一天！ 儘管我已盡我所能去閱讀和理解我的中文書 籍。 但我都無法理解，所以感到很挫折。每天下課後我都有去圖書館念書。
但有時我真的很想放棄！
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Figure 4.6 This week is examination week, I’m still working hard to memorize all the subjects I have. It’s been a tiring day, but I really want to be better and better. I really do hope I can make it till the end.
這週是期末考週，我在努力複習每一個上課內容。 這是辛苦的一天，但我 真的想變得越來越好，我真的也很希望我可以堅持到最後。
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Figure 4.7 Tonight I had a night class at Taipei Municipal Heti Elementary School.
My class starts at six o’clock. I am really tired because I have been working all day, but I can make it here.
今天晚上我在台北河提國小上晚上中文課，我的中文課從六點開始。 我真 的很累，因為我一整天都在忙，但我我真的很開心可以來上課。
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Figure 4.8 I feel like I am a little kid, sitting on that little chair. I try to read every single character in my book, I try to memorize it and get familiar with it.
Sometimes I am struggling in memorizing the characters, and sometimes even the pronunciation is weird for me.
我感覺自己像個小學生，坐在那張小椅子上。 我嘗試閱讀我書中的每一個 字，我試著記住它並熟悉它。 有時候我很難可以馬上把字記下來，有時候
我的發音也很奇怪。
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3. The Process 『過程』
Figure 4.9 I try to take every note, and search for the character that I don’t understand. I believe if others can do it, I can make it! I will keep fighting and trying every day. The process can let me grow and being better version of me, the new me.
我嘗試寫做筆記。 我相信如果別人能夠做到，我就可以做到！ 我會繼續努 力加油，盡全力，盡情享受這個過程。 這個過程可以讓我成長，變得更 好，成為新的我。
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Figure 5. After day by day studying and struggling with learning the language, I found the fun way to learn the language, through listening to Chinese music. I keep taking notes of the Chinese song lyrics that I don’t understand and try to understand the words through dictionary and memorize them. I should have tried this method a long time ago, it’s really works. Even though sometimes I make mistakes in the pronunciation, but at least I tried my best.
經過每一天努力學習語言，我發現了學習語言最有趣的方式，就是通過聽中 文。 我把看不懂的歌詞中的字寫下來後查字典並努力的把那個字記起來。
我
應該早就嘗試這種方法，它確實有效。 儘管有時我發音會怪怪的，但至少我 盡力了。
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Figure 5.1 As a part time mom and student, sometimes I must find the way to study and take care of my daughter at the same time. I feel sorry sometimes when I have to concentrate on my studies and let her play by herself. Sometimes I feel guilty to see her play alone, but I am preparing myself to become a better mom.
作為媽媽和學生，有時我必須分配時間去學習和照顧我女兒。 我對我女兒
作為媽媽和學生，有時我必須分配時間去學習和照顧我女兒。 我對我女兒