Participatory Photography

• The term 'Sleeveface’ was devised in April 2007 by Carl Morris and with his friend John Rostron, he put them online and created a Facebook group

• They co-authored a book - Sleeveface : Be The Vinyl (2008), based on worldwide submissions to their WordPress site Sleeveface

• There is also a Sleevefacer iPhone app• (Wikipedia, 2012)

What is ‘Sleeveface’ photography?“One or more persons obscuring or augmenting any part of their body or bodies with record sleeve(s) causing an illusion.” The images captured are simply for entertainment and fun taken by your average person. They all share this humorous and light hearted appeal intertwined with music. For example this image on the record could be seen as being offensive for someone who is over weight but, instead it is viewed as playful humour.

• Dear Photograph began as an idea in 2011

• Via a Tumblr blog, Taylor Jones invited people to re-photograph old photos in the place they were originally taken

• It became a book in 2012• The blog attracts 15,000-20,000 views

each day and an app is in development (Hernandez, 2012)

What is ‘Dear Photography’?“Hold a picture from the past in the place where it was photographed and take a picture of the picture. Add a caption to explain the meaning it has for you.”The images like Sleeveface are taken by your average individuals. However, these images captured have a more heartfelt warmth feeling and savour special and even intimate moments for the photographer. For example this image connotes love.

Dear photograph (2012)

Interactivity

• http://www.sleeveface.com/

• http://dearphotograph.com/

A link browser to both online photography sites.

Evidently proven Sleeveface encourages its users to participate with uploading their own imagery which makes up the website- user generated. Suggesting , participants act as the ‘prosumers’ through creating their own content.

Also giving users the option to like the actual Sleeveface page on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter, useful for twitter as it can become a worldwide trending topic through using the hash tag when discussing. This creates interactivity amongst users as well as popularity which could link to viral marketing. The fact that the site is in partnership with the popular music label ‘Interscope’ attracts a large audience as it is common for most individuals to enjoy music. The images are taken of actual record covers arguably we can say this is targeting an older audience along with a younger audience depending on the genre and year of the music therefore creating a mass audience appeal.

Finally, to be able to post your own pictures users need to become members of the site this further interlinks with the Blumer and Kats Uses and Gratification theory of personal identity and social interaction as its creates this sense of belonging and connectivity for individuals amongst one another.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVt4jOasujc&feature=youtu.be

Yet again we see how Sleeveface are further enticing users to join this phenomena of creative photography.

This is a hyperlink on how to ‘SleeveFace’:

This is a hyperlink to ABC news’ observations of ‘Dear Photograph’s’ beginning inspiration:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgiDtyEr6NQ

Photographer Taylor Jones discovered a new and unique way to recreate photo memories, which has now become virally popular

Credit: Talia Joseph November 8th, 2012

'Dear Photograph’ (2011)

Just like ‘Sleeveface’, ‘Dear Photograph’ is also interactive with its users once again with the like page on Facebook and becoming a member on the site. It is also user generated as again the consumers act as ‘prosumers’ as they produce the content (the images taken) and post it too the site.

Similarly to ‘Sleeveface’ we could arguably say ‘Dear Photograph’ promotes itself as it has links to were you can purchase the physical copy (book) from. But doesn’t have advertising which ‘Sleeveface’ does but makes it relevant for the site like purchasing a laptop, this could suggest ‘Sleeveface’ may profit through advertising.

Moreover, like ‘Sleeveface’, ‘Dear photograph’ is in participation with Tumblr so users are able to further interact and perhaps create blog posts on the photography.

Participatory Culture

• We can say both ‘Sleeveface’ and ‘Dear photography’ have this instant participatory appeal to them. The users themselves may be consumers but are able to further interact and even add content. We can say this is a new development through new technology and most obvious new media as users are no longer passive but, interact. Nevertheless we can link both the websites to remediation due to the combined genres the both sites have to offer.

Social Media• It could be unmistakably argued that both ‘Sleeveface’ as well

as ‘Dear Photograph’ are forms of social media as they each hold forms of online media too:

References:• Talia Joseph (2012) Robert Goulets’ Greatest Hits [online image] Available from:http://www.sleeveface.com/ (Accessed 13/11/12)• Zoe (2010) David Bowie [online image]. Available from:

http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/04/captivating-examples-of-sleeveface-photography/ (Accessed 13/11/12)• Craig and Pete (2012) Listen with múm [online image]. Available from: http://www.sleeveface.com/?p=3535 (Accessed 13/11/12)• Duane Perera (2012) The dove you save [online image]. Available from: http://www.sleeveface.com/?p=3504 (Accessed 13/11/12)• Jonas Bergström (2012) Head Music [online image]. Available from: http://www.sleeveface.com/?p=3496 (Accessed 13/11/12)• Peter Rockwell (2011) rihanna [online image]. Available from: http://www.sleeveface.com/?p=3239 (Accessed 13/11/12)• Carl Morris and John Rostron Book cover [online image]. Available from: http://www.sleeveface.com/?page_id=214 (Accessed 13/11/12)• Nanacy (2012) two young boys [online image]. Available from: http://

dearphotograph.com/post/35567658685/dear-photograph-im-so-proud-my-boys-childhood (Accessed 13/11/12)• Ilah (2012) young toddler laying down [online image]. Available from: http://

dearphotograph.com/post/35438931552/dear-photograph-its-too-bad-the-days-of-learning (Accessed 13/11/12)• Unknown (2012) Birthday boy [online image]. Available from: http://

dearphotograph.com/post/35226037562/the-original-dear-photograph-photo-was-taken-17 (Accessed 13/11/12)• Rachel (2012) Female hugging Male [online image]. Available from: http://

dearphotograph.com/post/34596072389/dear-photograph-we-have-been-though-so-much-and (Accesssed 13/11/12)• Gabriela (2012) young sisters sitting [online image]. Available from: http://

dearphotograph.com/post/33653487162/dear-photograph-come-sit-on-our-steps-and-play (Accessed 13/11/12)• Taylor jones Book Cover [online image]. Available from: http://book.dearphotograph.com/ (Accessed 13/11/12) • Photography and the Digital Image (2012)TECH1002LAB7_13 slideshow, De Montfort University, Queens Building 0.16 on 12th November,

Available from Blackboard: (Accessed 13/11/12)• From Digital to Social Media (2012) TECH1002WEEH5LECT1213Andrew_Clay Slideshow, De Montfort University, Gateway House 3.13 on

29th October, Available from Blackboard: (Accessed 13/11/12)