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1media/022.jpg2017-11-22T15:54:59-08:00Ways of Seeing - affordance of books and videos44plain2017-11-23T19:41:00-08:00As mediations are not limited to a specific media, instead of focusing on the components of the product/content, I would like to focus on the conditions of productions, so as to grab a broader and more dynamic picture of the socio-technological processes.
Both in the book and television programme, Berger tries to illustrate the influences of European oil-paintings to the formation of contemporary society and culture (in western countries). After reading and watching both versions, it seems the video version illustrates this point more apparent than the book, especially the juxtaposition of images of the selected oil-paintings and real life that are similar to each other. The comparison and argument are clear. While in the book, this argument is mainly from the texts and the arrangements of the images do not have the same 'comparing and contrasting' effect.
This screenshot from episode 1 can also be seen as an example to support the argument about the pleasure of the ability to 'own' in episode 3, such as the facial expressions of both of them and their clothes. It might not be the best example to illustrate (no matter it supports or against the argument), but the filmic version has limited the audiences' imagination by putting certain images at a certain moment. It is somehow the other side of the previous point, that the readings of the images are now becoming limited due to the manipulation, which may restrict the audiences to challenge it.
These two pages are examples of how readers can be imaginative while reading the book (comparing to watching television programmes). Although these two pages are in chapter 7 (publicity), readers (at least from my experience) have the space for linking them to other chapters without the anchoring texts around them (e.g. the points about images are seen in different contexts, feminism and celebration of private possessions). For instance, I immediately think of the naked vs. nude argument when I see the images on the bottom of both pages.
There are also other affordances in terms of the formal characteristics (e.g. size, colour and clarity), and filmic version almost inevitably can include more images than books due to the printing cost. Nonetheless, my main thoughts remain as focusing on the manipulation of images and audiences'/readers' imagination.
