Email Draft

Hi Rob,

It has been a while since we have spoken, how have you been? I am writing to you because I would love the opportunity in conducting an interview with you for an english assignment that I have up coming. I believe writing and photography goes hand in hand, and I would love to have your take on your experience as a professional, how it relates to your ability to write and communicate effectively throughout your career that lead to your success today.

If it is not too much out of your time, I would love to schedule an appointment in which we can sit down for a short interview. 

Thanks,

Warren

Crafting Messages for Electronic Media / Writing Routine and Positive Messages

As I read both chapters this week, it reminds me of my current employment for a wireless communication provider.  While email is still the predominant source for communication within the organization, I see that it has began to slowly move away from pushing too many emails when it comes to getting the messages across. Utilizing instant group messenger, intranet blogs, and every youtube videos, the organization can now reach more employees and effectively communicate its messages without having to worry about if the employees are effectively checking and reading their emails.  As technology improves, I predict the demand for more in-spontaneous communication methods over email will be the change in the way we proceed in our work and personal life.

My Artist Statement

A photograph tells a story that, as viewers tend to fill in the blanks in-between. The passion to create comes from the artist, what he or she composes with the camera will tell a story only the photographer would know, only then a personal connection is made with the viewer. The greatness of a photographer isn’t about the images created but the responses it will elect from the viewers. 

After seeing the work of fame photographer, Martin Schoeller, in his series of celebrity close up portraits, I was inspired by the way he was able to capture the essence of his subjects. The lighting technique was simple, but it was unique and it tells a story only he could’ve told it. These celebrities are not directed to pose a certain way, the image just naturally happen as the shoot progresses, ending with a powerful yet unique image.

In my series, Alter Ego, I documented a group of cosplayers who portray the character they grown to love and adore within the pop culture of today. These people are passionate about the costume and the personality they portray in the character themselves. I wanted something original, something that tells a story about not just the character they become but the person within the character they choose to portray. The cosplayer are shown a side where they are fearless, powerful, and passionate, but looking past the costumes and masks, these individuals are who you see that walks amongst us. 

Reading and Understanding Arguments

As I read through the book on understanding arguments in a rhetorical situation, I realized how writing in general follows the same concept from beginning to end. To understand how to elect a response from the audience in an argument, no matter what type of argument it is, you have to understand the genre and then formulate rhetoric features that relates to the genre. 

Did something happen? What is its nature? What is the quality or cause? What actions should be taken? These are all questions that will define your writing and the audience you are trying to reach. Applying the evidence or technique to reach the conclusion that give the readers a stand you are taking in your own writing and will elect a proper response out of your audience.

Writing Identities

I love reading graphic novels and to be able to understand writing identities through it makes it that much more fun to learn. Learning to write about different subjects requires the writer to change the identity of its writing because communicating with the audience might be completely different. 

The more I read into understanding rhetoric, the more I feel like the approach I have in my writing can be changed for the better. I am looking forward to see how my writing will improve at the end of the semester. 

Deconstructing Artists' Statement

After reading through a few artist statements, I found that each has its own uniqueness but none of each was taken out of context as to what the statement represents.  One of my recent inspiration, photographer Martin Schoeller, wrote in an artist statement in which he clearly describes his work of art and the thought process behind it. As to many artist statement, one must clearly communicate with his or her audience, to elect a response, to provoke an emotion all of which is important to the works created. 

There is an inspiration when reading an artist statement, it is something that tells the viewers what drives their creativity.  In reading Mr. Schoeller’s statement, he mentioned that in 91, after seeing Bernd and Hilla Becher’s water tower series, that it had inspired him to photograph a large group of subjects in the exact same style. I love reading an artist’s inspiration because it tells me that as great as they are now, there was a guidance from someone that came before them that had the same ideas and creativity. 

WEEK ONE /// NAVIGATING GENRES

Learning about genres and how they function is a really fresh take on what writing composition is about.  As I read through the essay of navigating genres, I realized just how much I know about genres in my normal daily routine and the rhetorical features that ties into these genres. 

One of my favorite genre that I know very well is Role-Playing Video Games. To break down what a role-playing game is, one must understand the rhetorical features that ties into the genre.  A story is one important aspect that makes up a role-playing game. A world is then created, within it comes the main character, supporting characters, non-player characters, villains, monsters. In a role-playing game, the option to level up the knowledge and skills of the character is presented, usually a very customizable method in which the player chooses how they would improve the character that was portrayed. 

Just by knowing these rhetorical features in a genre, I can now feel more comfortable with writing about a video game review or just a research paper about the genre. I was taught in the past with any form of writing, that a brainstorm is usually the normal process before the writing begins, follow by an introduction, a body paragraph, and a conclusion. I am sure these elements are still a big part of learning writing composition. However, I do feel that knowing and understanding the genre in the topic chosen makes a much better start than blindly picking up a pencil and write down anything that comes to mind.

I always felt like there was a restriction when I write, never felt that freedom usually because I only write when I am told to either by my instructor or in the work place. I do feel that once I can develop a form or a process which can allow me to freely write, only then can I truly enjoy writing.