T206 Fall Midterm Alexander Wright

Before I started the project I had already made up my mind

that I wanted to capture a depressing aesthetic, or mis-en-

scene, of a song that matched that sort of depression. Since I

took a photography class my sophomore year I knew what to expect

when capturing a series versus a sequence, and how much

difference a string of the same subject matter can affect the

visual aesthetic opposed to a group of images that explore a

certain mood.

I didn’t have much to work with at the start, being

confined to Bloomington campus, so I decided to find the

loneliest part of campus (the forest behind Swain Hall). Since I

felt that was the only isolated section of campus (and I wanted

to get a little creative in my apartment), I set up images in

the place where depression is most evident: at home.

I chose to make all of the pictures black and white for two

reasons: it drains the color and it creates a noir effect. The

absence of color, in a sense, drains the photo of life, leading

into the noir effect that is most associated with film: giving

the series of shots (images) the feeling of dreary hopelessness.

The grainy quality also gives a distorted quality, which can be

explained by the semiotic meaning of confusion and doubt.

Johnny Cash’s Hurt

(first verse)

I hurt myself today

to see if I still feel

I focus on the pain

the only thing that's real

the needle tears a hole

the old familiar sting

try to kill it all away

but I remember everything

what have I become?

my sweetest friend

everyone I know

goes away in the end

and you could have it all

my empire of dirt

(From official music video)

This very short (one second) shot that I took from the music

video was my basis for my whole visual aesthetic. First and

foremost, this song was an interpretation of the Nine Inch

Nails’ “Hurt.” Their original version fell mostly on the use of

drugs, while Johnny Cash (and I) chose the metaphor of

reminiscence of the past in relation to nearing the end of life.

This image, ironically, was meant to reflect the times he did

spend in jail- once due to trafficking narcotics.