Series Of Photographs Research Articles

Iconic image clusters: Significance, structure, and analysis

This paper explores the phenomenon of iconic image clusters and presents a method for analyzing them. It specifically focuses on compiling individual images into extensive image clusters, such as weblogs, photo series, or image galleries. The analytical interest in this topic is based on the assumption that the compilation and presentation of images are independent means of expression and presentation in visual media. Iconic image clusters can emphasize thematic aspects, highlight contrasts, create styles, or provide visual evidence. In other words, iconic image clusters reflect several communicative possibilities that arise from the technical reproducibility of images. Iconic image clusters belong to the subclass of contemporary hypertext / hyperimage phenomena in media theory and are manifestations of the human ability to generate meaning through relations of similarity and difference in communication theory. This article addresses how iconic image clusters can be analyzed validly. It discusses the communicative structure and functioning of such clusters and proposes a procedure for their analysis. The proposed method is illustrated with examples, including a photographic weblog.

A visual exploration of resource curse in East Kalimantan

Kalimantan has emerged as a primary hub for global coal and palm oil production, particularly in East Kalimantan. This visual essay delves into the concept of the resource curse, examining its potential negative impact on local health and communities, given the heavy reliance on coal and palm oil for economic and infrastructure development. Employing Autophotography during fieldwork research in 2023, the essay presents a series of photographs to prompt discussion and reflection on critical engagement with this ongoing discourse. It underscores Autophotography's role as a critical approach to narrating local narratives and knowledge within a defined conceptual framework aimed at disseminating it to a wider audience. This highlights the potential of visual essays in generating and representing knowledge, thus contributing to knowledge production.

HOW DOES WEARING A FACE MASK AFFECT PERSONS TRUSTWORTHINESS AND ATTRACTIVENES

Face masks became a necessary part of everyday life during the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, most people associated face masks with health care facilities and immunocompromised people. This effect leads to a lower evaluation of the attractiveness of the wearer's face. People's attractiveness correlates with trustworthiness and willingness to communicate. This study examined how the Covid-19 pandemic affected people's perceptions of attractiveness and trustworthiness when looking at faces with face masks. To investigate this question, research participants were presented with a series of photographs of men and women who were divided into three attractivity groups, wearing a black face mask, a white face mask, a blue surgical face mask, and faces without masks. A total of 209 respondents participated in the survey, 80.9% were female and 19.1% were male. Of these, 42.1% of respondents said they were in a relationship and 57.9% said they were not. As many as 80.9% of the respondents were aged between 18-25 years, 10% of the respondents were aged between 26-30 years and 9.1% of the respondents were aged above 30 years. The average age of respondents was 23.6 years. The results showed that the least attractive and trustworthy were the faces without face masks. Faces covered with a black face mask were perceived to be the most attractive and trustworthy. A statistically significant difference was found between men's and women's ratings of trustworthiness and attractiveness in favour of women. The influence of gender, age and relationship status of raters (respondents) on the attractiveness and trustworthiness ratings of models.

Unveiling the magic of mega-city block environments: investigating the intriguing mechanisms shaping children's spontaneous play preferences.

This study delves into the spatial preferences of children for play spaces within high-density urban block environments, specifically targeting the area of Baihua Second Road in Shenzhen, China. Recognizing the critical role of play in children's development, and the unique challenges posed by dense urban settings, this research employs multiclass logistic regression models and negative binomial regression models to construct a detailed mathematical analysis of neighborhood spatial elements and children's play space preferences. Data was meticulously gathered through both objective observations of 14 different types of spaces within the block, and subjective assessments via children's responses to a series of environment photos, capturing the essence of over 3,000 child participants' interactions and choices. Key findings reveal a pronounced preference among children for soft facility features and visually appealing spatial experiences, suggesting a nuanced understanding of play space needs beyond traditional playground designs. Notably, the study identifies that while cartoon-style designs in play facilities might increase moderate attractiveness, ordinary designs hold broader appeal, indicating a preference for diversity in play space aesthetics. These insights offer profound implications for urban planners and designers, advocating for a child-centered approach in the creation of urban play environments that prioritize aesthetic diversity, and the integration of natural elements. Moreover, the study situates Baihua Second Road as a paradigmatic case, illustrating the methodology and analytical framework applied in addressing the complex interplay between children's play preferences and urban spatial configurations. By incorporating a comprehensive data-driven analysis, this research contributes significantly to the discourse on child-friendly urban design, offering valuable strategies for cultivating inclusive and engaging urban play spaces for children amidst the constraints of high-density city living.

Interoceptive posture awareness and accuracy: a novel photographic strategy towards making posture actionable.

Interoception, sometimes referred to as the 'hidden sense,' communicates the state of internal conditions for autonomic energy regulation and is important for human motor control as well as self-awareness. The insula, the cortex of interoception, integrates internal senses such as hunger, thirst and emotions. With input from the cerebellum and proprioceptive inputs, it creates a vast sensorimotor network essential for static posture and dynamic movement. With humans being bipedal to allow for improved mobility and energy utilization, greater neuromotor control is required to effectively stabilize and control the four postural zones of mass (i.e., head, torso, pelvis, and lower extremities) over the base of support. In a dynamic state, this neuromotor control that maintains verticality is critical, challenging energy management for somatic motor control as well as visceral and autonomic functions. In this perspective article, the authors promote a simple series of posture photographs to allow one to integrate more accurate alignment of their postural zones of mass with respect to the gravity line by correlating cortical interoception with cognitive feedback. Doing this focuses one on their body perception in space compared to the objective images. Strengthening interoceptive postural awareness can shift the net result of each zone of postural mass during day-to-day movement towards stronger posture biomechanics and can serve as an individualized strategy to optimize function, longevity, and rehabilitation.

Visionary or Voyeur: Lionel Wendt and the Contradictions of Late Colonial Modernity in Ceylon

The voyeuristic qualities that permeate the vast oeuvre of Ceylonese photographer Lionel Wendt (1900-1944) are a point of contention within scholarship on his work. Scholars counter claims of voyeurism by underscoring his national belonging to Ceylon, his anti-colonial politics, or the global modernist influences on his aesthetic. Many of these analyses rely on Wendt’s biography to contextualize the formal qualities of his photographs. While his biography is important for establishing his influences and motivations as a photographer, it can overshadow the insight offered by the images themselves. This paper draws on a selection of Wendt’s photographs to chart a dialogue between their formal qualities and the political and cultural context of their production, such as a modernist visual arts movement in Ceylon, and a changing political economy as the island approached independence from colonial rule. I argue for a more robust definition of Ceylon modernism that accounts for its relationship to the social modernity during the late colonial era. I then recalibrate the question of voyeurism through an examination of the most common recipient of Wendt’s gaze: the laborer. I pair a formal reading of Wendt’s photo series Men at Work with a discussion of Ceylon’s labor movement, including its contested and antagonistic relationship to the growing nationalist politics of the period. Through my analysis, I foreground the contradictions so characteristic of late colonial modernity in Ceylon, as well as the limitations of binary anti/post-colonial discursive frameworks in which Wendt has been understood.

Fully Endoscopic Minimally Invasive Trans-Eyebrow Supraorbital Translaminar Approach to Third Ventricle Craniopharyngiomas: Technical Nuances and Stepwise Illustrative Description

BackgroundTraditional microsurgical approaches for addressing intraventricular craniopharyngioma pose limited access to the retrochiasmatic area and tumors with significant lateral or rostrocaudal extensions. Extended endoscopic endonasal approaches can effectively overcome many of limitations, yet they require a favorable angle between the optic chiasm and pituitary gland, as well as the involvement of the third ventricle floor by the tumor. MethodsHerein, the authors describe the surgical nuances of a keyhole technique for resecting third ventricle craniopharyngiomas via a fully endoscopic minimally-invasive trans-eyebrow supraorbital translaminar approach (ESOTLA). A case description detailing the approach’s application is provided, along with a series of cadaveric photographs to highlight the relevant anatomy and step-by-step dissection process. ResultsThe patient is a 44-year-old man who presented with polyuria, low urine specific gravity, hypogonadism, and hypopituitarism. Brain MRI revealed a solid-cystic heterogeneous-enhanced retrochiasmatic mass within the third ventricle, consistent with craniopharyngioma. A one-stage ESOTLA was indicated based on the narrow corridor between the pituitary gland and optic chiasm and the high functional status of the patient. Near-total resection was achieved, and no new postoperative neurologic or endocrine deficit was observed. Targeted therapy was implemented based on the histologic result, and the most recent surveillance MRI showed no evidence of the residual tumor. ConclusionsBy combining a keyhole approach with variable-angle endoscopic visualization through a smaller bony and soft tissue exposure, ESOTLA can provide enhanced illumination within the third ventricle, potentially addressing cosmetic concerns and limited exposure area and angle of freedom associated with its conventional microsurgical counterpart.

Synthesis of photo- and ionochromic N-acylated 2-(aminomethylene)benzo[b]thiophene-3(2Н)-ones with a terminal phenanthroline group.

A series of novel photo- and ionochromic N-acylated 2-(aminomethylene)benzo[b]thiophene-3(2Н)-ones with a terminal phenanthroline receptor substituent was synthesized. Upon irradiation in acetonitrile or DMSO with light of 436 nm, they underwent Z-E isomerization of the C=C bond, followed by very fast N→O migration of the acyl group and the formation of nonemissive O-acylated isomers. These isomers were isolated preparatively and fully characterized by IR, 1H, and 13C NMR spectroscopy as well as HRMS and XRD methods. The reverse thermal reaction was catalyzed by protonic acids. N-Acylated compounds exclusively with Fe2+ formed nonfluorescent complexes with a contrast naked-eye effect: a color change of the solutions from yellow to dark orange. Subsequent selective interaction with AcO- led to the restoration of the initial absorption and emission properties. Thus, the obtained compounds represent dual-mode "on-off-on" switches of optical and fluorescent properties under sequential exposure to light and H+ or sequential addition of Fe2+ and AcO- ions.

Illustrated review of Mormon cricket Anabrus simplex (Tettigoniidae, Tettigoniinae) embryonic development

Mormon crickets Anabrus simplex Haldeman, 1852 are a pest of crops and rangeland in the western United States, but little is known about their development in the egg stage. Mormon crickets have multiple states at which they may diapause and thus affect population growth. Consequently, a series of photographs of Mormon cricket embryonic stages was organized using published research on Old World katydids. Earlier stages were more difficult to distinguish without removing the chorion. However, where possible, features that can be seen through the chorion are indicated with the expectation that these will be useful in characterizing development in living embryos. As with other Orthoptera, the timing of development varied greatly among individuals, but at a minimum, embryos filled approximately half the egg in six weeks, whereas they required 12 weeks from oviposition to reach the final stage before their obligate winter diapause.

A Surreal Relation with Otherness in Shirin Neshat’s Land of Dreams

Since her early photographic series Women of Allah (1993−1997), the Iranian-American artist Shirin Neshat has been either praised for her alternative representations of veiled Muslim women or criticised for practising self-Orientalisation. This article reflects on Neshat’s Land of Dreams (2019) where the artist turns her lens towards American people and landscapes, investigating how her aesthetic and dialogic search for the Other within a demographically diverse state in the US, New Mexico, challenge the pre-conditioned expectations of her works as art from the Middle East. Engaging with Neshat’s surreal interactions with her sitters in this photographic and video installation, the focus is how she becomes a mediator to show a dynamic of Relation, in Édouard Glissant’s sense of the term, and the complexity of the individuals’ minds and life experiences through blurring the lines between dream and waking life, fiction and reality, past and present. The analysis further explores Neshat’s viewpoint as a diasporic artist manifested in her visual strategies to facilitate a nuanced and fluid understanding of the artist’s own sense of identity, belonging and homeland.

Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Channel Disturbance Zones in Big River, Southeast Missouri (1937–2018)

abstract: Ozarks watersheds have responded to land clearing and settlement disturbances by transporting large amounts of gravel and sediment to main valleys of medium-large river systems. Historical gravel and sediment accumulate in disturbance zones, which are areas of excessive channel activity that can be detected over time using historical aerial photographs. This project uses a series of aerial photos from 1937–2018 to identify disturbance zones in the Big River of southeast Missouri, which has a history of lead mining and ore processing that has caused widespread contamination of the channel and floodplain deposits. Variations in active areas of the historical meander belt show that disturbance zones account for 24 percent of the channel length at an interval of one per 2.5 km of channel. Megabars and extensions are the most prominent types of disturbance zones, but translations and cutoffs are larger with higher potential for sediment storage. From 1937 to 1976, areas of channel activity have cycled between expansion and contraction. However, after a period of recovery prior to 1976, disturbance zone areas have been expanding over the last 40 years likely in response to an increase in flood magnitude and frequency from more high intensity rainfall events since 1973.

Barokne skulpture iz kapele sv. Jakoba (Blažene Djevice Marije) na Očuri

Gothic chapel of St Jacob (originally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary) in Očura (Gorjani Sutinski near Radoboj in Hrvatsko Zagorje) underwent Baroque modifications in the mid-18th century (1752). Its degradation, initiated with damage during World War II, primarily impacted the wooden inventory, including altar sculptures that adorned its interior. Among the surviving remnants of the once luxurious Baroque furnishing, a group of seven statues with uniform design features, evidently associated with the extensive furnishing campaign shortly after the building’s renovation, deserves special attention. Only two years later (1754), an Apostolic visitator described the appearance of the remodelled and newly furnished chapel, crediting the local (Mihovljan) parish priest Ivan Kukuljević, later appointed a Zagreb canon (1755), for the entire project. In the last year of his ministry, the symbolic completion of Kukuljević’s efforts to adorn the Očura chapel was marked by the establishment of a branch of the prominent Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, as indicated by a report from the canonical visitation conducted three years later (1758). Unfortunately, records from the aforementioned canonical visitation (as well as later ones) do not provide a detailed description of the newly erected altars or the iconographic programme of their statues. These are known only from a series of historical photographs from the first half of the 20th century, related to the chapel’s devastation. Given the fragmentary preservation of the sculptural ensemble in Očura and its generally poor condition, previous publications could offer only brief stylistic and formal analyses. Nevertheless, the harmonized design of the sculptures’ bases, the roughly hewn and hollowed-out backgrounds, their proportions, and their basic typology suggest that they are part of the same programme. Additionally, the morphological features of the drapery, physiognomy, and anatomy lead to the assumption that they were all produced by the same sculpting workshop. Based on the described affinities with works from the oeuvre attributed to Joseph Straub, it seems possible to connect the Očura statues with his circle, which – in addition to the master’s assistant and successor Joseph Holzinger – included other, anonymous sculptors active in the area of Lower Styria and north-western Croatia.

Staging Analog Nostalgia in Nicaraguan Photography: Margarita Montealegre's Sajonia (Despertar la memoria)

Abstract: In this article, I analyze Margarita Montealegre's photographic series Sajonia (Despertar la memoria) (2017–ongoing). I employ the lens of "analog nostalgia," a concept developed by Laura U. Marks, to focus on her practice of using digital tools to rephotograph analog pictures. The series utilizes family photographs depicting Montealegre's childhood in the Sajonia neighborhood in Nicaragua in the 1960s, superimposed on present-day photos. I argue that the absence of images from the intervening period is key to understanding Montealegre's radical gesture and the narrative she constructs about the relationship between Nicaragua's past and present, memory and reality, history and progress.

“The Pleasures in Being Seen”: An Interview with Dani Lessnau, Led by Drs. Stéfy McKnight and Julia Chan

When conceptualizing the call for this special issue, one artist came to our (Julia and Stéfy’s) minds: Dani Lessnau. Her work straddles complexities of surveillance, voyeurism, desire, and female pleasure. In particular, we want to highlight Lessnau’s provocative performance photography series extimité created in 2017. Using a pinhole camera inserted into her vagina, she photographs the sexual intimacies and relationships with her partners. We ask more broadly, what does it mean to use surveillance as a method of pleasure? And, how can artists subvert or appropriate the surveillant gaze in ways that disrupt heteropatriarchy? We are grateful to have had the opportunity to explore these tensions and questions with the artist herself in this interview. Thank you, Dani, for engaging with us in this topic.

DISCOVERY OF A NEW MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURE IN FORENSIC MEDICINE DURING THE STUDY OF GUNSHOT INJURY USING THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING OF THE WOUND CHANNEL

The use of spatial three-dimensional modeling of the main elements of a gunshot injury plays a significant part in the modern forensic medical examination. It allows not only to improve the visualization of such bodily injuries, to increase the objectivity and validity of expert conclusions, to accumulate an evidence basis for war crimes committed with the use of various types of firearms, but it also helps to discover new morphological features which couldn’t be detected when using traditional research methods. The work shows the process of detecting a new morphological feature during three-dimensional modeling of the wound channel caused by the IJ 70-01 pistol loaded with 9 mm cartridges.
 Aim of the work. Demonstration of new possibilities of three-dimensional spatial modeling in the process of the forensic investigation of a gunshot wound.
 Materials and methods. To achieve the aim of study, a series of experimental shots were fired from the IJ 70-01 automatic pistol loaded with 9 mm cartridges. To conduct bench ballistic tests according to the US standards – NIJ (National Institute of Justice), HOSDB (Home Office Scientific Development Branch) – standardized ballistic clay Roma Plastilina No.1 was used as the main material that absorbs the energy of the bullet and reproduces all the elements of wound ballistics. It was coated in pig skin with subcutaneous adipose tissue in order to recreate more true-to-life conditions of the gunshot injury. The generated wound channel was filled with Tropicalgin alginate impression material (Zhermack, Italy), which was mixed according to the manufacturer’s instructions; it has short setting time and reproduces the smallest details of the wound channel. Thereafter, the formed cast of the wound channel was subjected to a series of photographs at the appropriate angles and its 3D model was created with the help of the graphic design software “Agisoft PhotoScan” and “3ds max”.
 Results. The result of the conducted studies was obtaining a spatial three-dimensional model of the gunshot wound channel, which brings about new opportunities for its research. The implementation of three-dimensional modeling techniques made it possible to discover a new morphological feature – a helical torsion of the wound channel, the direction of which can indicate specific design features of the firearm used.
 Conclusions. The implementation of three-dimensional spatial modeling in the process of a gunshot trauma investigation sets conditions for increasing visibility and objectivity during conduction of such forensic medical examinations. At the same time, new opportunities are brought about for taking linear dimensions of the existing morphological features of the wound channel main elements with extended precision, the accumulation of demonstrative evidence basis in cases of such injuries, and the discovery of new morphological features for identification of the specific design features of the firearm used.

Cellulose nanocrystals/fluorinated polyacrylate with mechanical tunability, water-oil resistance and self-healing capability via light actuated reversible associations

Traditional fluorinated polyacrylate has been extensively applied in various fields, which is favored by many researchers. However, the polymer usually can lose usefulness when it is damaged. Endowing the polymer with self-healing capability provides a potential solution to address the conflict. Herein, a series of photo actuated self-healing fluorinated polyacrylate based on coumarin groups was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)-assisted Pickering emulsion polymerization using the modified cellulose nanocrystals as the stabilizer, n-butyl acrylate (BA) as the soft monomer, and methyl methacrylate (MMA) as the hard monomer. The influences of the dosage of 7-(4-vinylbenzyloxy)−4-methylcoumarin) (VBMC) and the mass ratio of BA to MMA on the emulsion polymerization and latex film properties were studied. The results showed that the latex particle size and its distribution decreased and then increased as the VBMC dosage and the mass ratio of BA to MMA increased. The latex film exhibited not only high ultimate tensile stress (6.36 MPa) and large stretchability (575.71%) but also a certain anti-fatigue characteristic. The water and oil contact angles of latex film could reach 118.5° and 101.7°, respectively. Besides, the latex film could achieve efficient self-healing capability due to the mobility of polymer chains associated with low glass transition temperature (Tg) and the reversible [2+2] cleavage/dimerization reaction of the coumarin groups upon ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of 254 nm and 365 nm. The work offers a substantial reference for developing different light actuated self-healing polymers with great prospects and promising futures.

Does value-based prioritization at working memory enhance long-term memory?

Research has demonstrated that individuals can direct their attention to valuable information in both working memory and long-term memory tasks with observable effects on performance. However, it is currently unclear whether prioritising an item for a working memory task automatically translates into a boost at long-term memory. This was examined in two experiments using relatively short (250 ms per item; Experiment 1) and longer (500 ms per item; Experiment 2) encoding times. Participants first completed a visual working memory task, in which they were presented with series of photographs of everyday objects. Following a brief delay (1,000 ms), they completed a four-alternative forced-choice test. Prior to encoding, participants were informed of the point values associated with each item. In some trials, the first item in the sequence was worth more points than the rest. In other trials, all items were equally valuable. After a filled delay, participants completed a surprise long-term memory task. At working memory, a value effect was reliably observed on recognition accuracy, along with some evidence of faster response times for high-value items. However, there was little consistent evidence of this effect automatically persisting into long-term memory. Thus, the benefits of attentional prioritization in working memory do not always translate into longer-term performance. More broadly, this provides further evidence that manipulations that enhance working memory performance do not necessarily enhance long-term memory.

About the published content on each section

About the published content on each section

Faced with PHACES: A photo series of its progression and overview of clinical management

Introduction: Posterior fossa anomalies, hemangioma, arterial anomalies, cardiac anomalies, eye anomalies, and sternal anomalies (PHACES) syndrome is a rare, multi-system disorder. Case Report: We illustrate a case of a 1-month-old female who presented emergently with an enlarging, large, left-sided hemangioma segmentally distributed over the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (V1) region prompting clinical concern for PHACES syndrome. Further workup was recommended to evaluate for extracutaneous involvement, which subsequently revealed coarctation of the aorta and multiple arterial abnormalities. Conclusion: The vast array of potential, devastating complications linked to PHACES syndrome highlights the importance of prompt identification when confronted with hemangiomas, especially in the pediatric population. We further present a photo series demonstrating the evolution of our patient’s infantile hemangioma from its subtle initial stages through its rapid evolution leading to her emergent presentation, emphasizing the importance of early clinical suspicion and intervention.

Reconsidering Photographic Temporality through Piotr Uklański’s Nazis

In The Nazis (1998) and its sequel, Real Nazis (2017), the Polish American artist Piotr Uklański creates glossy photographic assemblages of real and fictional Nazis, which critics have generally interpreted by turns as critiquing or participating in the culture industry’s fascination with and glamourization of Nazism. However, the formal mechanisms of Uklański’s work remain undertheorized. This essay offers a reading of The Nazis and Real Nazis that locates the aesthetic politics of these two products of the “perpetrator turn” in Holocaust studies and memory studies in the ways they manipulate assumptions about photographs’ temporality. Photographic theorists like Siegfried Kracauer, Susan Sontag, André Bazin, and Roland Barthes famously conceptualized photographic time through the category of grammatical tense and on examples of individual still images rather than photographic series. This essay builds on those theories by applying Peter Wollen’s work about narrative and grammatical aspect, which concerns the completedness or duration of what photographs depict, to argue that Uklański’s Nazi projects are more adequately explained as incomplete photographic narratives. By occluding viewers’ expectations about the aspect of photography, The Nazis and Real Nazis critically renarrate Nazism not as a completed historical trauma but as alive today amid a worldwide resurgence of right-wing populism.