WRIT 1133 Reflective PortfolioYour professor and the Writing Program faculty assess WRIT courses by reading student writings at the end of these courses. To help this effort and to demonstrate your wr
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Zhang
Wenjia Zhang
Professor Kamila Kinyon
WRIT 1133
April 24, 2020
Perceptions of Asia Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak
Photography can enhance the understanding of complex issues that affect humanity around the world. A single picture taken can present a narrative or also result in a rhetorical construct depending on how the viewer will perceive it. According to Lutz and Collins (187), each photograph contains a story that can be influenced by feeling, ambiguity, and central theme portrayed. It is the photographer’s gaze that a person experiences a complex multi-dimensional object. The implication is giving the viewers a platform to have specific feelings of each different photo. Currently, the photography gaze has acted as a rhetoric construct and mirror of reality in displaying the current pandemic of Coronavirus. Today, the world continues to suffer from this calamity as experienced with a high number of deaths, closure of schools, suspension of air transports, and in some regions, the imposition of lockdown. As of 12th April 2020, the global figures confirmed that 105,952 had succumbed to this disease while the total cases reached 1,696,588 (WHO paragraph 1). The high death rate has led to coronavirus becoming a big concern for the public. Photographers have also not been left behind in seeking to express reality or impose rhetorical constructs on matters of this virus. Some people even turn discriminatory psychology into dangerous behaviors that harm life safety. I don’t think there should be discrimination in the world but should work together to overcome this global difficulty. The main point of these photos is not to discriminate against anyone, but to give everyone more love. This report will analyze four photographs to understand the gaze and how this is reflecting or leading to a societal perspective on coronavirus.
Photography has played a vital element in illustrating the concept of coronavirus as a challenge to the world. One critical influence has been the application of some of the photographs to create a biased narrative, these photos seek to show the Chinese spread the virus, make bias, and defame Chinese people. Most of the images accompanying the discussion on the coronavirus depict a rhetorical construction and mirroring reality that, indeed, the challenge is fundamentally causing discrimination to the general population of Chinese nationals across the world. The current news and pictures all depict how China is solely to blame for developing and failure to address the challenge of coronavirus swiftly. The media using articles, videos, and photographs has often constructed a narrative that is causing possible difficulties for oversea Chinese students, those traveling abroad and overseas Chinese. The ongoing coverage by the media shows high levels of bias as information shared all shifted blame to China (Zheng, Goh, and Wen paragraph 2). The country is linked to this issue as it recorded the first cases which occurred in December 2019. During this period, Wuhan, a city in Hubei Province, officially announced the first case. The immediate implication to date is the high levels of racism, violence, discrimination, xenophobia, and prejudice against Chinese and even to some extent individuals from South and East Asia.
Photography has fueled the growing issue of discrimination by acting as a mirror or by creating a rhetoric that exhibits in four elements noted by Jane Collins and Catherine Lutz. According to these individuals, a photograph can influence personal views through affecting the gaze of the subject, photographer, magazine's editor, and the viewer's perception. These gazes are apparent in a series of pictures that are attached to articles used to discuss or cover the development of coronavirus. One such concept is the subject gaze that entails photographers using images that contain a clear message that indeed, China highly blames for starting and influencing the spread of this pandemic into a global. When it comes to the subject gaze, it helps understand the content of the picture as used to invoke a reaction or carry a particular image to the society. One particular image that helps understand the issue of subjects is the photoshoot by Yichuan Cao that capture in the article by Haynes. The subject gaze in this specific photograph presents both the indirect and indirect gazes of the people and other elements captured in it. In this particular photo, people are in a rally carrying red placards that contain writings in both Mandarin and English (see in figure 1 below).
Figure 1: Subject Gaze by Yichuan Cao
Source: Haynes.
The direct gaze presented in figure 1 is evident through some placards and individuals facing directly to the viewer. It helps to capture visual attention and, at the same time, enhance one to remember some of the issues portrayed in the image. As noted by Hamilton (1), the subject gaze, be it indirect or direct, has a unique way of developing cognitive arousal. The likely consequences are that a viewer ends up following the constructed rhetoric and also facilitates the portrayal of reality. In this photograph by Cao, the subject gaze helps one understand that, indeed, Chinese citizens are becoming victims of biases and discrimination from the global community. The message quoted in this image contains phrases such as "We are Chinese," "Wuhan you are not alone," and "Time for facts, not fear" (Haynes). The messages portrayed mirror the concept that there widens discrimination, including xenophobic attacks on this community.
Additionally, individuals carrying placards are Chinese or at least from East or South Asia underlining the rhetoric that indeed the pandemic is making it hard for them to interact effectively with other communities. Therefore, as depicted by Lutz and Collins (136), the subject gaze plays a vital role in creating rhetoric or mirroring the existing reality. The image by Cao affirms the continued narrative that indeed, discrimination of Chinese citizens is a continuing social vice as the society continues to suffer from the development of the coronavirus.
Photographs can also enhance rhetorical construct and reflection of reality through the aspect of the magazine editor's gaze. The concept entails the editor of a particular magazine opting to select a specific portrait, location, or issue covered. In a given process of ensuring there is the creation of a specific narrative, editors become responsible for choosing a particular image or several photos from a collection by the photographers. Usually, in a single shoot, National Geographic photographers often take over 11,000 pictures (Lutz and Collins 137). The editor makes a decision that usually selects around 30 to 40 photos to use in the presentation of an article. The choice by editors enhance by the message they want to convey to the society and readers of the magazine. Eventually, the strategic decision end up using the most effective image that ultimately delivers the intended effects on the reader or viewer of the magazine. The notion has well applied in the concept involving depicting how the Chinese are victims of open criticism for the high developing spread of cases of coronavirus. A good example is an image used in the New York Post that underlines the editor's gaze in mirroring the existing reality of the current society (see in figure 2). The choice of this image presents a clear editor’s gaze as it affirms what discuss in the article that, indeed, Coronavirus is fueling the spread of anti-China sentiments.
Figure 2: Editor’s Gaze Aspect
Source: Carsten
The selection of the above images illustrates the concept of an editor's gaze that is crucial in rhetoric construction and serving as a mirror of reality. Usually, an editor of big magazine brands like The New York Post has access to multiple images that they can adopt in conveying a specific message. The choice underlines the likely perception that needs in an article. In this case, figure 2 sends a message that the editor assumes can help highlight the ongoing challenge facing Chinese nationals. In this photograph, there is a post confirming that the shop was not accepting Chinese customers. The message that well portrays on the wall of the shop captures the attention of any person entering the premise to understand that indeed Chinese are unwelcomed as they are highly associated with causing and spreading coronavirus. The adoption of this image by the editor presents a mirror of a new reality that continues to threaten people from China. As noted by Carsten, the growing anti-China sentiments are a real concern even on social platforms as Chinese continues to be mocked, especially for their consumption of exotic meat. The virus started in one of the markets where individuals traded illegal wildlife. Therefore, the choice of photography by Carsten by the editors illustrate the Asian Americans people's daily life have influenced by discrimination.
Photographs can also facilitate the creation of rhetoric and mirror the reality using the concept of the photographer's gaze. When taking a picture, a photographer can construct rhetoric or act as a mirror to reality by the way the picture is taken, including the issues that it has focused on extensively. According to Lutz and Collins (137), a photographer often makes a decision that usually affects the viewing of the image taken. Such a choice can enhance by taking vantage point, composition, color balance, depth of focus, and sharpness. The level of application of these elements indicates the area in which the photo taken seeks to create more emphasis. The camera helps in the creation of a particular angle that the viewer needs to focus on getting a proper understanding of the issue discusses.
In most cases, individual interpretation is often facilitated by the camera as it helps influence thoughts. Photos presented on coronavirus also help illustrate how the photographer's gaze is facilitating the construction of rhetoric and illustrating reality. One such picture is the picture by Justin Sullivan that allows the reader to pay much attention to the Chinese population that discusses in the article (Kandil). The image contains several subjects, but the gaze is on three Chinese nationals walking in China town (see figure 3).
Figure 3: Photographer’s gaze
Source: Kandil
In figure 3, the camera set on three Chinese citizens indicating how Sullivan manages to draw the attention of these subjects. The camera angle has adjusted to focus on these three ignoring other people in the image despite being near the photographer. Additionally, this gaze exhibited by the bright color and sharpness, which saw when displaying the three citizens. At the same time, other individuals who are in the picture appear to be a blur due to less sharpness and dull coloration (Kandil). The implication is that the viewer can focus on the Asian nationalities, thus helping to affirm that it has created rhetoric and also mirrored the reality that indeed much attention and discrimination regarding Coronavirus fuel towards these people.
Lastly, Photographs serve as elements of establishing rhetoric or reflecting reality in society, especially in images adopted during the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the intention by the editor, photographer, or subjects in a picture, it is the final viewer who creates their final understanding of the issue and message presented (Lutz and Collins 138). An individual solely depends on their eyes to understand a particular intended message. Photos enhanced by the imagination of the person viewing an object. After provoking an emotion, these viewers then develop a memory that people can remember when thinking a particular. A good example is a photograph by Steven Senne attached to the article on the Morning Call (Shortell). The image contains features that can induce the viewer's gaze into remembering how Coronavirus is a cause for discrimination, especially of Asian Americans (see in figure 4).
Figure 4: Viewer’s Gaze by Steven Senne
Source: Shortell
The photograph helps Shortell build his argument that, indeed, discrimination of Asian Americans continues to be a challenge in today's society. The element of the viewer's gaze is clear as a person is likely to develop an emotional reaction and often remember the issue portrayed. For instance, the photograph contains sad women, thus invoking the viewer to sympathize with their suffering and misfortunes. Also, the phrases used in the photo enhance the remembrance of the issue discussed in the article. The two placards contain creative phrases including, "Time for facts not fear" and "My ethnicity is not a virus" (Shortell). These phrases enhance the viewer’s gaze as they are likely to understand that indeed discrimination exists and is a challenge to the affected communities. The implication is the likelihood of this photograph to enhance rhetoric and display the reality of how society is discriminating Asians, especially Chinese citizens.
In conclusion, the paper illustrated how photographs create a rhetoric or mirror reality of issues in society. The focus was on analyzing several pictures relating to coronavirus reporting to demonstrate how society is developing a narration to blame Chinese nationals for the development of the pandemic. From the coronavirus erupted in Wuhan, China, and has been maintained for nearly three months. All cities in China and even Wuhan have reopened, and people ’s lives are almost back to normal. Now the epidemic center has moved from China to the United States. The number of confirmed diagnoses in the United States is still growing rapidly, and the hospital's hardware facilities and doctors are seriously in short supply. To this day, nearly 20 million people in the United States are unemployed, and the daily life of the American people is still a big problem. The critical analysis influenced by some metrics presented by Lutz and Collins. These elements included elements such as subject, viewer's, photographer's, and editor's gaze. All these elements contain features that manage to capture an intended narrative. The analysis confirms that indeed photographs are vital in creating a story and also reflecting the existing reality. All four images serve as good examples to underline this point, stressing the influential role of photography is promoting and confirming existing discrimination of Chinese on the topic of coronavirus.
Work Cited
Carsten, Sophie. "Anti-China Sentiments, Racism Spreading Along with Coronavirus." New York Post, 30 Jan. 2020, nypost.com/2020/01/30/anti-china-sentiments-racism-spreading-along-with-coronavirus/.
Hamilton, Antonia F. de C. "Gazing at me: the importance of social meaning in understanding direct-gaze cues." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 371.1686 (2016): 20150080.
Haynes, Suyin. "As Coronavirus Spreads, So Does Xenophobia and Anti-Asian Racism." Time, 6 Mar. 2020, time.com/5797836/coronavirus-racism-stereotypes-attacks/.
Kandil, Caitlin Y. "Asian Americans Report over 650 Racist Acts over Last Week, New Data Says." NBC News, 26 Mar. 2020, www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/asian-americans-report-nearly-500-racist-acts-over-last-week-n1169821.
Lutz, Catherine, and Jane Collins. "The photograph as an intersection of gazes: The example of National Geographic." Visual Anthropology Review 7.1 (1991): 134-149.
Shortell, Tom. "‘Pathogens Do Not Discriminate.' Pa. Groups Warn Against Attacks Targeting Asian Americans over Coronavirus." Mcall.com, 5 Apr. 2020, www.mcall.com/coronavirus/mc-nws-coronavirus-hate-crimes-asians-20200405-rlomws4dazgujoyykf63cakf5y-story.html.
WHO (World Health Organization). "Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): situation report, 72." (2020).
Zheng, Yi, Edmund Goh, and Jun Wen. "The effects of misleading media reports about COVID-19 on Chinese tourists’ mental health: a perspective article." Anatolia (2020): 1-4.
