The list of rhetorical devices available to photography was formulated by the practices and conventions of a pre-digital age. Is there any way in which this list is altered or added to by technologies of digitization? Do some aspects of this list seem more important to designers and photographers?
Introduction to Media Studies - 9114101 
With the improvement of technology, the list of the rhetorical devices has extended. Now we have many programs, which uses thousands of rhetorical tools, for instance Photoshop, Audacity, and windows movie maker. These tools help photographers and designers to pass on their message in a more clear and efficient way. Moreover, when using these advanced devices they can avoid falling in misunderstanding, will reduce polysemy and will be able to be more convincing to the audience. As we learnt, sound, color, the way you present information, and the sequence of events are important and play a big role in the way people understand media texts. The chance of manipulating media texts grew with the increase of rhetorical devices. Nowadays, we see what the creator of the text wants us to see whether in advertisements or news.
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Technology and how fast it is spreading and growing all over the world is one of the main reasons why the list of rhetorical devices used in photography is still expanding. The cameras, their use and their shapes are one of the things that changed completely. The first camera to ever be invented was a very big device that took unclear black and white images. Nowadays one can buy a pocket small camera that can take colorful images or even take an image that is focused on only one color. Also some tools such as Photoshop or cropping never existed in the old times, so if you were ugly then hard luck you had no chance to edit your face.
The tools that were invented in the past few years, made life easier for a photographer to take pictures, edit them and crop them. Another tool that has been invented was windows movie maker that made movie making extremely different and easier to work with. Anyone can simply take different shots of things, combine them together then edit them to make a better movie. These new tools are more preferable to most photographers because they are more advance, easier to work with and save a lot of time.
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Photography has developed very fast, even though it was discovered late and for simple goals, just like copying nature. First, camera obscura was invented for photos to be taken, and then many new types swept the world’s markets such as dry plates and digital cameras. But competition didn’t stop here, new brands entered the markets and producers intensified the competition. Then in order to edit photos, people started juxtaposing, cropping, and zooming and so on. Then using these devices became permissible for ordinary people. Since photography became something essential in our lives because of its versatility, It was time to invent new tools to keep pace with development. We have many inevitable tools nowadays, for example, saturation, warmth and brightness and many other tools are used to play with the lights and the colors of the photos, as for the size and the shape of the photo orientation is an amazing tool.
Many programs were invented to help get more beautiful photos and commercials. For example we have Photoshop and Pixlr. These programs were the reason most of the world’s famous companies succeeded, because they are an inevitable element for advertising. So yeah I think Photographic devices are an essential element in our lives.
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Remember, the photographic devices is not about making beautiful photos, beauty is probably the least of the worries; it’s about manipulating the photo, and the signs and elements in a photo, and thus manipulate the message and meaning. And some tools has always been used in a more primitive manner, like cropping. People used to crop photos with scissors 20 years ago.
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I think that the list shouldn’t only include touchable devices such cameras, microphones and wires. It should extend to the software dealing with designing how the images, sounds and diminutions are to be shown. However, the list should also include the internet applications that allow everyone basically to edit photos, cut sounds, add effects and play on 3D to feel the real experience.
On one hand, those rhetorical devices and applications opened the way for programmers and designers to be more creative and increase their share of audience. On the other hand, the easy access to all these applications by non-professional people who use them to waste their time. Yet, this negatively affects the media and its accuracy, and carries on unfavorable political situations (revolutions in the Arab Countries that were managed by social media and location apps).
However, due to the excessive use of those devices, the battle transformed into electronic competition, which in turn, deprived the users from their effect on reality. A person’s value nowadays is measured by how much devices he have, how many apps he can work on, and by the versions he updated during his life. This accounts for an improvement on media scale and its spread through raw information and designers skills. Yet, it is also an alarm to where the world is going in the coming years.
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If we go back in time 20 years from now, using rhetorical devices in photography was not as flexible as it is right now. For example, in silent movies they used to move their lips as if they are talking, because back then, they could not transfer audio to and out of videos. As a solution for this issue, they would add a full-screen word-text for couple of frames in the video. So, to draw a picture of what was happening, they give us 2 people talking, but we don’t hear anything, then they throw in a text so the viewer could understand what are they talking about – http://cdn.buzzmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/silent-film-dialogue.jpg- . This rhetorical tool is not that common nowadays, hence audio can be transferred and subtitles/translations could be added to the movie easily by the technological advancement we have and in new easy methods. This is an example of how rhetorical tools changed, improved, altered and got subsided. So we got ourselves a new method to present texts to read and new methods used to present this text. And all credit goes to technological advancement. Though, in general, the list itself is not rapidly growing nor rapidly getting shorter. As some ancient methods are being removed, and new ones are getting added. At the end, it is not good to use tons of rhetorical methods in one project all at one time, thus the producer have a variety and he decides which to use to serve the purpose. So the designer uses what’s necessary for him to finish up with his project. Finally, each project demands different aspects.
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• Photographic devices:
Composition, Retouching, Cropping, edit, Juxtaposition and montage are all rhetorical devices can be used by the photographers. All of these elements are useful for make photos and its elements specialized, or contextualized, Organized, focus on some elements only, create a comparison between two photos, sequencing the story in an order, as well as merging two or more photos into one image to create new meaning. When we look at a photo we actually look at a story, and this story was composed by a photographer, and absolutely it includes a message for the audiences. These elements could be useful for the photographers or the advertisers to be specific, specialized and in the construction of this images (which are a media outputs).
* Is there any way in which this list is altered or added to by technologies of digitization?
Absolutely, nowadays there are many devices and programs can be used to edit the photos in the way that serve the message. For example, Adobe Photoshop is a great program for edit pictures. Not only this, now the camera itself can be adjusted to capture colored and black- white photos, also it we can use the zoom, focus and out of focus, the brightness degrees and many of the other features.
* Do some aspects of this list seem more important to designers and photographers?
Actually yes, There are many people who don’t care about the story as much as they care about the techniques that used in the photos, or sometimes, in order to encourage them or make them enjoy looking at the picture we need to use these devices. At this point, when we use all of these elements in order to create a perfect scene or a perfect story transferred through the pictures, we need to use some of these elements as major elements, and other elements as a secondary elements. For example, there is no need to crop if the composition is perfect, so the composition is at the first place in this case.
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The advancement of technologies after the pre-digital age is not only important for designers or photographers but anyone whose job consist of taking photographs. For example, the advancement of technology may vary from field to field. A photographer may be happy with the high quality of pixels that only keep progressing every year, and a film maker may enjoy the high resolution of sound that the audience is able to indulge in or the 3D effect that is still perceived to be seen as something new. Nonetheless, the science field, in particular NASA, maybe the happiest when it comes to the advancement of technology. Nowadays, NASA is able to send machinery out in outer space and get high-end pixel resolution of what is happening. We are able to send Rovers up in planets and have them take photographs of the surface. When it comes to the Mars Rover, it sent over photographs of frozen water on Mars. This could only have been possible with the photographs the Rover took which shows how important the advancement technology is for everyone. We are able to send people up in space, and have sound travel from outer space to Earth, and get live footage of what the astronomers are going through. With the advancement of color too, we are able to see how damaged the Earth has gotten from the outside. If you look up a photography of the earth in the early 2000’s you’d notice the discreet difference between the two. The advancement, of sound, color, pixels are all important factors when it comes to anyone using any forms of technology or the use of photography.
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Rhetorical devices evolve daily as new inventions and tools are being created. Within the last ten years alone, the amount of devices a photographer can use are too many to count. It has progressed to such a drastic extent that the rhetorical devices originally formed have either been expanded or completely new ones have taken over. Even a photograph captured can be illustrated with various mechanisms. If the presentation alone can be done in a photograph that can be held or a digital form on a phone, T.V., computer, tablet, etc., then the devices used to control the way it’s formulated within the actual picture are endless.
This affects the audience’s reactions as well. Since so much can be changed through Photoshop alone then that means the message it pushes across can be altered easily as well. It can reach the heights of manipulation and this can be done by anyone. Not only designers and photographers because these new rhetorical devices are accessible and available to everyone on any platforms.
Although technology has expanded the devices available to photographers, and they do use them, there is still a sense of importance to continue using the original pre-digital devices. Without those, the new ones wouldn’t be relevant. However, it is important to note that within the category of designers and photographers, there are sub-categories that branch into many different fields. Therefore, the sense of importance regarding rhetorical devices and their ranking will certainly differ among the various categories and the individuals as well. That is what makes photography unique enough to withstand the countless changes that industry undertook under the ruling of technology.
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Rhetorical devices? Well. I find it a bit surprising that nowadays we have specific devices to manipulate and change the way in which our media texts’ look. If we went back to the days before the digitized technology in filming and shooting, we see that the ability to manipulate was short and not creative as much as it is now. Now, we can freely move through a lot of devices to change how a face look or how a video takes his streaming. Adobe,for instance, in all of its fractions, starting from the image editor to edit a full video, talking about Photoshop to Premier is a revolutionary rhetorical devices themself. As I have to go through these programs on a direct way. They show how you can be more convincing and more purposive, Giving more space for Propaganda to step in. Before this era, The situation was a bit harder, A camera man had to spend ages preparing his photos that he’s taken on his huge camera, and the edit was harder, as they used to use the video recorders and special editing mechanism to edit a film, even if it was a short one. Now, You can shoot, edit and create a video all in few hours, with not much hard work. This is so positive, as it gives more space to create rather than worrying about how long it is going to take you to edit – a video- for instance.
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Well, some will argue that long ago, photographer needed to be more creative. Yes, we do have the technology today that makes the manipulation easier, but because long ago it was harder, you needed more creativity. But be aware that the act of manipulation is not new. Just by choosing your frame and composition, you’re actually manipulating the photo. Even in the most realistic stages of a war battlefield, you can manipulate the narrative in your photo.
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The improvement of the technology gave the chance to expand new forms and lists of devices that helps the designers and the photographers to represent their ideas and information with more creative ways and methods.
The list of the media devices is changing and developing with time, rhetorical devices gave the ability for better and clearer understanding to the audience, also for the photographers themselves. the fact of the camera years ago was only a big machine that takes only black and white pictures with no ability to change the color, and the videos that had no effects and audio can be unbelievable if we compare it to the contemporary situations.
the advanced programs and application that can manipulate in the colors of the pictures, effects, also cropping the picture, and the ability of merging more than one photo and place them all together in one frame, gave the designers the advantage to send their message with more clear and easier way to represent the ideas that they are trying to explain with less time.
moreover, these devices reflect the language of the picture to convince the audience with the idea that it contains.
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Through time, more and more improvement of technology appeared, and the rhetorical devices expanded a lot; the invention of the first camera was only a big machine that takes black and white pictures only, with no ability to capture the exact angle that the photographer is trying to hit, or crop and zoom the picture in way that the photographer wants to, at the same time the videos were in black and white, and there was no ability to add the elements to the recorded video; such as audio and effects. Nowadays the camera captures the videos and photos with colors, good quality in different shapes and techniques, also has the advantages to change the angle, capture the whole place. At the same time new programs appeared helps to edit the both of the videos and photos remaining the quality, or even makes the quality of it increase, such as Photoshop and movie maker. This improvement gave the photographers and designers the opportunity to publish the message of their work in more effective and clearer way. The idea that I’m trying to reach propose is: the new technology is easier to implement for the user from both sides, Adobe Photoshop helps in many ways to edit the photo and crop it so it would reflect the main idea as a program, also there are a lot of applications on the smart phones that helps to do the same work of the programs, for example FotoRus, also the movie maker from the other side gave the advantage to the people “designers and movie makers” so they would edit the effects in the way that he wants to. The manipulation that the new technology offers to the designers and photographers so they can be able to represent their work in the most admirable way is amazing; the tools of the rhetorical devices gave the ability to recreate a whole new form of ideas and meaning for the photos.
The programs and the applications are in progress; which means that the list of the technologies of digitization is on nonstop improvement. This progress is a big advantage to the world from many different aspects, for example the advertisements companies, magazines, and all kinds of agencies. But one should be aware that all the progress that happened for the media devices created a new world of meanings and ideas; the ability of changing the colors of the photos and the filters, cropping the photo in the way that the designer needs to, change the brightness of the photo, and the ability of merging two pictures in the same frame without any need to cut the actual pictures and tape them together, gave the both of the designers and audience new aspects. The audience with these elements will not only help them to understand the whole theme of the work, but also will convince them in the work with more creative effects.
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As we all know, we are now living a modern, easier life. Everything is made automatically. Well that was not the case years ago at all, before they did not have any types of Camera’s except the black and white one, its even sometimes not clear enough, it does not show a very clear picture that one notices quickly. when a producer wants to take a clip and present it to the people, we notice that its well done created, maybe the sound isn’t clear, the view isn’t 100 clear enough etc.
The world of the media grew up when the technology started to take place, Creators had created tons sorts of cameras, that has loads of technology in it.
Nowadays when a photographer takes a photo, he or she can work on it as he or she wants. Also when making a film or presenting situation of a certain country, or action. Technology gave us the ability to play with the photo, or the film, we can edit, add, cut etc… its pretty easier that it was before. Using those kind of high tech Cameras, the producer can make anything to the photo, or film to be completed, or present in an any way he or she like.
technology had a big impact on producers. it made everything easier, i even can control a picture or video by using my cell phone, plus a recorder system. So how it would be used by experts that produces movies, commercials, advertisements, etc…
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Throughout the ages, photography has been spread out in great massive way. As it is a way to have pictures of great moments a person had, or pictures of good views one wants to share. Therefore, people needed more developed styles of photography to continue having good shots. For instance, cameras in the past had films in it, and the person had to go to a photography studio to take his/her pictures, but nowadays, we can easily have the pictures we took directly from the camera, not only this, we can do edits, crops and photo shop. Not to limit it just for pictures, also videos went over this term of evolution. In the past the things used to edit the video were limited that they had to shoot the scene more than once to make it is it’s wanted. But now, the way people edit videos is really easy and fast. This fast development of cameras is being noticed recently. People needed more developed cameras because their needs were growing faster, and cameras’ benefits are saving a lot of time and effort.
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Photographs, such as any other media text, deserve to be “read” and not only looked at. Throughout the time, the needs of people led to a continuous development in technology in its all aspects, and this was also the case when it came to photography. When photography started, it was meant to capture the moment of a real life using a film and a very large camera. People showed interest in the machine that freezes the image that they are seeing in reality, which led to putting more work into it, to improve it, and make it more suitable for their work and human abilities. Not only did the external appearance of the camera or the size of it change, but also the enteral features and its abilities. Capturing images is now quicker, easier, and is now transportable. Present-time cameras can be attuned to whatever the user wants: the user can play with the zooming, focusing and even the colors of the captured images while taking the picture. However, one can say that there is one thing that did change when it comes to photography is the importance of being creative. Even when photography first started, people had to be creative with the light, position of both of the camera and the thing/people that are being photographed, and also with the way to present the message that the photographer is trying to deliver to the audience. Up until this day, one can notice how that did not change; people (and not only photographers) still consider all of these aspects but with a little help. People nowadays have the ability to somehow “fix” the images they took using developed editing programs such as Photoshop as almost all of my fellow colleagues said.
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The photo is not a new invention , the early human photos existed as paintings on the walls. Now, in our age, we started using photos as weapons because a photo is stronger than a thousand words. Photos have big importance for people in different cultures. Media platforms play a big role to increase the importance and value of the photo. The importance of the photo lies in documenting the moments we live and become part of our lives.
Photography has developed to become an art and become an academic major. Also, there are many programs used to edit photos, for example you have the ability to control the different parts of the photos like the size, color and inserting text and effects. These edits help the audience to understand the photo more and it helps to deliver the message more clearly.
Since we are currently living in the 21st century and we are now experiencing a huge and fast technological development, it is normal for the list of rhetorical devices to change and to have some newly added devices that facilitate the life or the job of designers and photographers. In the past we created the camera to take the picture, then we added the ability to take videos with voices, and now we have some new programs that help the job of both the designer and the photographer. Therefore, I think that we might reach to a whole new level of rhetorical devices advance that can change the life of those who are using it on a daily basis.
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The shift from the pre-digital age to the digital one in photography is somewhat close to the shift from the Direct Current of Thomas Edison to Nikolai Tesla’s Alternative Current age in which there was no need for a massive electric generating establishments every few miles in order to have electricity in, in the same manner the digital age made companies like Kodak and its infrastructure obsolete and outdated at some point. There became no need for labs and the chemical products required to manufacture film and process photographs.
On the other hand with the digitization of image new tools, equipments, accessories and industry moguls came to be. Aside from the focus on the camera device there is a huge focus on the lens, not to mention the digital tools that allows for the best quality processing and even manipulation and polishing of the image.
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