Viewer's Context

[PJM]

I debated whether or not I should post this but eventually decided to. I did so because it is an example, at least to me, where the eye goes to in a photo, what it sees and how the brain interprets that based on the viewer's context. So this is not so much about the photo itself but more about what I saw.

My son-in-law, a great guy, frequently sends photos of the grandkids and activities they are doing. This one came in the other morning. They are at a firefighter open house.

Context by Peter Martin, on Flickr

For the context, the school my granddaughter goes to has been the subject of several lockdowns recently due to potential threats in the neighborhood. Scary situations for any parent or grandparent even if they turn out benign.

What I saw... My eyes immediately locked in on my granddaughter's face, her expression, the officer crouching beside her beside the red vehicle. I completely missed the firehose at the bottom of the image that would have told me this was not some terrible event happening. You probably don't see the photo that way because she is not your grandkid and you don't have the same context I did.

Fortunately a minute later more photos came in that made clear they were at the open house.

So, what does it say about me and the world we live in today that that would be my initial reaction to the photo?

Thanks for listening,
Pete

 

[otherprof]

I saw it exactly as you described seeing it, including not noticing the hose at first glance. And I think we also agree on what the world is like today, As Harlan Ellison wrote, "The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity." And as my wise friend Larry used to say, frequently, "It's worse than we thought."

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

I did not see what you did. I did have to look around in the photo to understand what was going on however. I agree what we are experiencing in the world is very troubling and I understand why you have posted this. We have 2 very young grandchildren ( a 2 year old and a 17 day old infant ), and I have wondered often about the world we are leaving them.

 

[Original katomi]

Sad but true.
Same as you see a man on his own taking pictures of kids the mind jumps
a bag left alone in a big shopping area,
Sadly this how humans have survived
Some Uni did a study of men at a zoo.
Apparently it was only the sound or the predators big cats etc that put up heart rate and kicked the fight/flight response into action this is modern men who live in cities

 

[PJM]

I saw it exactly as you described seeing it, including not noticing the hose at first glance. And I think we also agree on what the world is like today, As Harlan Ellison wrote, "The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity." And as my wise friend Larry used to say, frequently, "It's worse than we thought."

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Derrel]

There is an old phrase about looking at pictures of one's relatives and specifically one's own children-the phrase is "Mom goggles". I think perhaps you have a variation of that let's call it grandpa goggles, since you are looking at a photo of your own grandchild and have your own personal context for the photos.

 

[PJM]

I did not see what you did. I did have to look around in the photo to understand what was going on however...

First, congratulations on your new grandchild, and on your not so new one.

I think our different reactions is where context comes in. If she had not already experienced lockdowns in her school I don't think my brain would have gone in the direction it did.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[PJM]

Sad but true.
Same as you see a man on his own taking pictures of kids the mind jumps
a bag left alone in a big shopping area,
Sadly this how humans have survived
Some Uni did a study of men at a zoo.
Apparently it was only the sound or the predators big cats etc that put up heart rate and kicked the fight/flight response into action this is modern men who live in cities

Appreciate the comments

 

[PJM]

There is an old phrase about looking at pictures of one's relatives and specifically one's own children-the phrase is "Mom goggles". I think perhaps you have a variation of that let's call it grandpa goggles, since you are looking at a photo of your own grandchild and have your own personal context for the photos.

Very true. My grandpa googles may be an extreme case but don't we all have some context or filter that is different from everyone else's that we see photos through.

Thanks for the comment.

 

[ebyelyakov]

Considering some months ago a firebrigade came to the childcare where my daughter goes, where they had a lot of fun with the firefighters (not sure about using the hoses) my context and therefore the take on the images was completely different to what you described indeed!

 

[PJM]

Considering some months ago a firebrigade came to the childcare where my daughter goes, where they had a lot of fun with the firefighters (not sure about using the hoses) my context and therefore the take on the images was completely different to what you described indeed!

Yep. And I wish mine had been more like yours. They also had a great time at the open house.
Thanks.