"Barack Obama Quotes." BarackObama.net. 22 Feb. 2009
http://www.barackobama.net/barack-obama-quotes.html.
Fairey, Shepard. "Obama." ObeyGiant. 30 Jan. 2009. 15 Feb. 2009
http://obeygiant.com/headlines/obama.
Fairey, Shepard. 2008. Phillips Art Expert. 15 Feb. 2009 http://www.phillipsartexpert.com/cms-media/2008-06-30/shepard-fa
irey-barack-obama-11.jpg.
Pelikan. 13 Jan. 2009. Washington D.C. 13 Jan. 2009. 15 Feb. 2009 http://electricityandlust.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/barack-obama-2.jpeg.
Washington D.C. Treehugger. 20 Apr. 2008. 15 Feb. 2009 http://www.treehugger.com/barack-obama-for-president.jpg.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Visual Rhetoric Final
More now than ever, when running for a political office that is held with such high esteem and honor, pictures are almost required in order to become elected for a government position. As it has been said, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” and today people use more than just a candidates platform, resume, and political party to choose whom they will elect. In this current time, pictures are used for candidates to show not just what they look like, but through using Logos, Pathos, and Ethos, they are now able to show much more about their character, personality, and why they are the best candidate running for a given position. It is for this reason that pictures from Barack Obama’s historic campaign for presidency can be used to identify the three elements of visual rhetoric.
Many words may be stirred up in a viewers head when they examine this picture for their first time and many will be words that are positive words in terms of why Barack should be elected president. The reason that this picture builds up a viewer’s belief of why Barack should be elected president is due to the use of the three elements of visual rhetoric. Pathos, or persuasion using emotions, is clearly visible in multiple areas in this picture. The facial expressions Barack shows illustrate his passion for what he does, which is to lead. This causes the viewer to recognize he is a man that is not dull, but is a man of passion for his job. Also, for a citizen of any country, their flag is a symbol of not just their country, but what it also stands for. Putting Barack Obama in front of American Flag shows not only his patriotism, but also that he stands for what America stands for. This is also an example of both logos (persuasion by logic and reason) and ethos (building credibility). For example, placing Barack Obama in front of a flag doesn’t just stir up the audience’s passion, but it also shows that he is a man who has credibility because he is a man that stands for America, which is something a Presidential candidate requires. Not only this, but logos is shown through the fact that if someone sees the flag and Barack standing right beside it they will most likely associate what they associate with America also with Barack. This association will then build more of a reason to elect him as president, because if a voter thinks that Barack is the most “American” candidate, that they will probably be the better choice as the person to lead America.
When most people think of eligible candiates for presidency, almost all of them will have held a political office at one time in their life. Taking a picture of Barack Obama in front of Senate is yet another great example of visual rhetoric that uses logos, pathos, and ethos. Both logos and ethos are clearly visible in this picture for one clear reason. The background of this image shows the United States Senate building, and a photo of Barack in front of it not only shows that Barack is a credible man when it comes to running for president because of his political experience in senate, as shown through the picture, but it also is a great example of logos. Yet again, the photographer of Barack used an icon of America and also of political experience. In doing this, after seeing this picture, the viewer will most likely associate Barack with the background of this picture, which as planned by the photographer, which is probably political experience and patriotism. This logical pathway then leads the viewer, come voting time, to think that because Barack was in front of a symbol of patriotism and political experience that he is a definite symbol of patriotism and politcal experience; thus leading the voter to vote for Barack. Not only is the background of this picture an example of logos, but by the body language that Barack is exibiting, he is exuding both confidence and power. Even though Barack may be a shy man this picture does not show it and because of this the viewer will use their logic and think that because he is showing himself as not only a confident but also a powerful man, that he is a powerful and confident man who is well capable of leading the United States. Again, this picture appeals to the viewers pathos by calling on their patriotism. Many people upon viewing an icon as american as the senate building will feel some feeling of patriotism and pride in their country, because of this they may feel pride in Barack and his political campaign.
“I believe with great conviction that Barack Obama should be the next President,” stated the creator of the now famous Obamicon. These pictures have become icons of his famous run for the presidency and for a great reason. The photos, which take words like hope and progress that Obama used frequently to describe his campaign, use visual rhetoric as a simple yet blatant way of promoting Barack’s run for president of the United States. Two of the elements of visual rhetoric can be explained through these pictures, and just as in other pictures can be a way of promoting his cause. When looking at these Obamicons there are two clear factors; the word at the bottom, and the face that it lies underneath. The words that underlie the now famous picture are all words that have been echoed throughout Obama’s run for president and are words that he believed would sum up what he stands for. In placing a picture of himself with these words, when people think of Barack Obama, they will thus think of these words he has associated himself with and will then think positively of him. This word association is an example of logos, but however is not the only example of visual rhetoric that this picture contains. Pathos is yet again shown in these photos of Barack Obama, and in these pictures are shown much more clearly than in any other pictures taken. Words can stir up many feelings, and whether it be positive feelings of good things to come or negative feelings of where things have come from, these pictures are a prime example of passion in images. While glancing at the patriotic red, white, and blue backdrop the word underneath easily attracts the reader’s attention. Through using words that are not just powerful, but words anyone can relate to, the creator of this image has stirred up the passion of many people. As this country goes through an economic downfall, associating the image of Barack Obama with words like Hope and Progress have more power now than ever. These powerful and positive words that sit neatly centered at the bottom of the image cause3 the reader to not only how things are, but how good things can be.
“Hope – Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty... A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead,” stated Barack Obama. His belief in progress and hope has not only been echoed through his words, but also through the images. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but when running for the office of president of the United States of America Barack chose these words carefully. When you are in the public eye as much as President Obama your words may speak volumes, but it is also your image and the visual rhetoric that you express that may speak just as much.
Many words may be stirred up in a viewers head when they examine this picture for their first time and many will be words that are positive words in terms of why Barack should be elected president. The reason that this picture builds up a viewer’s belief of why Barack should be elected president is due to the use of the three elements of visual rhetoric. Pathos, or persuasion using emotions, is clearly visible in multiple areas in this picture. The facial expressions Barack shows illustrate his passion for what he does, which is to lead. This causes the viewer to recognize he is a man that is not dull, but is a man of passion for his job. Also, for a citizen of any country, their flag is a symbol of not just their country, but what it also stands for. Putting Barack Obama in front of American Flag shows not only his patriotism, but also that he stands for what America stands for. This is also an example of both logos (persuasion by logic and reason) and ethos (building credibility). For example, placing Barack Obama in front of a flag doesn’t just stir up the audience’s passion, but it also shows that he is a man who has credibility because he is a man that stands for America, which is something a Presidential candidate requires. Not only this, but logos is shown through the fact that if someone sees the flag and Barack standing right beside it they will most likely associate what they associate with America also with Barack. This association will then build more of a reason to elect him as president, because if a voter thinks that Barack is the most “American” candidate, that they will probably be the better choice as the person to lead America.
When most people think of eligible candiates for presidency, almost all of them will have held a political office at one time in their life. Taking a picture of Barack Obama in front of Senate is yet another great example of visual rhetoric that uses logos, pathos, and ethos. Both logos and ethos are clearly visible in this picture for one clear reason. The background of this image shows the United States Senate building, and a photo of Barack in front of it not only shows that Barack is a credible man when it comes to running for president because of his political experience in senate, as shown through the picture, but it also is a great example of logos. Yet again, the photographer of Barack used an icon of America and also of political experience. In doing this, after seeing this picture, the viewer will most likely associate Barack with the background of this picture, which as planned by the photographer, which is probably political experience and patriotism. This logical pathway then leads the viewer, come voting time, to think that because Barack was in front of a symbol of patriotism and political experience that he is a definite symbol of patriotism and politcal experience; thus leading the voter to vote for Barack. Not only is the background of this picture an example of logos, but by the body language that Barack is exibiting, he is exuding both confidence and power. Even though Barack may be a shy man this picture does not show it and because of this the viewer will use their logic and think that because he is showing himself as not only a confident but also a powerful man, that he is a powerful and confident man who is well capable of leading the United States. Again, this picture appeals to the viewers pathos by calling on their patriotism. Many people upon viewing an icon as american as the senate building will feel some feeling of patriotism and pride in their country, because of this they may feel pride in Barack and his political campaign.
“I believe with great conviction that Barack Obama should be the next President,” stated the creator of the now famous Obamicon. These pictures have become icons of his famous run for the presidency and for a great reason. The photos, which take words like hope and progress that Obama used frequently to describe his campaign, use visual rhetoric as a simple yet blatant way of promoting Barack’s run for president of the United States. Two of the elements of visual rhetoric can be explained through these pictures, and just as in other pictures can be a way of promoting his cause. When looking at these Obamicons there are two clear factors; the word at the bottom, and the face that it lies underneath. The words that underlie the now famous picture are all words that have been echoed throughout Obama’s run for president and are words that he believed would sum up what he stands for. In placing a picture of himself with these words, when people think of Barack Obama, they will thus think of these words he has associated himself with and will then think positively of him. This word association is an example of logos, but however is not the only example of visual rhetoric that this picture contains. Pathos is yet again shown in these photos of Barack Obama, and in these pictures are shown much more clearly than in any other pictures taken. Words can stir up many feelings, and whether it be positive feelings of good things to come or negative feelings of where things have come from, these pictures are a prime example of passion in images. While glancing at the patriotic red, white, and blue backdrop the word underneath easily attracts the reader’s attention. Through using words that are not just powerful, but words anyone can relate to, the creator of this image has stirred up the passion of many people. As this country goes through an economic downfall, associating the image of Barack Obama with words like Hope and Progress have more power now than ever. These powerful and positive words that sit neatly centered at the bottom of the image cause3 the reader to not only how things are, but how good things can be.
“Hope – Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty... A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead,” stated Barack Obama. His belief in progress and hope has not only been echoed through his words, but also through the images. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but when running for the office of president of the United States of America Barack chose these words carefully. When you are in the public eye as much as President Obama your words may speak volumes, but it is also your image and the visual rhetoric that you express that may speak just as much.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
