Snapshot Versions of Life - Tapa dura

"An important contribution not just to the study of American culture but to the development of research on media use and social interaction."--Michael Griffin, "Journal of Communication" An important contribution not just to the study of American culture but to the development of research on media use and social interaction. Michael Griffin, "Journal of Communication"" Those who work under other of the encompassing rubrics that dominate intellectual discussion today, and neglect what cannot be written down (discourse, ethnomethodology hermeneutics, pragmatics, sociolinguistics), could benefit from this book and carry it further by following up the leads into verbal communication. [A] valuable contribution to the ethnography of communication. Dell Hymes, "Language in Society "" Chalfen s work does represent an important contribution to the analysis of visual communication. Stacy Rowe, "SVA [Society of Visual Anthropology] Newsletter " " "Those who work under other of the encompassing rubrics that dominate intellectual discussion today, and neglect what cannot be written down (discourse, ethnomethodology... hermeneutics, pragmatics, sociolinguistics), could benefit from this book and carry it further by following up the leads into verbal communication. ... [A] valuable contribution to the ethnography of communication."--Dell Hymes, "Language in Society " "Chalfen's work does represent an important contribution to the analysis of visual communication."--Stacy Rowe, "SVA [Society of Visual Anthropology] Newsletter "

"Snapshot Versions of Life" is an important foray into the culture of photography and home life from an anthropologist s perspective. Examining what he calls Home Mode photography, Richard Chalfen explores snapshots, slide shows, family albums, home movies, and home videos, uncovering what people do "with" their photos as well as what their personal photos do "for" them. Chalfen s Polaroid People are recognizable if ironically viewed relatives, uncles, aunts, and All-American kids. As members of Kodak Culture they watch home movies, take pictures of newborn babies, and even, in their darker moments, scratch out the faces of disliked relatives in group photographs. He examines who shoots these photos and why, as well as how they think (or don t) of planning, editing, and exhibiting their shots. Chalfen s analysis reveals the culturally structured behavior underlying seemingly spontaneous photographic activities."