Mixed Emotions

The visuals that we see everyday whether it is from a movie or show, a website graphic, photograph, or even a painting tell stories that we can relate to that is easy to see or that we look for after analyzing it. With these stories comes the emotions that we feel from those visuals. However, these visuals can envoke certain emotions based on the story they are trying to tell that can be different with each person since there may be a different story for each person.

Let’s say an artist captured a sad photo to tell a sad story, there will be plenty of people who will feel sad, but there may be people who feel angry or digust when they see the photo. So it all depends on the stories the person can see from the visual as well as how the visual makes us feel sub-consiously that we may not even notice right away that determines the emotion they feel.

By taking one look at this powerful image can make someone feel differently than the next person. After seeing the people and then the condition they are living in can someone feel sad that they have to live that way and feel bad for these people, and yet also feeling angry and disgusted that they have to live like that in the first place. Right away there are three separate emotions that are expressed through one image.

Right off the bat we feel the emotion of amazement because of how close this wild animal is to the photographer and the fact that you don’t see something like this everyday. However, the feeling of fear and apprehension that something bad is going to happen to the photographer within seconds comes to the forefront. This photo was more than likely taken for people to feel amazed and surprised by what they see and not necessarily feel fear or apprehension from it.

One visual can bring to light all kinds of stories based on what people take from it. Just like stories, the visuals can bring forward different emotions for everyone looking at the same thing. The emotion the artist wants to express through his or her piece may not be what people feel every time. What emotion(s) do you feel after looking at the visuals?

Resources:

Images:

• Bowcock, Simon. “A Vision Shared: the Photographers Who Captured the Great Depression.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 24 July 2018, http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/jul/24/a-vision-shared-book-review-great-depression-photographers. 
• SAEVUS Magazine. “Life Lessons from Wildlife Photography!” Saevus, 26 Dec. 2017, http://www.saevus.in/life-lessons-wildlife-photography/. 

Websites:

• Norman, Donald A., and Andrew Ortony. Designers and Users: Two Perspectives on Emotion and Design. projectsfinal.interactionivrea.org/2004-2005/SYMPOSIUM 2005/communication material/DESIGNERS AND USERS_Norman.pdf. 
• “Putting Some Emotion into Your Design – Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions.” The Interaction Design Foundation, Aug. 2020, http://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/putting-some-emotion-into-your-design-plutchik-s-wheel-of-emotions.