Method of Contextualising
Week 1
First three objects that we chose:
> An object that we finally chose: Trekker Backpack(2018) for capturing street view by Google Street View
The backpack-mounted camera was launched in 2013. Making more inaccessible areas viewable online, the body-worn devices extended Google’s reach. Google’s documentation of our landscapes continues to change how we navigate and understand the world.
For the first week, we did several experiments.
* Experiment 01: Changes Through Time
01-01) We can see the previously filmed images in Google Street View through the time settings. There was a list of places that will be shot this year. So I did a time travel to some of the places.
01-02) While I’m doing the virtual travel, I found that it’s really easy to look around the residential areas and private gardens in front of their houses. This finding leads me to the question ‘Does personal privacy is protected if you erase the faces on Google Street View?’ In fact, while producing Street View, personal information on Wifi networks was collected without permission. Whenever that happens, Google mentioned that it was ‘unintentional mistakes’ or ‘There wasn’t any other intentions or purposes.’ From this idea, I imagined what if someone continuously checks my residential area over a few years like stalkers? So I captured doors on the Street View to make it as a perspective of stalkers.
01-03) Stalker’s diary: Following the previous first draft, our group made a stalker’s diary by using images on Street View.
*Experiment 02: Making One Image Matter
For the second experiment, referencing the project of @streetview.portraits, we tried to make one image matter. Based on the keyword ‘aging’ we set, all of us chose 3-4 images.
*Experiment 03: Our Own 360 Footage
> Experiment 03-01:
Since Google Street View is capturing images at our eye level, lots of images of pavement(ground) are automatically generated. Motivated by this fact, we had an experiment to capture the ‘street view’ in daily life.
Experiment 03-02: 360 videos
With Insta 360 camera which captures images into 360 degrees, we mimicked Street View. But based on the idea that Street View generally has an eye-level of ‘adult photographer’, we captured the images and videos close to the ground.
Experiment 03-03:
Also, we did capture 360 videos in our private space. The places we can check on Google Street View are public spaces, and private or sensitive spaces are blurred or erased on them. Motivated by this fact, we had experiments to capture our own private space. Since the bathroom is the most private space generally, we also captured them.
*Experiment 04: Comparing Street View Footage to the Reality
Street Ghosts by Paolo Cirio is the project to bring the images on Street View to reality. He finds the images of people on Street View and prints them in real size. By adding the real-sized images of people in the same space just as on Google Street View, he brought the images to reality. Referencing this project, we captured on scene on the Street View and made new image on that space by mimicking their pose and position.