Snap/shot: identity, memory, and the digital mediation of experience

Demonstrating the remarkable popularity of digital photography in recent years, Vancouver has witnessed masses of Olympic revellers and throngs of Stanley Cup rioters actively employing camera phones. Created and shared in a matter of moments, digital images are used as evidence to construct character and illustrate personal histories on blogs, photo sharing and social networking sites. This investigation uses practice and photo-based research to examine two key themes related to amateur digital photography: identity and memory. Presented as two case studies, the web-based visual art project At Arm’s Length considers performativity in portraiture, while the video installation Waves unravels the role of images as triggers for memory. Exploring the making, manipulating and sharing of images, I suggest digital photography creates a sense of influence over lived experience. Bridging academic and artistic contexts, this work endeavours to provoke discussion around subjectivity and the construction of visual narrative in digital photography.