Photography: a combination of messages and contexts

As Susan Sontag pointed out in her “On Photography”, “The photographer’s intentions do not determine the meaning of the photograph, which will have its own career, blown by the whims and loyalties of the diverse communities that have use for it” (Sontag, 1977).

I think the author wanted to convey the idea that the message is into the photograph itself: it works or it doesn’t; the photographer can’t fully control if its message is perceived and how.

As practitioners, we can only try to better understand the photographic language and improve in making viewers understand what we want to photographically communicate.

I think photographs can always be evaluated as a message until, at least, one observer can give his personal interpretation of what he is looking at. I think that to be relevant to someone a meaning must not be generally considered as socially or culturally “important”, because not all photographers are focused on providing a transfer of meaning: some artists can be more absorbed by an aesthetic ideal, for instance and, in addition, some viewers consider more important the visual language used to create an image or its aesthetic result rather than a conceptual content.

My practice should be placed at the antipode in relation to this position: I am not focusing on post-production or on specific sitters rather than others, I want to portray each individual that wants to be portrayed and I am doing my best in focusing more on contents than on editing. The editing phase and images’ post-production must be simply focused on enhancing the content of my images, the message I am trying to communicate collaborating with my subjects.

So, can my practice be considered as a message? Yes.

What ideas am I trying to disseminate with this message? That a more deep level of communication among people is possible, that my sitters are there to be actually and properly heard and seen as individuals, that empathy is something necessary and a value that should be strengthen in order to better interact with the Society we live in instead of being simply shaped by it, in accordance to a scale of values that tends to avoid individual differences, favouring a sort of emotional and behavioural standardization.

I am not saying that all observers will perceive what I am trying to make them understand because, again, we can’t fully control the message, especially in a Society in which the spectacularization of the pain is the daily routine: I have to quote Sontag again, in this case, when she says “Shock can become familiar, shock can wear off.  Even if it doesn’t one cannot look. People have a means to defend themselves against what is upsetting, one can become habituated to the horror of certain images” (Sontag, 2003). This is why I am not trying to portray anything spectacular but the common human condition, in a simple and clear visual language. I am not trying to use a documentary style or to strike viewers’ attention with the aesthetic of my images, I am trying to make them concentrate on contents, on subjects and their emotions. The potential audience can understand it or not, can feel a sense of empathy or not, because, as Gardner said,  “If the same message and same tactics are being used all the time, then it just becomes wallpaper to a person and makes it far easier to ignore” (Gardner in Williams, 2009), and this is why I am trying to experiment different solutions in order to “touch” my potential audience and make people understand they are observing themselves while observing my photographs, that will have the function of a mirror.

As stated in a previous article, the context of consumption in which my work will be consumed will certainly change the way it will be perceived. As it will be, maybe, easier to properly convey the message during an exhibition in which I can display my contents in a certain way and manage the way in which they will be consumed, that could be impossible in a website or on a Magazine. I can provide indications about how to  proceed, what the best direction to follow might be, but in the case of a website users will, of course, focus on those images that visually appeal them even ignoring some of those parts that will constitute the body of work and in the case of the Magazine, editorial choices can change or even overturn its meaning.

Since the approach to images is different from viewer to viewer, I am combining my photographic work with different visual practices, such as Theatre and Cinema, using their languages and solution to reinforce my stills and to create a path with the aim of visually “educate” the audience: in this way, they will have the chance to observe contents from different perspectives and with different approaches, better understanding what the message and the intent behind my project are.

And what is the main objective? Not to create a body of work with a documentary intent, because, to use Martha Rosler’s words, “Documentary, as we know it, carries (old) information about a group of powerless people, to another group addressed as socially powerful” (Rosler, 1982), but to make viewers understand that they are part of the same powerful group of those sitter: what creates confusion and differences is that lack of active communication about negativity, emotions and psychological problems that I am doing my best to fight.

Rosler Martha, Around and Afterthoughts on Documentary Photography, 1982, in Bolton Richard (ed.), 1992, The Contest of Meaning, MIT Press, Cambridge.

Sontag, Susan, On Photography, 1977,  Penguin London.

Sontag, Susan, Regarding the Pain of Others, 2003, Penguin London.

Willams Matt, Does Shock Advertising Still Work, in April 24, 2009, Campaign https://goo.gliNJKO

Video Presentation: evaluating my own practice

This week I’ve been asked to write a reflective note that evaluates my practice in the context of the following Informing Contexts Learning Outcomes:

Critical Contextualisation of Practice: Apply a critical awareness of the diversity of contemporary photographic practice to the development of your own work, and inform your practice through historical, philosophical, ethical and economic contextualisation.

Professional Location of Practice: Establish an understanding of the range of professional contexts for the dissemination and consumption of contemporary photographic practice, and identify opportunities to engage with audiences and markets.

Critical Analysis: Make personal observations and form critical opinions to analyse and appraise your own work, as well as the work of your peers and other practitioners.

Written and Oral Communication Skills: Articulate ideas in a range of formats and contexts, and be able to communicate with different audiences.

“I can hear you now” – Video Presentation, visual and critical contextualisation. ©Dayana Marconi 2017. Copyright for this video belongs solely to Dayana Marconi. Released on Vimeo on 22nd March 2017.

According to the reviews I received from my peers regarding my Video Presentation, I could see that most of them perfectly understood what the project is about and what my aims are. I could observe interest regarding the topic and that the potential of this project is clearly perceived.

I contextualised my practice both critically and visually, providing clear references to position it in the photographic and artistic world.

I included information about my point of view, both professionally and personally speaking, and the work done to position it under historical, philosophical and ethical perspectives, providing also information implying its economical potentialities.

I discussed how this work could be placed in different contexts of consumptions and how it should be “adjusted” to perfectly fit each one of them; clearly, it was a ten-minute presentation, and so I didn’t have the chance to develop each point as I desired.

I provided my peers with personal observations about my work in order to reinforce that inclusive approach that I am conducting, even highlighting its strengths and weakness, analysing how I measure the success of my project.

Since not every peer could understand each passage of my speech, I think I should work more to clarify some points, such as the genuineness of what and who I portray, despite the use of different artistic languages and I should clarify more how all its parts are integrated in a constituted body of work.

I think that the path I am undertaking was clearly pointed out talking about the potential involvement of different professionals and Charities to collaborate together in order to provide a wider perspective that could fit with the viewing and analysis approach of each single person of my potential audience. This step must certainly be further developed, but being an ongoing project the work can’t be done all at once.

Being the video preparatory to  create my Critical Review, I focused on sharing my images mostly and I didn’t take in consideration to share further images about my visual references apart from the ones provided talking about my introductive video and theatrical approach; anyway, I clearly defined them into the speech.

What I must do in relation to my Critical Review, I think, is to develop those parts that were still weak and provide further information about some points maybe not stated clearly enough.

I am pondering to include more images about my visual references in order to provide a more clear and immediate confrontation, but, since from this stage, I believe that is clear that my practice is progressing in time as well as the way I discuss about Photography more broadly.

Marconi Dayana, Vimeo Channel,

Video Presentation: evaluating peers’ work

This week we’ve been asked to evaluate our peers’ video presentations related to their current practice at this stage of this MA Photography at Falmouth. We had to focus on set Critical Review Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria and we had to identify particular strengths and areas of improvement, even providing suggestions.

One of the presentations I assessed, has been created by Jedd Griffin, who’s working on a photographic project constructed around the idea of finding a way to bring the issue of the depleting level of bees around the U.K. due to over farming, climate change and pesticide abuse.

Jedd Griffin, Hand in Steph, Video presentation, released on Jedd Griffin’s Youtube channel on 26th March 2017. ©Jedd Griffin

The project is clearly described and even his evolution in time is well defined in each of its steps. It’s interesting to see how the project evolved from the initial images to the last ones and how different they are. I would have added a last image confrontation to make these differences even more clear on a visual level.

Your research is progressing with your photographical experiments, while at the beginning you were simply focused on creating a symbolic image of bees’ body disruption to make viewers understand the effects of pesticides on them, now you are working on different levels and following different paths that perfectly work together. I like the research related to dreams, black and white and colours you made: it gives a further starting point to analyse your practice and to approach it. Your images are now speaking to our subconscious and this has a great impact on your project’s potential. It’s now more “emotional” and this is a language that can reach a broader audience, even those individuals who never thought about this environmental problem before.

I would have insert more critical and visual references, even if I experienced myself how difficult this can be in a ten-minute video, but they would have create a more clear context to help (visually and critically speaking) anyone who is approaching this topic for the first time.

Your first black and white images reminded me Henry Fox Talbot “Botanical specimen: photogenic drawing”, 1839 and it’s interesting to see how you made this approach evolve.

talbot specimen talbotspec2

William Henry Fox Talbot “Botanical specimen: photogenic drawing”, 1839. Image source: ©William Henry Fox Talbot

Another potential reference, analysed during these weeks, could be Carol Squires (ed) 2014, “What is a Photograph?”, New York, International Center of Photography.

I’ve been thinking about this reference as you’ve been talking about the use you made of diluted pesticides to analyse their effects on your images, creating a deeper sense of disruption. I think this approach is simply brilliant, because it can make your audience visually understand what the effects of those pesticides are on bees. I think it makes things more clear to observers, even those ones who never approached this topic before.

This approach made me think at the work, presented by Carol Squires into a case study analysed during this Module, of Matthew Brandth, who created landscapes photographs which included bodies of water and then collected the water from those places using it during the developing and fixing phase, by immersing his prints in it and analysing the effects and chemical reactions it had on his images.

If I can provide a suggestion, I would add simple descriptions under your images, like the ones we can find in Science or Natural History  Museums, indicating the type of bee and plant portrayed, with their scientific names, the diluted pesticide used, the effect it has on bees (body disruption, inability to fly, death…): in this way each viewer could understand what effect are on bees and see them on your images at the same time, empathizing more with the topic, I think. A contrast between dreamy images and an “aseptic” description might even have a deeper impact on viewers: you are appealing them with your images, making them approach to the topic in an unusual way, but yet describing something that it’s actually there, that they must clearly understand and that is negatively affecting the environment and, subsequently, our lives.

I would deeper analyse the potential contexts of consumption and how they might affect the understanding of this topic and of your images. Art Galleries only? Would your images fit into a Campaign to sensitise viewers in relation to this topic? Yes? No? Why? How?

Again, I understand that this can’t be clearly stated in ten minutes and that probably you’ve already taken in consideration all these aspects I discussed here, but I see a great potential in this project and I think it could become useful to your audience not only as a piece of art.

Brandth Matthew,

Fox Talbot H. William, Botanical Specimen, ca.1835, collection record into the MET Museum official website

Fox Talbot H. William, Botanical Specimen, Images’ sources on Pinterest

Griffin Jedd, Critical Research Journal

Griffin Jedd, Youtube channel

Squires Carol, What is a Photograph?, (ed) 2014, International Center of Photography, New York.

Stephan Annelisa, Re-Picturing Photographic History, Hiroshi Sugimoto preserves and transforms William Henry Fox Talbot’s 175-year-old “photogenic drawings, April 2014 issue on The Iris – Behind the scenes at the Getty website

Visiting a museum: everything other than the artifacts

A few weeks ago, I visited the Museum of Criminal Anthropology “Cesare Lombroso”, in Turin, Italy.

This Museum, with The Museum of Human Anatomy “Luigi Rolando” and the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, constitute a single Centre managed by the University of Turin and they are the first step in the creation of the “Museum of Mankind” project.

Lombroso Museum, building of Anatomical Institutes in the late 19th, early 20th Century. ©Museo Cesare Lombroso. All rights reserved.

In 1884, Doctor Lombroso participated in the Anthropology display of the Italian General Exhibition with “anomalous skulls, masks, tattoos, photographs of criminals, material evidence, daggers, playing cards… drawings and objects that belonged to or were made by criminals” (Lombroso, 1884) and then, two years later, he left the Chair of Forensic Medicine for that of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Practice and he published his “The Criminal Man”.

Due to several petitions created to close it, taking photographs into the Museum is now forbidden. The petitions have been proposed due to the fact that Lombroso is not commonly considered as “a real scientist” because his theories are evaluated as obsolete and some terms he used are currently seen as racist in our Country, because they often relate criminal tendencies to regionalism. What most of people don’t understand, I think, is that he was born in 1835, an era in which because of “women’s issues” many individuals have been hospitalised. He was a son of his era and his scientific language and research were, of course, related to it. Only because a scientific theory is outdated, it doesn’t mean that all that materials should be hidden or that it wasn’t important for further scientific discoveries and, moreover, closing that Gallery would mean that many artworks made by prisoners and psychiatric patients could get “lost”.

Lombroso Museum, Virtual tour images. ©Museo Cesare Lombroso. All rights reserved.

Anyway, on its official website there is a short video that provides, at least, a general overview of its interior:

Briefly, entering the Museum, in the first room, decorated like medical buildings in Lombroso’s era, there are two screens in which two men are discussing various topics related to the historical and social contexts in which the collection has been created.

The second area contains all those instruments that the Doctor used for his measurements since he believed that the cranial shape was strictly related to criminal behaviour and madness and it is interesting because it show how he actually realised his Research.

Room three and four, then, contain Lombroso’s collection of remains, skeletons, wax masks of men sentenced to death, bodies of proof used for criminal actions, dresses and pieces of art created by criminals and asylums’ patients and those skulls he used to formulate the Theory of Atavism. This area is the most famous one because its visual and emotional impact. I had the chance to observe other visitors and I could see a mix of fascination and horror in their eyes, but yet I noticed they could not look away from those objects and remains.

From here, all walls are covered in portraits of people affected by what, in that era, were considered different types of madness and portraits of criminals and the following two rooms contain artworks created by some of them. It reminded me of those ancient houses in which many old family portraits are exhibited. In the last two spaces, then, we can see the model of a prison and one of its cells and and only in the final corridor we can find most of written information, related about Lombroso’s theories and their evolution in Science history and about the collection: less than ten panels.

Spaces are arranged to create a sort of circular path that viewers can follow and to show the interior of the building as it might have been when Lombroso was operating. The University of Turin also recreated his office in an effort to provide observers with a historical and interior architecture-related contextualisation.

Rooms are quite small, even claustrophobic in some cases, and spaces are organised mostly in the same way as they were in early 20th Century. The effort to insert new technologies to provide a more interactive experience to visitors is minimum and involve two small areas, only. The main colours are the brown of the wood and the cream of the walls, which remind the colour of all those skulls and bones contained by the main areas. Illumination is mostly artificial and provided by the use of warm-light neon tubes, which give almost a sense of sterility to those spaces.

I didn’t receive any audio guide or leaflets to add information to the few ones shared on the wall-panels that, at the same time, didn’t add anything to what was already available online. English translations were often imprecise and the staff consisted in two people only: one person in the reception area and another one wandering and screaming to visitors that they can’t take photographs of the exhibition. I tried to ask if they had further reading materials to provide, but they just told me they didn’t, without adding any other information about how to find them online or doing an effort to be proactive somehow. There were no catalogues about the Museum, but, at least, reading materials are available online in PDF format.

The website is similarly organised: in its English version some parts are translated and some aren’t and even those translations contain typos and mistakes. I couldn’t find out who created written contents and who translated it, but I easily guessed it was someone related to the University of Turin, since it manages the Museum.

There are no talks or events organised by the Gallery, apart from guided visits and scholastic ones that can’t currently be booked online but by phone only. Even in the Event section of the website, the only informaton I could find were about openings during festivities.

The new museum displays are intended to provide the visitor with conceptual tools to understand how and why this controversial Scientist came to formulate the theory of “Criminal atavism” and what were the errors in his scientific method, but again they failed providing simply generic information and adding nothing but what can be found searching on Google.

Analysing what written by my peers during this week about the exhibitions they had the chance to visit, I immediately noticed how information have been provided and shared in different and more efficient ways in their cases.

For instance, to take in consideration another Museum in Italy, at the ‘Jheronimus Bosch and Venice’ exhibition into the Doge’s Palace in Venice, visited by Jo, there were large panels containing information in each room, containing white texts on a dark surface. This is the only similarity in both Museums (see previous images), since I strongly believe that in Venice those texts were far more informative than the ones I could read in Turin, and probably better translated, too. Those plaques in Venice detailed the name of the artist, the year in which the work was produced, its title and the medium on which the work was produced.

Close to those skulls analysed by Cesare Lombroso for his theoretical research, there were simply papers containing words like UXORICIDE or THIEF. I can easily guess that the important thing, here, was the impact that those skulls should have had on viewers, but most of them had no idea what they were looking at, why and what those words meant in that specific context. They were acting as simple voyeurs, intrigued by something inusual.

We can find even a bigger discrepancy if we compare the information shared by the Museum of Criminal Anthropology and the Royal Cornwall Museum. In this specific case, the exhibition provided detailed A4 leaflets that could be taken away by visitors, correlated to the details on wall-signs and written in the displays. Josie, who visited this exhibition, presumed the creator of the exhibition wrote those contents following “the collation of the historic material and stories” (Purcell, 2017). In relation to their contents, she has been more engaged by the section about postcards sent by couples separated by the war than the general info sheets aimed at a wide audience.

I think it’s a shame that the Museum of Criminal Anthropology is not promoted by main touristic organisations and that it doesn’t organise talks or events to re-enhance its popularity, because it’s important to make people understand what it contains and why it’s been relevant for the development of Anthropology and scientific Research in History.

Museum of Criminal Anthropology “Cesare Lombroso” – Website:

Lombroso Cesare, The Criminal man, 2006, Duke University Press, Durham, USA.

Purcell Josephine – CRJ:

Sutherst Jo – CRJ:

Independent reflection: a starting point for my oral presentation

The project “I can hear you now” started from the idea that we live in a world virtually connected, but, at the same time, people are disconnected among them in the actual one. Relationships and behaviours are influenced by social norms that ask people to be a constant positive role model or not to express  negative emotions. We often communicate with small talks avoiding to deeper analyse each one’s inner self and so what I am trying to do is enhancing that type of communication through a visual experience.

I focused on the act of screaming because it’s considered as a negative act, and so, giving positive connotations to something negative, I might have the chance to transform a non-communicative social habit to a communicative one. Reasons that make screaming liberating are various and they can all be conveyed in a unique action which allows sitters to express their discomfort through a sound able to release negativity and give space to what life has to offer them, avoiding to be glued to their past. This is the concept behind the naming: a way to make this interior process audible to the subject himself and to the audience that will be enabled to better hear and understand others’ “negativity” expressed in a  constructive way.

I started from Doctor Paul Ekman’s studies, which analyse facial micro-expressions to understand those emotions that a subject is trying to communicate or to hide. He focused on the idea that we all facially express emotions in the same way and so, creating a big amount of portraits, I could enable viewers to detect, analyse and understand those similarities in all portrayed subjects and to better interpret what their feelings might have been while those photographs, that freeze a human experience and “portray a portion of reality” (Szarkovski, 1966), to quote John Szarkovski, were taken.

To resume the aim of my research, I am trying to make people facing their souls while observing something expressed by others, because, as Carl Jung stated, “There is no coming to consciousness without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own Soul. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious” (Jung, 1928) and I am doing it by creating visual examples they can confront themselves with, because, to use Albert Einstein’s words “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only way” (Einstein/Van Ekeren, 1988).

As previously discussed in my CRJ, I am trying to create a structure for this project that can be considered more as a visual experience than an exhibition of my work. My aim is to create a path that viewers can follow, to place my work in a similar way to what Daniel Gustav Cramer did with his “Trilogy”, in which Arielle Bier saw “guiding devices, like a trail of breadcrumbs” (Bier, 2014).

Since my desire is to connect different professional fields and different forms of art, I will link still and moving images by the use of different approaches and techniques. I think that the best way to start this kind of interior journey is by portraying the state of non-communication and lack of understanding among people by a “symbolic” introductive video, visually and conceptually referred to David Lynch’s work, which is often surreal and uses oneiric images and suggestive dialogues.

I will focus, then on video-art portraying actors while interpreting themselves through different acting techniques, such as the Silent Scream, revisited also by Ron Fricke 1992 film, Baraka.

The following ideal step would be my video self-portrait in which I show the whole intimate process to the audience, experiencing it by myself. I’ve been inspired by the British artist Matt White’s “Weighless” in the creation of this video, since even if the process I am living there is completely different, the visual solutions he found and his self-hypnosis journey has been an interesting visual reference. In this step, viewers will understand all differences between an acted process and an actual one, starting their interior path to empathise with others.

To connect, then, moving images and stills, I am creating video-montages out of those images of the whole process I’ve been witness of while portraying my subjects. I will require some musicians, then, to recreate those screams in music. I will show them the silent videos and I will ask them to interiorise what they will observe and to use their art to generate an audible scream, similarly to what John Lennon did creating “The Plastic Ono band”, reinterpreting, in music, Doctor Arthur Janov’s ‘Primal Scream’ technique.

A series of contact sheets will be a further passage to connect videos to portraits and they will both photographically exhibit the process itself and provide a further interpretation-key using also long-exposure to portray, like Francesca Woodman did in her “Space2” series, body movements that represent the subjects’ inner selves. Woodman inspired also my Confrontation sheets, the last step to arrive to all those portraits depicting the three main stages of the whole process. In these long-exposure portraits, I compare two different screams made by the same person, to make observers understand that individuals are multifaceted and to enable them to recognise different feelings through corporal movements and facial expressions at the same time.

The last, and main, point of my work will be a series of triptychs portraying sitters before, during and after the act of screaming which recreate, in images, what in a quote, attributed to Arthur Schopenhauer has been stated about the three Stages of Truth: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident” (Shopenhauer, date unknown).

I am considering to create, at the end of the portrait phase, an area related to audience’s active participation to the project. During exhibitions, this could be done by asking viewers to scream and being photographed, so they will have the chance to become an integral part of the whole visual experience. Since this can’t be done in different contexts in which there is no physical participation of people, for instance on printed materials or Magazines or on the website and social media, I am considering to use Instagram to enhance participation by asking people to scream and take a self-portrait with a black and white post-production, while I will share images taken during the exhibitions. Those photographs, then, can be collected all together. This can be considered as the millennial version of what did by the photographer Katy Grannan who placed newspaper adverts asking for “people for portraits”, a project that culminated in her monograph “The Model American.”

Involving different professionals, such as psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, neurologists and artists, I will allow each viewer to approach to this topic, even if his approach is more science-related or if he is more interested in a social contextualization.

If I have to contextualise my practice from a Philosophical perspective, I would say that I am trying to use Photography as a tool for psychological support, to enhance empathy and communication. To quote Roland Barthes, I will use a “manifestation of the ordinary” (Barthes, 1993) to make my photographs existing to each observer in accordance to his own personal experience and using them as transfer of meaning. I will provide some words written by my sitters in their native language, but unrelated to their shots, to create a sort of ambiguity that might enhance interpretation together with the different visual techniques used. I will only guide viewers with images, recreating a path for them and with references and data, but I won’t give a personal interpretation. Even if I am the one who selects photographs that will be insert in triptychs, they will portray the actual, “the real before the photograph” (Barthes, 1993) and so, as the author wrote, “Death of the author frees us from explanation” (Barthes, 1977). It frees us from forcing the viewer to look at a photograph in the same way we do. It generates the opportunity for him to have an intuitive opinion and that is what I am striving to create within my own practice.  What I do care is to push the idea of Photography as not only Art, even if Jonathan Jones would not agree with this concept, but as something useful to individuals and, subsequently, to those Societies they live in.

I opted for an inclusive approach because, ethically, it allows me to portray others while uttering negative emotions becoming part of the process myself. “I can hear you now”, starts from a personal perspective, talks about a personal problem and so it needs my personal participation as sitter. I position myself into the project, avoiding a voyeuristic approach, and this is the same thing I hope viewers will do: I hope they will consider themselves as an integral part of it, observing their inner world while observing others, as a mirror.

Considering Barthes’ idea of the “Channel of transmission”, in this case the context of consumption, I am opting to personalise my work in accordance to the medium that will convey it, because printing-related media and website require different expedients to recreate the path that can easily be recreate during a physical exhibition.

I am currently publishing images from my project on different social media, such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and I used some of them also to participate to “Lens Culture 2017 Portrait awards” to analyse their visual impact and better understand what works and what doesn’t and, subsequently, to “adjust” my practice in accordance to different opinions and perspectives, but always in full respect of my sitters, its aim and my photographic approach and style.

At a second stage, I will be interested in involving some Charities in different Countries, asking them to participate to this project by collaborating at its creation or providing places for exhibitions or linking it to some of their projects. I think it may be interesting analysing “I can hear you now” from different points of view, because I think it would be a good visual and artistic support to share information about their work in relation to different themes, such as fighting social isolation, support for people who experience psychological problems or anxiety disorder and it could be even interesting in relation to topics such as rage management and domestic abuse because my images and visual solutions, I think, are versatile enough to fit different contexts of consumption.

To better analyse this point, I am considering to create a Survey to understand how people from different Countries, ages, cultures and genders face the topics behind my research and how they would face my photographs. I want to understand and face the opinion of the largest amount of people I can reach, because I am measuring the success of my work in terms of active participation of viewers, in my ability to represent the diversity of individuals sharing common problems and by the usefulness it will have for audience and sitters, hoping I will experience its benefits myself.

Barthes Roland, The rhetoric of image, essay, 1964, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Barthes Roland, Camera Lucida, 1993, Vintage, London.

Barthes Roland, Death of the Author, Image-Music-Text, 1977, Fontana Press, London.

Bier Arielle, Time Travels in Frieze Magazine (16th April 2014)

Cramer Daniel Gustav, Trilogy, 2003-2013

Ekman Paul, Facial and micro-expressions analysis,

Einstein Albert, Quotes, Words for all Occasions by Glenn Van Ekeren, 1988, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, p.234.

Fricke Ron, Baraka, (Silent scream), 1992

Grannan Katy, The model American

Grannan Katy, Boulevard

Janov Arthur, The Primal Scream. Primal Therapy: The Cure for Neurosis, 1977, Abacus, London.

Jung Carl, Contributions to Analytical Psychology, 1928, Kegan & Paul, London, P.340.

Lennon John, Plastic Ono Band, 1970, Wikipedia page

LensCulture, Contemporary Photography, website

Lynch David, Lynchnet, The David Lynch resource,

Schopenhauer Arthur, 2016, in Melissa Chu’s The three Stages of Truth,  The Huffington Post

Szarkovski John, The Photographer’s eye, 1966, MoMA, NY.

White Matt, Weightless, 2008

Intent, strategies and ambiguity

Since we live in a Society that doesn’t really allow individuals to express their negative emotions in order to relieve them, and in which negative feelings are seen as a sign of weakness and people don’t want to get involved into other people’s problems, my intent is to create a project in which photography serve those individuals and help them to express themselves and being, possibly, heard and understood.

We must clarify two main points: screaming is commonly seen as an act with negative connotations and due to a lack of communication negativity tends to remain unexpressed and non-expressed emotions usually grow inside individuals, who often are unable to manage them by themselves. This might take to serious consequences, too.

My intent is to use photography to challenge this situation, to enhance communication about negative feelings, to make screaming become a liberating and positive act used to create comfort to my subject or a void to be filled with more positive emotions. Moreover, I want to create empathy between subjects and observers and enhance self-analysis.

Roland Barthes says that we live in a world of mythological and social constructions that allow the transfer of meaning only if the system of signs and symbols are shared by the encoder and the decoder.

In my project, as usual in photography in general, the message is the subject, the encoder is the photographer and the decoder is the viewer. To understand the message they must share the portrayed experience and, since I think anyone experimented in his life a negative moment, my images might be easily contextualised and interiorised by the spectators. The topic might be difficult to “digest”, but most of individuals have the potential and the ability to decode the contained message.

Barthes, in his “The rhetoric of image” also points out that accompanying texts provide an “anchorage to the meaning” (Barthes, 1964), because the captions allow to focus on each one’s gaze and understanding, reinforcing the meaning and showing implied concepts.

In my work, words related to my triptychs have this function. Since the main part of my project is focused on portraits structured in three phases, the subject before, while and after screaming in order to show the audience the differences in sitters’ facial expressions and related moods or feelings, I will ask all individuals I will photograph to write one single word that represents what they feel during each step of the process.

In addition, my aim is to create a survey related to the represented topic and to analyse the relations between individuals’ negative emotions and Society, so the audience will have more data to decode the message of my project and to understand the reasons behind it.

I can define my strategy as successful basing my opinion only on my personal experience and on a few feedbacks, this is the one of the key-points I am considering to analyse into my survey: whether if it might work for a broader audience or not, so my considerations will be no longer based on my perspective but on a broader one.

I think that in photography there is always space for ambiguity, because it’s something that leaves the debate about it open. Multiple interpretations are always possible, due to personality, experience and knowledge of the observers. That said, I have to admit that it’s not something related to the medium itself, but to the use the photographer does of it and the interpretation the viewer will give to what he creates.

Referring to Barthes’ ideas again, we can say that there are many photographers that create ambiguous images and embrace the interpretation the observers will give to their photographs: this is true even in my case,somehow.

My aim is to let the audience free to understand and interpret at a personal level the videos, the contact sheets containing the process photographed, the long-exposure images, the portraits in triptychs in order to analyse themselves while analysing my images. They have to provide a personal interpretation in order to make those materials useful for them: they must have an active role. They represent the ultimate decoder.

Challenging Ideologies

My practice does not adhere to any specific ideology, due to the fact that it’s linked to different areas of interest, such as psychology, sociology or history, and uses different media, like videos, contact sheets and portraits. It refers to different authors and photographic styles, but it avoids being glued to a single style or idea.

I am following the ideology of photography as an art that portrays negative emotions to make out of it a supporting tool for subjects and observers, but, at the same time, I am challenging this approach by creating a photographic journey from negative to positive.

Edward Honaker, for instance, in his “Depression” project created symbolic self-portraits related to his condition. These images are relevant to my project, but they are different in their intent, since my gaze is not focus on myself only, but on different individuals; they are different in the portrayed topic, because while he is focusing on depression and anxiety, these are simply a personal starting point for my practice due to the fact that I want to focus on negative emotions more broadly and I want to create a path to make my subject release them in order to give space to something else. Even aesthetically Honaker’s photographs are different: while we both use different techniques to create our images, his photos are more elaborated than mines, he creates beauty on an aesthetical level while explaining and showing his idea, I think the beauty is already there, visible in my subjects’ relief. Moreover, while he is experimenting in photography only, I am focusing on different media, including videos and contact sheets.

Edward Honaker, “Depression”, self-portrait, LA, 2013-2015. ©Edward Honaker.

During an interview for Ignant Magazine, Honaker says about the project: “Mental health disorders are such a taboo topic. If you ever bring it up in conversation, people awkwardly get silent, or try to tell you why it’s not a real problem. When I was in the worst parts of depression, the most helpful thing anyone could have done was to just listen to me – not judging, not trying to find a solution, just listen. I’m hoping that these images will help open up conversation about mental health issues. Everyone is or will be affected by them one way or another, and ignoring them doesn’t make things better” (Honaker, 2015). This proves that the starting point is the same, while the progression becomes different.

I might also follow the same ideology of Katy Grannan, who wanted observers to empathize with her sitters while creating her “Boulevard” project, but, at the same time, I am challenging it due to the path my observers will have to follow, from an introductive and symbolic video to video-art, from contact sheets to photos displayed in triptychs. The difference is also in the use of different techniques and approach. While her project is based on street photography, asking strangers to be portrayed in the street, I look for places in which my sitters might feel comfortable. While her gaze is focused on faces, mine is focused on interiority and faces and facial expressions are simply a medium I use to make viewers understand that while they are observing someone else, they are observing themselves at the same time.

Katy Grannan, “Boulevard” monography, street-portrait, Fraenkel Gallery, SF, 2011. ©Fraenkel Gallery.

I am also trying to challenge the classical idea of self-portrait, since in my work I am portraying myself with a video, to introduce my other subjects and to help observers to better understand the images they will see after they will watch that video. As Honaker did, I am not simply portraying my physical person, but my inner self, but while his symbolism is created by how his images are staged, in my case the symbols are in the actions people will see.

Talking about National Geographic images, Elizabeth Edwards explained that they are structured to be accessible and easily understood. But here we are not talking about aesthetically perfect landscapes, we are discussing about imperfect humans. Even if the approach could seem similar in the intent, my project wants to go beyond this. My images are not made by “westerns” for “westerns” portraying “non-westerns”, but are made by a non-perfect individual to portray her inner self and the inner world of other individuals for other individuals, not to satisfy a voyeuristic need of observers, but to include them as integral part.

They are distant from “the aesthetic representation of the far away” (Grundberg, 1988), to use Grundberg’s words: they focus on the actual, even in those cases in which I will use staged videos related to Cinema and Theatre to experiment different approaches to the topic. Even actors will not play a role: they will play themselves using different techniques.

Who could be attracted by my project and by this approach? Lev Manovich said that sometimes “vernacular images have interest to ourselves only: the author” (Manovich, 2016). Since my photographs are representing the vernacular, meaning that they show something related to everyday life, the actual, of course they are interesting to me: the photographer.

But who is the author here? Both the photographer and the subject: we work together, we share an experience and so this work should be interesting for both.

Being a topic open to interpretation, is the author the only author? Observer become authors too, somehow, because they will use their perception and personal experiences, especially if in a context of an exhibition they will accept to become integral part of the project being portrayed and becoming subjects themselves.

If we analyse my practice in this way, we can see a sort of circular system, due to the active collaboration, with the photographer, of subjects and observers, to create a content, to convey a message and to create meaning.

Another difference that can easily be seen confronting my portraits to the National Geographic ones, apart from aesthetic quality, of course, is in facial expressions. As said analyzing the history and the photographic approach of the Magazine, facial expressions is one of the gaze its photographers focus on. They can be friendly or neutral, but they are never hostile or have negative connotations.

In my project the approach is quite the opposite: I focus on negative emotions, I focus on my subjects screaming, I focus of them being voided or relieved. I face negativity or hostility to join the positive, I don’t show what people possibly want to see, I show what they maybe don’t want to face to make it audible, seen, listened, understood.

Grannan Katy, Boulevard, February 10, 2016, Interview with Sarah Meister for MoMA, NY

Grundberg Andy, A quintessentially American view of the world, September 18, 1988, Photography view, New York Times,

Honaker Edward, Depression, 2013-2015.

Honaker Edward, Photographer Edward Honaker Documents His Own Depression, September 24, 2015, Interview for Ignant Magazine

Horviz David, Mood disorder, February 10, 2016, Interview for MoMA, NY

Manovich Lev, Instagram and Contemporary Image, 2016, released online on Lev Manovich official website

Rothemberg Y. Tamar, Presenting America’s World, Strategies of innocence in National Geographic Magazine, 1888-1945, 2016, Routledge, New York.


So Why “Blockchained” Energy?

ENERGY; that magical intangible element, whose access is fundamental to fulfilling basic social needs, driving economic growth and fueling human development, should primarily be considered as a human right: Every living person on EARTH is a “stockholder” of its natural fortunes, air, water and most definitely, energy!

However, what we refer to now as “modern energy”; electricity, natural gas, modern cooking fuel and mechanical power, is being industrialized, then merchandised in forms of services adhered to a standardized and centralized model of distribution.

Under the current centralized model, electricity is mainly produced at a large-scale through centralized generation facilities, These facilities are usually located away from end-users and connected to a network of high-voltage transmission lines. The electricity generated by centralized generation facilities is distributed through the electric power grid to multiple end-users.

In other words, this model of energy simply depicts vertically-integrated utilities sat in the middle of the system run by energy providers, or rather say “centralizers”: they decide where and when to build generating capacity; they decide how to bridge the distance between generators and loads; they kept the system in balance through the deft application of the levers available to a centralized controlling entity: like we said, “energy centralizers”.

While other “progressive utilities” and regulators try to position themselves as “consumer-focused”or “consumer-centric”, but the truth is, even the most consumer-friendly ones are only reformulating the same narrative, aligned with their objectives: amass as much refined databases of “loyal customers”.

Meanwhile, consumers are fed a steady diet of price and product/service, plus the cost of energy security that can be counted in terms of control, certainty and economic independence.

And yet, as vital as these services are, over 1 billion people do not have access to reliable, affordable electricity; they are often forced to turn to polluting, hazardous, and expensive solutions like kerosene, charcoal and diesel in order to fuel their lives.

Nevertheless, even for those who can access it via grid extension, it’s really slow: studies have shown that energy access via traditional power plants alone is too time-intensive: the average time it takes for a World Bank power plant project is 9 years,and even when the centralized grid is available, many families cannot afford to connect.

For that we believe in the potency of blockchain technology in moving the power balance from centralized power authorities and suppliers to consumers.

How? by simply appending the blockchain technology into the magical recipe; The Distributed Energy Resources (DER), a promising market that operates in solar photovoltaic systems (PV),batteries, microgrids and embedded networks. By combining these two potentials, we get our SUPER NOVA: “blockchained energy” for everyone!

And it is not only about controlling the cost of energy consumption, it’s the divine incarnation of a great social impact: people having access to energy supplies that are more sustainable, more socially-responsible, more local, more resilient and more democratic.

The time has now come for a basic industry like the energy to get revolutionized, or more properly “blockchained”, we hope for a new model of energy trading that strips control from the hands of central players and puts it in the hands of everyday consumers, for a co-created energy future.

Wejden Khachaà is a Marketing/Finance Bachelor who is passionate about blockchain and it’s power to change the world.


Global Discontents : Conversations on the Rising Threats to Democracy

Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky

What kind of world are we leaving to our grandchildren? How are the discontents kindled today likely to blaze and explode tomorrow?

From escalating climate change to the devastation in Syria, pandemic state surveillance to looming nuclear war, Noam Chomsky takes stock of the world today. Over the course of ten conversations with long-time collaborator David Barsamian, spanning 2013-2016, Chomsky argues in favour of radical changes to a system that cannot possibly cope with what awaits tomorrow.

Interwoven with personal reflections spanning from childhood to his eighth decade of life, Global Discontents alsomarks out Chomsky's own intellectual journey, mapping his progress to revolutionary ideas and global prominence.

Type: Book

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Front Lighting

A front lit scene (where the MicronEye is on the same side of the scene as the light source or ambient light) sometimes lacks adequate contrast. Front lighting with a diffused light source can often be used to increase the contrast in a scene. If defects or points of interest are to be emphasized, side lighting such that the defects or points of interest cast a shadow or appear brighter through increased reflectivity may be used.

To set up a front lit scene, one or more flood lamps (found at most hardware stores) are arranged around the scene far enough away so that there are no shadows. Then the f-stop, focus control and lamps are adjusted for maximum contrast and focus. It is usually helpful to adjust the focus where the smallest part of the scene has the most detail.

In many instances you will want to diffuse the light coming from the flood lamps. Diffusing the light increases the uniformity of the light on the image. You can diffuse the light as simply as placing a piece of paper over the lamp. A better method of diffusion is to take a sheet of frosted mylar, diffused white plastic, or a sandblasted pane of glass and place it between the lamp and the subject. A diffused light source is most commonly used in defect detection and visual inspection applications.


Melikhaya Grant Sendezi @2016 Interhotel Challenge

Melikhaya Grant Sendezi is a young wine steward who is keen to make his mark and is the nominated candidate from The One&Only Hotel in the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. He is participating in the 2016 Cape Legends Interhotel Challenge - which is in its 4th year - where wine stewards and young chefs from around the country test their knowledge and skills - against their counterparts from other hotels around the country.


Bernie Anderson
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the blog

Current musings, whatever they may be.

Viral Cross-Cultural Cat Videos and Where to Find Them

Like "Magical Beasts," real news can sometimes be hard to find.

(real news and where we find it)

If we're paying attention, news of the ongoing refugee crisis in the Middle East continues to bombard us. Tear gas in Macedonia, deportations in Turkey and the ongoing US refugee-centered political football are frequently highlighted on Internet news feeds. Sometimes even makes nightly news on FOX and CNN, along with the today's viral cat video and the latest escapades of Miley Cyrus and Donald Trump.

World news is a funny thing. Having spent the significant portion of a decade living overseas, we became dependent upon news sources that were not FOX and CNN broadcasts. The perspective of the rest of the world is much more globally focussed than what we typically find in the US media.

In fact, I just did a quick experiment.

I went to the BBC home page. Top story there does relate to the potential departure of the UK from the EU. However, on that page there are several featured articles about global events, including the use of children as "suicide" bombers in the ongoing conflict in Nigeria.

MSNBC's homepage has no featured stories about anything other than the ongoing circus that is the US presidential elections.

While this example is anecdotal and not empirical, I'm suspicious that a deeper dive would produce similar results. A quick Google search produced some research on this topic that was done by the Pew Research Center in 1995. The major variable since that time is the coming of age of the Internet.

I'm not sure our television news has really changed much over the years, with the exception of adding the nightly viral cat-video feature.

(the problem as i see it)

As a Christian, I find the general lack of knowing anything about global happenings to be disturbing, particularly when it comes to the people in the church. We can't care about the things of which we are ignorant. I see this as a problem.

Lots of tweets coming across my feed this week related to the theological discussions happening at the ongoing Together For the Gospel conference. I like this group — the Gospel must be central in our thinking and central to our doing. But - we often live in such a way that theology and activities don't align all that well. I'm not talking about flagrant sin or the trope of being a believer on Sunday after partying down on Saturday night. My deepest concern for the church in America is that we act like Christians in most areas of our lives until it comes to the world around us. We talk about Christian families and values and Christian politics and politicians. There a lot of pastors currently attending a conference to keep our theological house in order. I hope we also take time to concern ourselves with the things that we know Jesus is concerned with.

There is very little information coming across the Twitter feed about the fact that the nation of Burundi is facing the reality of genocide, civil war and a refugee crisis or that several nations in southern Africa are looking at the prospects of a massive food shortage.

The Church must "think Gospel" when it comes to global events.

(ameri-centric christianity)

That's the danger we face. God bless America. We are in the midst of a rising tide of nationalistic Christian conservatism. The danger is not Christian conservatism in of itself (heck, I think I land somewhere in that camp. I guess?). The danger is an inseparable combination of nationalism and faith. At best, it's a stumbling block; at worst, it's damning. This is a subtle marriage and a dangerous union to which every professed believer in America is susceptible.

Americans tend to be Ameri-centric in terms of global happenings. But if the Bible is properly understood, American Christians cannot afford to take the same path on which much of the country is currently walking. Caring for the global poor and vulnerable (physically and spiritually) is not just an option on the Christian menu. This is who we are because this is who Jesus is. It would be wrong of us to just "build a wall."

(what do we do about it?)

There are ways to combat our very narrow default mindset of "my-life-in-this-world-for-my-sake," particularly as Americans. We can do better. As Christians, we must do better. I recommend the following for a start:

Curated news sources.
Stop depending on FOX news or CNN to get your information. While not a huge fan of Google's business model, I do use Google news to follow global happenings. There are specific regions of the world where I want to stay informed. I simply type that into Google news, and save it. I can very quickly get the latest from Syria, Turkey, Burundi or Mongolia. There are other tools that do this, as well. But Google news (with the accompanying iPhone app) works well for me. The New York Times International is also a good source of global information.

— Neil Postman

Pray while reading
It's not enough to get information. Awareness is a start, but awareness without action equates to meaningless information that will stress you out.

Bring the headlines you read to the feet of Jesus.

Pray for those nations and leaders and peoples who are suffering, being unjust and facing injustice, all without God and without hope. Pray for the church in those places. Pray for the places where the church does not exist. Pray for the church located in parts of the world where it faces extinction. While, it's true, there is very little that any one of us can do about most of what we read ... we can (and I argue, we must) pray.

Be informed. Be broken. Pray.

Be intentionally cross-cultural
For those who are able, I think it's always good to periodically get out of the US and experience other parts of the world. However, not everyone has the means or capacity to do this. The majority of us living in the US do have the capacity to get outside of our cultural comfort zone. We are a nation of immigrants, some simply being more recent immigrants than others. Rather than holding Arabs, Africans or Central Americans suspect, make new friends. Smile. Talk to immigrants, even if there's a language barrier. Ask questions. Let them know you care about them. Immigrants are often afraid and alone (particularly in the current political climate). Simple friendliness goes a long way. Frequent an authentic ethnic restaurant. When you connect to people with humility and take the posture of a learner, it's possible to acquire deep meaningful, cross-cultural friendships. The issue is that of intention.

American Christians should be leading the way and advocating for the foreign born in our midst, as well as for those parts of the world where suffering is at its deepest levels. That's not possible if we are ignorant.

We will remain ignorant if media consumption consists primarily of viral cat videos. We must be intentional.

What ways are you intentionally cross-cultural? In what ways would you like to be more intentionally cross-cultural? Would love your input in the comments below.

Bernie AndersonComment


A TGV Luas for Ireland

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Ireland is a small island with a developing culture of music, arts, food, sports, language and entrepreneurship. By developing a rail network e.g. Cork, Limerick, Galway, Athlone, Kilkenny, Waterford in a circle route as part of an 8 network and connecting airports and tourists Ireland can have an efficient, cost effective and low train requirement for trains that do speeds of 320kph at an estimated cost of €17 million per kilometre.

Today: Andrew is counting on you

Andrew Crehan needs your help with “Shane Ross: A TGV Luas for Ireland”. Join Andrew and 37 supporters today.


An official website of the United States government.

EPA EcoBox

EPA EcoBox Tools by Stressors - Chemical

Chemical stressors may include:

  • Organics—containing carbon (e.g., dioxins, furans, PCBs, flame retardants, hydrocarbons, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), some pharmaceuticals, phthalates, volatiles, semi-volatiles (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs]).
  • Metals and other inorganics (including nutrients such as calcium, nitrogen, phosphorous)—generally do not contain carbon. For ecological receptors, heavy metals such as lead and mercury and nutrient pollution are a major focus.
  • Pesticides—can be organic compounds (e.g., pyrethroids and paradichlorobenzene) as well as metals and other inorganic substances (e.g., tin compounds historically used as antifoulants).
  • Emerging contaminants of concern—may include nanoparticles or nanomaterials (e.g., nanoscale titanium dioxide, nanoscale silver).

Chemical stressors may have natural counterparts or multiple sources. Many chemicals occur naturally (e.g., most metals), are generally widespread from other sources (e.g., PAHs in urban ecosystems), or may have significant sources outside the boundaries of a site (e.g., atmospheric nitrogen). For chemicals that are secondary stressors, an evaluation might focus on metabolites, biodegradation products, or chemicals formed through abiotic processes (U.S. EPA, 1998).

Nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) are essential to health for animals, plants, and microorganisms. In excess, any nutrient can be harmful. For some species, metals that are micronutrients (e.g., iron, cobalt, magnesium) can be toxic at higher levels. Nitrogen and phosphorus are elements that occur naturally in aquatic ecosystems and support the growth of algae and aquatic plants. On the other hand, eutrophication (nutrient over-enrichment) in aquatic systems, particularly due to excess nitrogen and phosphorous contamination, is a major water quality issue. Secondary stressors can also be formed through ecosystem processes. For example, nutrient inputs into an estuary can decrease dissolved oxygen concentrations (a secondary, indirect impact) because they increase primary production and subsequent decomposition (U.S. EPA, 1998).

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General Tools

Resources that are applicable to conducting ERAs for chemical stressors are provided below.

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Fate and Transport Considerations for Chemical Stressors

Fate and transport processes “link” the release of chemical stressors at a source with the resultant environmental concentrations to which receptors can be exposed. When a contaminant is released from a source, it is subject to transportHelptransportMovement within a medium or between media. and transformationHelptransformationChange in a chemical or physical state. in the environment. Compounds can also transferHelptransferProcess by which chemicals are taken up by a plant or animal either directly from exposure to a contaminated medium (soil, sediment, water) or by eating food containing the chemical. from an environmental medium to biota, a process referred to as bioconcentration or bioaccumulation. Some chemicals can biomagnifyHelpbiomagnifyBioaccumulation is the general term describing a process by which chemicals are taken up by a plant or animal either directly from exposure to a contaminated medium (soil, sediment, water) or by eating food containing the chemical. Related terms are bioconcentration which chemicals are absorbed by an animal or plant to levels higher than the surrounding environment; and biomagnification, in which chemical levels in plants or animals increase from transfer through the food web (e.g., predators have greater concentrations of a particular chemical than their prey). as they move up the food chainHelpfood chainA food chain is formed as one organism eats another. A food web is a system of interlocking and interdependent food chains, in which each organism supplies energy to another life form. (see the Food Chain module of the Exposure Pathways (Media) Tool Set in EPA EcoBox).

Uptake is the process by which a substance crosses an absorption barrier and is absorbed into the receptor (U.S. EPA, 2011). Uptake is a function of the stressor (e.g., a chemical’s form or a pathogen’s size), the medium (e.g., sorptive properties, presence of solvents), the biological membrane (integrity, permeability), and the organism (sickness, active uptake) (Suter et al., 1994).

Most stressor-response relationships express the amount of stressor in terms of media concentration or potential doseHelppotential doseThe amount of a chemical contained in material ingested, air breathed, or bulk material applied to skin. rather than internal doseHelpinternal doseThe amount of an agent that enters a target by crossing an exposure surface that acts as an absorption barrier.; this limits the utility of uptake estimates in risk calculations. However, biomarkersHelpbiomarkersA contaminant-induced physiological, biochemical, or histological response of an organism. and tissue residues can provide valuable confirmatory evidence that exposure has occurred, and tissue residues in prey organisms can be used for estimating risks to their predators (U.S. EPA, 1998).

See the Exposure Pathways (Media) Tool Set for discussions of bioaccumulation factorsHelpbioaccumulation factorsThe ratio between the concentration of a chemical measured in an organism and the concentration of the same chemical in water. (BAFs) and bioconcentration factorHelpbioconcentration factorRatio of the concentration of a chemical in an organism to the concentration of the chemical in its surrounding aqueous environment. BCF values are surrogate measures of the bioaccumulation potential of a chemical in organisms in the environment. (BCFs) that are used to characterize relationships between the concentrations of chemical stressors in environmental media and concentrations in plant or animal receptors.

Migration Process Examples of Fate and Transport Processes

Within medium

  • Migration of a contaminant through soil via soil pore water
  • Dispersion of a contaminant throughout a surface water body
  • Dispersion of a contaminant through ambient air

Between media

  • Deposition and resuspension of a contaminant between air and soil
  • Migration of soil contaminants by erosion and runoff flow to nearby soil (transport within a medium) or adjacent aquatic systems
  • Leaching of surface soil contaminants to subsoil (transport within a medium) and groundwater (transport between media).Deposition and resuspension of a contaminant between surface water and sediment
Contaminants in groundwater are discharged to surface water

Chemical change

  • Chemical breakdown in air due to photolysis
  • Organic breakdown or biodegradation of a compound in soil by a biotic organism, such as bacteria
  • Organic breakdown or biodegradation of a compound into other compounds or elements by sediment-dwelling organisms

Physical change

  • Inorganic metals that dissolve in soil pore water
  • Contaminant adsorbs to particulates in air
Organic metals that dissolve in water

Transfer –
Environment to Biota

Important factors that can impact the migration processes described above include the following.

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Fate and Transport Tools

There are a number of sources of information related to the environmental fate and transport of contaminants provided in the table below.

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The purpose of a group buy (also known as a Solarize program) is to increase education of local residents about solar photovoltaics (PV), and increase market penetration of residential and small commercial solar PV through a group purchasing program.

Group Buys are important tools for increasing solar deployment in a market in a short period of time. When done correctly, they can be beneficial to everyone involved, including residents, businesses, local organizations, and jurisdictions. They work by aggregating demand for solar, usually in a small geographic area, achieving economies of scale. They lower the solar installers’ “soft costs” further by providing up-front customer education en masse, leading to a higher-than-average conversion rate for solar leads. Home and business owners see lower prices for their solar array, and communities move toward achieving their sustainability goals.


Bidoup Nui Ba National Park

Nature Reserve in Dalat

Occupying a densely forested highland plateau, this little-visited national park encompasses evergreen and coniferous woodlands, bamboo groves and grasslands at altitudes between 650m and 2288m. It is also home to various primates, black bears and the vampire flying frog. The park is 50km north of Dalat and most people visit on motorbike tours. English-speaking staff can be elusive. There are plans to make it more foreigner-friendly in the future.

Bidoup Nui Ba has 96 endemic plants, including the Dalat pine, and nearly 300 species of orchids.

The pleasant 3.5km trail from the visitor centre to a waterfall only fringes the national park; to penetrate deep inside Bidoup Nui Ba consider other options, which include ascents of Lang Biang and Bidoup mountains. Permits and a guide are needed and you'll camp overnight.


The Alliance for Pharmaceutical Access (APA) is a community based nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide access to life-saving medications to our neighbors and loved ones. Navigating our ever-changing healthcare system can be an overwhelming task for most of us. APA provides individualized  medication-access and patient advocacy services, at no cost.

APA has been closing inequity gaps in medication access for the most medically underserved since we began in 2004.

Let Us Help You To Navigate This Process

What Do We Provide?

APA provides a unique and free service. APA utilizes a comprehensive patient-centered case management approach to medication access for anyone struggling to afford their prescription medications. Its innovative approach provides medication advocacy, continuity of care and access to patient assistance programs that result in healthier people, families and ultimately the community.

How do we do this?

By accessing medication through patient assistance programs offered through pharmaceutical companies that offer free or special pricing for those who are unable to afford or pay market prices for their medications. APA is the missing link between those in need and these patient assistance programs. Our trained advocates are skilled at securing medications and diabetes supplies for the people in our community who most desperately need them.

If a client needs specialty or brand name medications, we enroll qualifying individuals into Patient Assistance Programs; if they qualify for Medi-Cal we refer them to the nearest social services office or certified enrollment counselor; if they are insured or have Medicare or Medi-Cal but are unable to afford their out of pocket expenses for their medications, we seek co-payment assistance programs, and on-line discounted or non-profit pharmacies for (available) generic medications. In 2016 APA also began a diabetes care program which offers discounted diabetes testing supplies to qualifying individuals. APA’s free, direct, and confidential client service is often the only resource that these individuals have to access free or discounted medications and diabetes supplies. Clients, are enrolled for a year at a time.

Who Do We Serve?

Any person who needs to access free and/or discounted medications to their healthcare needs as determined by their doctor.

Who Can Be Assisted?

Anyone who has been prescribed a medication to treat a medical condition and does not have insurance coverage, or has limited insurance coverage, is in the coverage gap, or simply does not have the resources to buy their prescribed medication.

See example listing of drugs and conditions under Meds.
Client Instructions can be found by clicking the client instruction tab at the top of any page.

To see if you qualify please complete this form:

To see if you qualify please complete this survey form:

Create your own user feedback survey

All contributions to APA are tax deductible


Chest pain

Chest pain can indicate a serious condition such as a heart attack. It is important to take quick action if someone complains of severe chest pain

Step 1: Check for any dangers to yourself or the casualty

Ask yourself – “what has happened, am I in any danger?”. If there are dangers present ensure these are dealt with. If the situation is too dangerous then stay back and call for help from the emergency services immediately.

 Step 2: Call an ambulance

Call an ambulance and tell the operator someone is suffering from chest pain. They may be able to give you more first aid advice over the telephone.

 Step 3: Help the casualty sit on the floor in a comfortable position

The floor is always the safest place for a casualty – if they collapse they are less likely to injure themselves falling. One position often taught for chest pain is the ‘W’ position – this is where the casualty sits with their back supported and knees bent so they look like the letter ‘W’.

 Step 4: Help the casualty chew on an Aspirin tablet

One 500mg Aspirin tablet should be given to the casualty to chew slowly and place under their tongue (not swallowed). Aspirin can help to break down any clots which have formed in the heart

Do not offer the casualty an Aspirin if they are allergic to it


Is hydrocortisone safe for hemorrhoids

By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Hemorrhoids, or “piles,” can occur as a result of pregnancy, poor diet, excessive straining during bowel movements, or repeated bouts of constipation. Hemorrhoids are essentially varicose veins that form in your rectum or anus due to pressure on that part of your body. They often swell, bleed, and itch, which can be uncomfortable and difficult to manage. A sitz bath is a technique in which you soak the hips and buttocks in warm water. You can use a shallow bath, or a special device that fits over the toilet seat. Soak the anal region in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes two to three times daily for fast, effective relief. If you’re experiencing hemorrhoids, dry toilet paper can scratch and tear at already swollen, inflamed veins. Instead of toilet paper, use unscented baby wipes or flushable wipes instead. Make sure you use wipes without fragrance or alcohol, as these may irritate hemorrhoids.

is hydrocortisone safe for hemorrhoids

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There are a number of over-the-counter topical medications designed to help treat hemorrhoids, including creams, ointments, medicated wipes, and suppositories. Other topical medications contain steroids, anesthetics, astringents, and antiseptics. Do not use over-the-counter topicals for longer than one week unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Many people with hemorrhoids experience pain, especially during bowel movements. If you’re experiencing pain because of hemorrhoids, try taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, like acetaminophen, in conjunction with topical treatments. Because hemorrhoids are caused by swollen, inflamed veins, an ice pack or cold compress can help reduce inflammation by slowing blood flow to the site of the hemorrhoid. Seal an ice pack or cold compress in a plastic sandwich bag and apply to the anus for fast relief.

Are minimally invasive, how do I get rid of bleeding hemorrhoids? Distal rectal evacuation is best achieved by small, what causes the bleeding from a hemorrhoid? Controlled trial including incontinence scoring, but do not consume this recipe for extended periods of time. Radiowave ablation and mucopexy for prolapsing hemorrhoids, i am going to try to slightly elevate my feet sitting on the toilet during a bowel movement to help is hydrocortisone internal hemorrhoids vs colon cancer for hemorrhoids pressure and facilitate an easier movement. Putting off a bowel is hydrocortisone safe for hemorrhoids or waiting for a “more convenient” time can cause constipation and painful bowel movements, avoid getting a vaccine during your treatment with Preparation H Hydrocortisone.

Is hydrocortisone safe for hemorrhoids

One of the best things you can do to care for hemorrhoids is to keep the anal area clean. Bathe or shower daily, and clean the skin in and around the anus with a gentle stream of warm water. You may do this with or without soap, but soap may irritate the hemorrhoids. One of the most common causes of hemorrhoids is excessive straining while going to the bathroom. This may be caused by constipation, or by chronic diarrhea associated with digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. Try elevating your feet slightly while sitting on the toilet. This may help facilitate a less-strenuous bowel movement. Constipation is a side effect of many over-the-counter and prescription drugs, so talk to your doctor about any medications you may be taking and if you can switch to something less likely to cause constipation.

If you are prone to hemorrhoids, it’s important that you use the restroom immediately when you feel the need. Putting off a bowel movement or waiting for a “more convenient” time can cause constipation and painful bowel movements, which can cause hemorrhoids or aggravate existing ones. If you experience frequent hemorrhoids, changing your diet may help you prevent future recurrence of hemorrhoids. Fiber supplement sources include psyllium husk, wheat dextrin, and methylcellulose. Drinking enough water each day can help you regulate your bowel movements and reduce the chances of constipation. Aim for six to eight glasses each day. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as these can affect your bowel movements. Eat the stool softener with one of your meals, but do not consume this recipe for extended periods of time. Being overweight can be a major contributor to hemorrhoids, as additional weight puts pressure on your veins.

Physical activity itself can also help reduce the incidence of constipation. Though medical treatments are most effective, certain herbal or vitamin treatments may help provide relief. Do not try any supplements or alternative remedies without first checking with your doctor or pharmacist — they can interact with other medication you may be taking. Know when to see a doctor. If you are experiencing complications associated with hemorrhoids, or if your condition does not improve after about a week with over-the-counter treatments, see a doctor immediately. Chronic and prolonged blood loss caused by hemorrhoids can lead to anemia in some people. Anemia results from a loss of red blood cells, which restricts your body’s ability to carry oxygen to your cells. Symptoms of anemia include weakness and chronic fatigue.

If your body’s blood flow to a hemorrhoid is suddenly cut off, it can lead to a condition known as strangulated hemorrhoids. There are a number of options your doctor can counsel you on that do not require surgery. These options are generally safe and effective, are minimally invasive, and can usually be done in an outpatient setting. Sclerotherapy injection — this procedure involves a chemical injection into the inflamed tissue. It results in a shrunken hemorrhoid with reduced pain and inflammation. The injection causes relatively little pain, but may be less effective than rubber band ligation. Coagulation has few side effects, but often has a high rate of recurrence compared to rubber band ligation. In some cases, hemorrhoids may not respond to nonsurgical treatments. If you have not had success with other treatments, or if you have abnormally large hemorrhoids, your doctor may suggest surgery to remove your hemorrhoids.

This option is considered to be less painful than a hemorrhoidectomy, but it often results in hemorrhoid recurrence and rectal prolapse. Will hemorrhoids get worse if they are left untreated? Sadly, they rarely fall off by themselves. If they are left untreated, they will cause irritation and aggravation until you treat them. It’s been three days and I’m suffering from piles and it’s internal. It’s very painful but there’s no bleeding.

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