The Oberoi groups

The Oberoi groups For an organization of your choice, outline a new product or process or other form of innovation. Definition of creativity and innovation: Creativity is the ability to think new idea. (This includes the ability to rethink an old idea, for example to think of a new application for an existing technology. Innovation is the process by which the new idea is put into practice. [ (center of competitiveness, 2001)] Introduction about OBEROI GROUPS: Oberoi groups are one of the Indias famous private organizations which step into the different markets in the year of 1934. It has a powerful market position for its products and services. Oberoi hotels are well known for its high quality service and luxury. A distinctive future of the Oberoi hotels is that they got their own highly motivated and well trained staff which provides a good standard quality of services which is really hard to find today. Apart from the hotel industry, Oberoi groups is engaged in the following business as well, Flight catering Airport restaurant Travel and tour services Car rentals Project managements corporate air charters. Oberoi groups has won many awards which as follows, It has been ranked as the best hotel chain (outside the U.S) in Conde Nast Travelers 2007 business Travel Awards readers survey. It has been ranked as the best hotel chain (outside the U.K) in the Guardian, Observer and guardian.co.uk Travel Awards 2008 readers survey. Rated as the second best resorts in India. And lots of other awards. [ (Oberoi hotels and resorts, 2009)] Mission: Our Guests: we are committed to meeting and exceeding the expectations of our guests through our unremitting dedication to every aspect of service. Our People: We are committed to the growth, development and welfare of our people upon whom we rely to make this happen. Our Distinctiveness: Together, we shall continue the Oberoi tradition of pioneering in the hospitality industry, striving for unsurpassed excellence in high-potential locations all the way from the Middle East to Asia-Pacific. Our Shareholders: As a result, we will create extraordinary value for our stakeholders. Vision: We see an organization which aims at leadership in the hospitality industry by understanding its guests, and designing and delivering products and services which enable it to exceed their expectations. We will always demonstrate care for our customers through anticipation of their needs, attention to detail, distinctive excellence, warmth and concern. [ (The Oberoi hotels and resorts, 2009)] A Tragic year: The Oberoi hotel in Mumbai is situated in the heart of the city and a few minutes away from lots of tourist attractions and the hotel has a beautiful view of blue sea and sky which attracts most of the tourist. And the facilities and services are always in a good slandered. Oberoi hotel is a good competitor for Taj hotel in India. But the Tragedy on 27 November 2008 was a major break down for Oberoi hotel in Mumbai. The attacks by terrorist in Oberoi trident in India shock the world by killing more than 100 peoples inside the hotel which include foreign tourists. The attack didnt only spare the life of the innocent people; it destroyed the beauty of the hotel as well. The gun shots, bombs and fire destroyed everything they touched. Terrorist turned the beautiful hotel as the graveyard for the innocent people who died in the attack. After the army killed those gunmen, the hotel reception was almost demolished. Oberoi hotel (Mumbai) was shut down for a while. Oberoi hotel even lost some of its share holders in the market. Innovation process by the organization: But all those bad things didnt stop Oberoi hotel to shut down completely. It was flashing in the news and everywhere that the Oberoi hotel was re opened a year and a half after the terror strike with the complete new look. It was published in the press that, After extensive restoration and renovation costing over 40 million dollars, the Oberoi opened its doors to guests Saturday, announcing its return with front-page newspaper advertisements that simply said: WELCOME BACK. (AGENCY, 2010) The Oberoi hotel in Mumbai is back into business now. The transformation of the hotel is completely different and is has brand new look. But what about their customers? Did they able to get back their customers? Actually they have a surprising innovation process in the organization which was highlighting in the news and press which is as follows, April 22 (Bloomberg) Indias luxury Oberoi hotel groups will open their flagship Mumbai properties in the next quarter with $6,750-a-night suites and butler services to win back tourists a year and a half after deadly terrorist attacks. The Mumbai Oberoi will reopen on April 24, charging as much as 300,000 rupees ($6,750) a night for 2,050 square foot rooms, which will include quarters for guests security officers. (SF Gate, 2010) Their innovation is that by reducing the rates and price levels, there might be a chance of getting their customers back into the business. This will also lead to attract the new customers into the hotel. This is a simple trick which is used by any kind of business in the market which is also an effective one. Usually in the market in order to sell a new product or increase the sales of the existing product, organizations normally reduce the price level. Most of the consumers fell for the cheap price. But later on the organizations will slowly increase the price level where the customers blindly buy the same product even though when the price increases. This is the same technique which the Mumbai Oberoi hotel is using now as their innovation. But this kind of innovation is normally used everywhere in this world. Although it seems to be a reasonable one. People who couldnt afford the price level before terror strikes might be interested as the price level is decreased. Their innovation in the market: As there is a recession in the todays market which is pushing the weakest industries and the organizations out of the market, lots of organizations have been kicked out of the market. This is going to be the hard time for Oberoi hotel to win back their customers. Due to the recession, lots of hospitality industries reduced their price level to attract the tourists. It is surprising that another famous hotel in Mumbai called Taj Mahal Palace was also being attacked by the terrorist on the same day as Oberoi was attacked and reopened recently. They also have reduced the price level which is more or less same level as Oberois. This is going to be a big problem for Oberoi groups. The first thought comes in the mind of people about the new Oberoi is that as they have invested lots of money in rebuilding the hotel; they are going to charge more prices for their services. But in this case, they have reduced the price level and given an additional feature like a free butler service. So this might be an advantage for the organization. The second thought is that the security level. People always criticize the poor security of the hotel. But the chairman of Oberoi hotel groups [P.R.S OBEROI], announced the press about their tight and improved security level of the new Oberoi. He stated to the press that, A big part of the focus has been to improve security. The hotel now has 150 security cameras, up from just 15 at the time of the attacks. It has 50 security personnel, five times the number it had in 2008. Visitors who drive up are greeted by a big steel gate where their cars are searched. The large windows in the lobby that overlook south Mumbais picturesque, crescent-shaped bay are now made from reinforced, shatterproof glass. (NDTV, 2010) Finally more or less they have answered almost every question about the hotel. This may lead the people to think positive about the hotel which is equal to win back their customers. Disadvantages and advantage of their Innovation: Even though their innovation seems to be a good one, there are some other few disadvantages exists which are as follows, It doesnt fit with the current market situation. Because of the recession, all other hotels have already reduced their price level which makes no difference. Maximum numbers of people will still go for the cheap price. Their innovation is very simple one which might not suite the current market situation. A huge amount of money has been invested in re-building the hotel, to win back the amount invested and their customers, there should be a powerful innovation must be implemented. This is also the time where Oberois competitors will try to overtake and try to conquer the market. But on the bright side, the one major advantage is that the Oberois major competitor called Taj is also facing the same problem. This might be a good chance for Oberoi as it will take time for their competitor to capture the market. In the mean time Oberoi can resolve the problems and get back their market position. And the other small advantage is that of the new look of the hotel. The old customers may come back to visit the brand new hotel. This will not only attract the old customers, it might bring the new customers as well which is the first step for the success after the tragedy. How to implement this innovation in the right way: The following are the major steps to implement the innovation in order to succeed any kind of business, First of all, decision making on implementing an innovation should be done by the top level management and should be very careful while implementing it. An innovation will survive in the market, only when the organization understands the market and balance it with the position of the organization in the market. And the innovation should be a powerful one where it should be a new one in the market and an attractive one as well, so that it will get the attention of others i.e. new customers. But the innovation by the Oberoi hotels is like a market tactics where it is used by others in the market. It is not a new one as the innovation is bringing something new where no one has seen it in this world. So reducing the price is not just an innovation but they have given an additional facility like a free butler service for this reasonable price which is a new process for their group. It will attract the new customers as they already know that this is going to be the temporary offer by the Oberoi group. The innovation should be a flexible one, so that any changes will not affect the any process in the organization. Because the market never remains constant. It will keep on changing according to the time and the factors which influence the change. It should also be flexible with the customers as each and every customer is different from each other. In this point of view, their innovation is quite an advantageous level. They have changed according to the time. Because of their tragedy and the recession in the market, they have done the right thing of reducing the price level and an additional free service. This will always works in the market as we have discussed above. Even though they have implemented an innovation, their process remains constant. May be the look of the hotel changed but the process remains constant. Their service to the customer didnt change or they didnt lose the entire market. Nothing changed except the look as it may brings the new customers into the business. If the innovation is more or less familiar in the market, then at least there should be an improvement in that which will make it as a different one when compared to others. The most important step is that the innovation should never affect the vision, mission and the objectives of the organization. Because the innovation is just to improve the business where the vision, mission and the objectives are the basics to survive in the competitive market. This is a good point where the Oberoi groups did achieve. They made a small difference in their innovation of offering a free butler service which makes a difference from others. It is clear that their innovation is not affecting the vision, mission and the objective of the organization. Their mission is to exceed the level of customer satisfaction. The innovation or the recession didnt affect their customer satisfaction. And the other important fact is that their innovation didnt affect the process in the Mumbai hotel or any other process of their different hotels or groups. In some cases it does happen. An impact on a single process of business will affect the entire business and even result in vanishing the organization from the market. A fine example for this scenario is that the Switzerland was dominating the watch making business in the years of 1968. They had a huge profit and powerful market implementations. They were well known as good inventors. But later in 1980, the market collapsed and lots of watch making employees lost their job. The Switzerland lost their market because of their new competitor called Seiko which grabbed the opportunity of making electronic quartz which was rejected by Switzerland. It is clear that the Switzerland was continuously making watch without changing the fundamental rules and didnt bother about their external environment. (STUDY UP, 2009). And the market never remain stable, it changes all the time as per the time and the need of the customers. Especially in the hotel industry, the market never remains constant. So if an organization fails to take a look over the external fit or fails to look after the defects which affects the organizations process, then there is a plenty of change for their competitors to take over their business and leads the market which will end up in winding up the business. When comparing to that example, it is clear that the changes in the Mumbai Oberoi hotel didnt chance any process in the hotel as well as the other hotels of its own group. Even though they have invested a lot of funds in re building the hotel, they didnt suffer that much. It is in the press that they are planning to open new hotels in India and abroad in a very few years. The Oberoi Group is planning to launch a luxury hotel in Goa. Goa is going to witness development of 12 new hotels over a period of 3-5 years, according to a survey by Federation Of Hotel and Restaurant Associations Of India and HVS International. The Oberoi could be one of these 12 new hotels. (ITOPC). It shows that how powerful their financial background is even in their tragic time period and their excellent survival in the market. And one of their major competitors in India is Taj hotel groups which were also attacked by the terrorist at the same time when the Oberoi was. This is a big advantage for Oberoi groups as their competitor is also facing the same problem. It is interesting that the innovation by the Oberoi hotel is more or less familiar with the Taj hotel groups where they have also reduced the price level after they have reopened their hotel in Mumbai. Taj hotel has reduced their price level to 3, 50,000 rupees per night where Oberois price level is 3, 00,000 rupees per night. The price level of Oberoi is little less when compared to the Taj hotel groups which is an advantage for Oberoi groups. In addition the Oberoi hotel now offers a free butler service for that reasonable price which s also an advantage and will be an effective one in the market. There is a scope that it will grasp the attention of the customers in the market and brings them into the business. In this way they have made a differe nce which is an advantage for Oberoi groups as we have discussed above that the majority for people always falls for the cheap market price. But only reducing the price level is not enough to survive in the competitive market. In order to face the market in a recession time, there should be a change in the general process in the organization, more importantly not the main process of the organization. For example as the Oberoi groups comes under the hospitality industry, it has a major opportunity to survive even in the recession time. There is always a scope for tourism and hospitality industry no matter what is happening in the market. Even though there is a recession in the market, Oberoi hotel groups are in the bright side where the hospitality industries are less affected when comparing to other industries. Understanding the problem of Mumbai Oberoi groups, what they could do now is to make a difference in their customer satisfaction level. The hotel is already known for its customer satisfactory level. Even though a small good change in a good process will be more effective than a normal one. By improving their customer satisfaction, they might be able to win back their customers which are equal to achieve their goals and objectives. (Vision, mission). It is very important that Oberoi hotel groups should not keep this low price tactics for a very long time. They should get back to their normal price as soon as they win back their customers or the market come back to the normal state. As they have invested lots of money on the Mumbai hotel, they should also look over the future and make some long term plans as well. They should not only concentrate on winning back their customers, they should also look for winning back their money which is invested in re-building the hotel and capture the market. Only bringing something new to this world is not easy as it seems. It should also reach the customers knowledge without which even a powerful innovation is nothing but a waste idea. In todays world there are plenty of ways where anything could be passes to the public knowledge. There are lots of media for everything. In this case, the Oberoi hotel groups used lots of media to pass their innovation in the knowledge of the people. This could also be a threatening factor as this may lead to the duplication of ideas by the other organizations in the market. But in this case, most of the percentage falls on the positive side which is a good favor for the Oberoi hotel groups. Conclusion: The Oberoi hotel group seems to be a struggling fish in the hooks of the terrorism and the bad market. But it is not yet pulled out of the water (market). It is pulling itself to survive. The hotel was being attacked by the terrorist and completely destroyed, at the time they were ready to get back into the business, the market was far worse than they expected. But they didnt slip out of the market. With their powerful financial background, they are back into business and stepping into their normal level which shows that they could do better in the near future. Their innovation was a simple one it seems to be an effective one in the market. It didnt affect any of its process and the innovation didnt cause any big changes in the organization. These are the very basic points for bringing the innovation in the market which are all achieved by the Oberoi hotel groups. And their major competitor is also facing the same problem which is also a positive climate for the Oberoi hotel groups in the market. May be their hotel was completely destroyed by those terrorist but they are back into business with a promising high tight security which helps the public to have a confident to walk into the hotel again without any of those death fear. Though there are some threats in the market, it is just a stepping stone for the Oberoi hotel groups for their bright future. On an overall basis, we have covered everything about the basic idea of the Oberoi hotel groups and their marketing position. We have also discussed about their innovation process and how they have implemented their innovation in the market and how successful it worked and also given a suggestion of how it could be more effective. It is important to note that there is always a bright fortune for the hospitality industry in this world as the human expectations are always a head then their imagination. So there is a bright scope for the Oberoi hotel groups which is very near and crystal clear. Bibliography: (2010). Retrieved APRIL 1, 2010, from NDTV: http://www.ndtv.com/news/cities/a-mumbai-hotel-reopens-grander-than-before-20545.php AGENCY, T. N. (2010, APRIL 24). TREND NEWS AGENCY. Retrieved MAY 1, 2010, from http://en.trend.az/regions/world/ocountries/1675687.html center of competitiveness. (2001). Retrieved 4 13, 2010, from http://www.cforc.org/newsdata/news.asp?StoryID=73 ITOPC. (n.d.). Retrieved 4 28, 2010, from ITOPC: http://www.itopc.org/travel-trade/new-hotels-in-pipeline.html Oberoi hotels and resorts. (2009). Retrieved 4 25, 2010, from http://www.oberoihotels.com/awards.asp SF Gate. (2010, APRIL 21). Retrieved MAY 1, 2010, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/04/21/bloomberg1376-L19D6Z1A1I4H-1.DTL STUDY UP. (2009). Retrieved 4 11, 2010, from STUDY UP: http://studyup.cut-the-knot.org/factors/externalenvironmentalfactors.html The Oberoi hotels and resorts. (2009). Retrieved 4 25, 2010, from http://www.oberoihotels.com/about_us/mission_and_vision.asp

19th century photography Essay

Discuss how 19th century photography was utilised to construct notions of social and cultural identity. Examine at least one image from the 19th century as well as at least one example of a contemporary portrait that has a resonance with these earlier practices. Photography’s influence on modern day is so vast that it is practically impossible to imagine a world without such technology. Due to the great deal of photography surrounding us, we have gradually become accustomed to the impact photography has on our social and cultural identity, that we no longer notice just how much it affects us and the world. If we take a look back to the creation of photography in the 19th century, we are able to understand its deep effect upon the social zeitgeist and how it constructed notions of social and cultural identity. We can successfully examine exactly how society reacted to the debut of photography, as each of its practical uses that were inaccessible beforehand; both scientifically and socially, were being uncovered. See more: Is the Importance of being earnest a satirical play essay The announcement of photography in 1839 evoked the desire to apply the new medium to the portrait. Andre Disderi popularized and patented the process of The Carte de Visite – a type of photograph which unlike earlier photography, was small, cheap and easily distributed. The use of the carte spread across France, Europe and America. The idea of celebrity, beauty and fame blossomed and theatre performers ‘flocked to the studios to have their portraits taken as lasting memento’s of transitory performances.’ (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001, p. 45-6) Eventually cartes became commercially available and the creation of family photographic albums began, later to â€Å"be handed down through the generations.† (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001, p. 46) Sitters would order from a dozen up to a hundred copies of a print to trade them with friends and family. In the 1870s, cartes were replaced with the success of cabinet cards, eventually leading to the immense populari ty of the Kodak Box Brownie, sparking the mass phenomenon of home snapshot photography that still exists today. (Tom and Marnie Hill 2011) For the first time, the middle class was provided with a means of remembering and cherishing dead loved ones with a keepsake photograph of them post  death. Post mortem photography was most common with infants and young children due to the high childhood mortality rates. The post mortem photograph may be the only image of the child the family ever had. (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001) Postmortem photography increased the emotional investment people were making in their loved ones. Poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote to a friend â€Å"I would rather have such a memorial of one I dearly loved, than the noblest Artists’ work ever produced.† (Henisch and Henisch 1994, p. 166) Unknown photographers (The Seventh Sense, 2004) In both images, the woman in the middle is dead, propped up by their loved ones. Prior to photography, â€Å"diagrams could help to inform, maps to chart, drawings and paintings to recognize,† (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001, p. 57) but none of these could be used as legitimate evidence. Photography’s ability to produce illustrative information and evidential knowledge far better than â€Å"the best artist could deliver† (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001, p. 61) was quickly realized, creating a roaring up rise in the success of science. In 1839, William Henry Fox Talbot wrote that photography would be highly beneficial towards the inductive methods of modern science allowing the capture of chance natural events, which might then be followed up with experiments. (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001) The 19th century was a period where methods of observing the social world were appearing, particularly in mathematics and statistics. Human normality and abnormality rates were often recorded and presented as a chart or graph. It was believed that majority of society tended to behave in similar ways, so it was clearly evident when a significant minority exhibited signs of abnormality, as they would diverge considerably away from the mean, or the ‘normal.’ (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001) A link between the statistics and photography was soon discovered and photographs began being used to depict the uniformity of the normal and the diversity of the abnormal. The photography provided exact depictions, and was more specific and detailed than a graph could ever be, which eliminated possible mistakes from being  made. This abolished any unnecessary, accidental scrutiny or control over people whose health or behavior were considered a threat to the development of society. From this, photography was proved to provide truth, which ultimately ended written records. Dr Hugh Welch Diamond, a leading figure in the new treatment centered psychiatry, began a project that used photography as part of the treatment process. Diamond wanted to discover the nature of his patients’ character so he created portraits of them to study their facial features. Diamond then showed the portraits to his patients in attempts to help them understand they are ill. Although little evidence showed success in his therapeutic use of photography, Diamond is remembered for popularizing the medium of photography and lessening its mystique. He was one of the first to appreciate the concept of photography as a means of communication, understanding that a picture speaks for itself if you listen to the â€Å"telling language of nature.† (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001, p. 81) Duchenne de Boulogne was a physician, who began to experiment with electrical currents to force upon neural action in his patients, believing this would help him understand the wiring of human bodies and consequently find a cure for his patients. (Darwin & Ekman 1998, p.404-5) Duchenne published a series of photographs exploring facial expressions in his book ‘The Mechanism of Human Facial Expression.’ His images were groundbreaking for science because of the validity of the experiment by the use of photographs. Duchenne â€Å"initiated himself into the art of photography† (Duchenne de Boulogne 1990, p. 39) because it was â€Å"only photography [which could render the subjects’ expressions] as truthful as a mirror, attaining such desirable perfection.† (Duchenne de Boulogne 1990, p. 36) Although Duchenne wasn’t the first to use photography in terms of medicine, he was the first modern doctor who worked conceptually. He thoroughly understood the principles of perspective and light, which lead to successful images similar to art photography. From Duchenne’s research he concluded that the language of facial expression was a Mechanism and that the â€Å"reason behind the lines wrinkles and folds of the moving face† (Duchenne de Boulogne 1990, pg. 1) was triggered by our inner emotions and our soul. Many of the plates published in Duchenne’s book were of one particular patient, an â€Å"old toothless man, with a thin face, whose features, without being absolutely ugly, approached ordinary triviality.† (Darwin & Ekman 1998, p. 405) The man suffered from palsy, paralyzing his face making him resistant to any pain. Using electrical devices, Duchenne could spark fake emotions in his patient allowing him to create studies on human expression. Guillaume-Benjamin Duchenne de Boulogne, Untitled, 1862 (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001, fig 49) Duchenne’s research had importance in not only medicine and photography, but also in the study of human evolution. Charles Darwin, a British naturalist owned copies of Duchenne’s work and was particularly interested in it because it supported and provided suitable visual evidence to his universalistic ideas and theories about human evolution. Darwin believed that â€Å"some expressions, such as bristling of the hair under the influence of extreme terror, or the uncovering of the teeth under that of furious rage, can hardly be understood except on the belief that man once existed in a much lower animal-like condition’ (Darwin 1872, p19.) Duchenne’s work was published in Darwins book, â€Å"The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals†, which ‘played a major role in bringing photographic evidence into the scientific world.’ (Prodger 1999, p. 401) Photography’s ability to provide traces of real events secured its role within almost all areas of science. The medium became a very important tool in anthropological research where human builds, features, skin colours, skull sizes and faces were studied, grouping certain people together due to their similarities enabling classifications, comparisons and contrasts to be made. J. T Zealy took images of black slaves to document the characteristics of the African race. The photographs were taken to support the theory of Polygenisis, aiming to convince white viewers that the continuation of slavery should be supported because the African body was so different and alienated that they must be a separate species. (Barger M.S, White W.B,  1991) J.T. Zealy. Renty, Congo, on Plantation of BF Taylor, Columbia, SC. 1850 (US Slaves, 2011) Darwins research ‘showed in considerable details that all the chief expressions exhibited by man are the same throughout the world† (Darwin 1872, p. 335) which exiled some of the racism emerging at the time, confirming that white races don’t possess any superiority over the other races. In 1882, questions about social groups and classes began to arise. Photography was used to categorize the types of people within a single race, by studying their ‘tendencies and proclivities’. (Ryan 1997, p.168) These photographs of identification allowed the development of a much more humane method of apprehending criminals, controlling prisoners, treating the insane, and limiting the spread of crime, poverty and disease. This linked to the study of criminology where photography was used as a means to recognize repeat offenders and to catalogue police records. Alphonse Bertillon standardized the criminal mug shot by creating the first system of physical measurements, photography and record-keeping that police could use to identify reoffending criminals. The police adopted his anthropometric system and called it the bertillonage stystem. (Visible Proofs 2006, para. 2) Bertillon also took an interest in genes, and how physical and mental characteristics were passed on hereditarily. He created a series of his own family according to the accepted bertillonage system as part of his research. (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001) Alphonse Bertillon, Francois Bertillon age 23 months, 1893 (left) Alphonse Bertillon, Alphonse Bertillon, 1891 (right) (Hamilton and Hargreaves 2001, fig 56 & 62.) Photography proved to be of huge success in the field of science, but other uses for the medium were also discovered. Contemporary Australian photographer Simon Obarzanek has a resonance with 19th century anthropologic and criminology practices in the way that his subjects are being treated as studied specimens. He has no interest in the character traits of the subjects he shoots; he is only interested in their physical attributes. Obarzanek uses the same method of observing, exploring and recording the human being as anthropologists once did. Obarzaneks’ ‘80 faces’ is a series of black and white mug shot portraits of teenagers’ aged 14-17. He focuses on the face at its most basic shape, scale and proportion of features. The portraits are always presented in groups engaging spectators to compare and contrast the faces. Although the photos are quite ordinary and general on their own, once put all together as a group, each person becomes an individual. (Mutual Art 2012, article 1) Simon Obarzanek, Untitled (80 faces) (1-6), 2002 (Karen Woodburd Gallery, 2012) Simon Obarzanek, Untitled (80 faces) (19-24), 2002 (Karen Woodburd Gallery, 2012) Again, Obarzanek portrays this sense of categorization resonant to 19th century anthropology in his series 10pm-1am. He records anonymous females at the times of 10pm-1am and as spectators we are engaged to study the subjects, creating our own ideas of their personality and habits. Simon Obarzanek, 10pm – 1am No.2,No.7, No.6, 2007 (Karen Woodburd Gallery, 2012) Similarly, contemporary German artists Bernd and Hilla Becher created black and white photographic typologies of industrial structures, fascinated by the similar shapes in which certain buildings were designed. The Bechers would travel to large mines and steels mills and photograph the major structures from the front, making them appear as simple diagrams. When displayed, images of structures with similar functions are displayed next to each other, inviting viewers to compare their forms and designs. A supporting photograph of the overall landscape was also displayed to give  the structures context. (Moma 2012, article 1) Although the Bechers’ didn’t create portraits of humans like 19th century anthropology, their work is very much the same thing. The photographs still study the features of the subject and put them in categories. Bernd and Hilla Becher, Winding Towers, Germany 1971-1991 (Moma 2012) Prior to the introduction of photography in 1839, society had never encountered anything quite like it. Once the medium was introduced to the world, it appeared to be useful in countless aspects of life; as a tool for evidence, identification and recording and is still used today for many of the same reasons. It was inevitable that the medium would create notions of social and cultural identity during the 19th century due to its groundbreaking effects in science, art and social living. Photography has come a long way since its invention and has made significant improvement making the medium a worldwide phenomena. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Barger M.S, & White W.B, The Daguerreotype: Nineteenth-Century Technology and modern Science, Smithsonian Institution, 1991 Darwin, C, 1872, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, Fontana Press, London Darwin, C, & Ekman, P 1998, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, With Introduction, Afterword and Commentarries by Ekman, P. 3rd edn. Oxford university Press, New York Duchenne, G-B, 1990, The Mechanism of Human Facial Expression, Cambridge University Press, USA Hamilton, P & Hargreaves, R, 2001, The Beautiful and the Damned, Lund Humphries in association with The National Portrait Gallery, London. Henisch, Heinz K. & Henisch, Bridget A., 1994, The Photographic Experience 1839-1914, Pennsylvania: Penn State Press Hill, M & Hill, T, 2011 Wyandot County (Images of America), Arcadia Publishing Proger, P, â€Å"Photography and the expressions of the emotions.† Appendix III, p399-410, in Charles Darwin, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, 1872 , with introduction, afterward and commentaries by Paul Ekman, London: Fontana Press Ryan, J R, 1997l Picturing Empire: Photography and the Visualisation of the British Empire, Reaktion Books, London Websites: Karen Woodbury Gallery 2012, 80 faces, 10pm-1am, photographs, viewed 20 May 2012, < http://www.kwgallery.com/artist/simon-obarzanek/10pm-.-1am-no.6/21/291> Moma 2012, Exhibitions, viewed on 12 May 2012, Mutual Art 2012, Obarzanek, Simon, 80 Faces, MutualArt Services Inc., viewed on 12 May 2012 Seventh Sense, The, 2004, Unknown photographers, Photograph, viewed 12 May 2012, < http://ken_ashford.typepad.com/blog/2009/08/more-post-mortem-photography.html>. US Slaves 2011, Delia, American born, daughter of Renty, Congo & Renty, Congo, on Plantation of BF Taylor, Columbia, SC., photograph, viewed 11 May 2012, < http://usslave.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/slave-daguerreotypes-for-louis-aggassiz.html>. Visible Proofs 2006, Forensic Views of the Body, Alphonse Bertillon, US National Library of Medicine, viewed on 12 May 2012,

John Donne’s poems: Holy Sonnet 10 and Meditation 17 Essay

Donne’s view of death is not one of a cynic. He is a man who regards death not as the final battle of life, but rather in the Christian sense, of it being just a transfer of the soul from the earthly plain to its final destination. He considers death not to be an event to be held in fear, but one that is to be understood. He believes so strongly in this philosophy that in Sonnet 10, he instructs people not to fear death. He insults death, personifying it as a person who has a far greater reputation than he has earned. He tells death not to pride itself in its reputation of a â€Å"mighty and dreadful† horror even though regarded so by some, as it is nothing more than an extended sleep. He reduces death to a very low level, associating it with poison, war and sickness. He further insults it by commenting on how it does not operate with free will. It is confined to the boundaries set by fate, chance, Kings, and desperate men. Moreover, drugs of poppy and simple charms can provide the same sleeping effect , if not better; and sleep is such a great source of pleasure, why would anyone be reluctant to embrace it? Death is not something to be feared or to be held in awe. â€Å"One short sleep past, [humanity wakes] eternally† to the beauty of afterlife, which is far better a life than any huma n is experiencing presently. In contrast, In Meditation 17, Donne does not imply that death is feared by some, or that it is thought to have monumental power. He comments more on the effect it has on humanity. He compares life to a book, comparing each person to a chapter in this great book of life. Again, he regards death not as the end of life, but a beginning of a new one. He parallels it to the translation of each chapter to a different language, the language of the afterlife, with each chapter awaiting the inevitable translation. And since death is just a translation, wisdom can, and must be gained from it. Donne regards death not as a loss to the person afflicted by it, but as a loss to humanity as a whole, who have lost a small, but vital part of the community. Therefore, the burden of death must be shared by all, and by sharing this grief, it is Donne’s opinion that a treasure of God’s goodwill and knowledge will be gained. Donne thinks that death is not that great of a hurdle. It is a mere stepping-stone in the process of eternal happiness. God uses death only as the transition from Earth to heaven, so it is something to be awaited and to strive to prepare for by all.

Effects Of Washington s Decision For France During Its...

Natalie Wynn Pamela Yates American History I 19 October 2014 The Effect of Washington’s Decision not to Help France During its Revolution The French Revolution had an immense impact on the way America operated. A once unbreakable bond between the two countries became severed by France’s intentions of altering political and social matters. With this in mind, Washington had to consider the way this would affect America’s impending future and he had to make sure the situation was handled properly. Quite a few effects resulted from this incident and they have altered America’s history forever. During America’s fight for liberty, the French were known as its right-hand man. Support from the French was always given regardless of how dangerous†¦show more content†¦The decision to refrain from interfering with the French was quite the act to execute, but more severe consequences were sure to follow. Howard Zinn claims â€Å"enthusiasm for the war was not strong† (77). Washington believed the fragility of the country proved that it was not quite ready to interfere in a military conflict. But what spurred the thought in which Washington decided to abstain from aiding the French? There appears to be more than what meets the eye when this topic is observed more closely thus several factors contributed to Washington’s final verdict. The talk of widespread political change led to Americans providing their eager attitude to the situation at hand. The Franco-American partnership was believed to strengthen with the assistance of democratic reforms if the plan followed through. Although this seems to be a positive outcome, there were several other detrimental issues that would follow the aftermath of this political alteration. Along with political modifications, social changes also accompanied this series of events, which quickly led to an outbreak of political strife. For instance, Americans constantly argued over how the French already had issues regarding political parties. This led to high ranking politicians forming pro-British and pro-French sides, which was a concerning topic among the society of America. This affected the American society directly by twisting the social and political views of the public. The combination of