Back in 2015, Beyonce’s fans lashed out over 200 untouched photos from a previous photoshoot that got leaked on a fan site. There was a mix of feelings about the images but thousands of fans began criticizing the images. Many even say they are not real. Fans are lashing out on the fact that their queen appears to have unsmooth bumpy skin under the caked on makeup. The photos were shared thousands of times over social media and thousands tweeted about the incident. Many fans of the star refused to believe that the photos were fake and that it was not possible for them to be real.

The article proves that photos have a large impact on the views of society.

Photography plays a huge role in our lives whether we realize it or not. The world makes it impossible to be who you are without someone having something to say about it. The world affects the choices we make in our everyday lives. For example, look how these two hundred photos impacted thousands of everyday people, think about how powerful that is. Think about the things we can do with that power.

Is society really to blame for the the degrade in personal expressionism and why is photography such a big deal?

https://youtu.be/6Kawl0E8b5A

» What is personal Expressionism? «

› Personal expressionism is who you are as a person. It’s the way you show who you are. They say that explaining your feelings/self in words is the best way but it goes deeper than that. In fact, an article from Psychology Today, states that; ¨Psychological Science shows quite clearly that, when it comes to the phobias we have, simply talking about them helps curb negative responses to what we fear¨ (Beilock). Without expressionism, you would not have a personality. It’s what makes you unique. There is so much beauty in the way we express ourselves, all of the little things that make us who we are, sports, photography, music, and other arts. Our personal expression gives us a look into the fine detail that we might not see otherwise. “Expressing yourself can help us keep in touch with how we are feeling” (Reach out). Keeping in touch with our feelings connects us to a side of ourselves that creates the true beauty in the world.

Personal Expressionism is who you are as a person

» What role does society play? « 

› We are the society. We create it, we change it, we are it. We determine what happens in our world. But the question is, what influences who we become? The answer is a number of source, but I believe that the main one is media, specifically the art of photography and film. The things we see, the photos specifically, influence the way we view ourselves, our world and others. Society wants us to believe that the world is a perfect place, but in reality it is not and that is ok. The world will take a beautiful thing and wash away all the perfect imperfections, creating impossible standards. With this being said, it is hard for people to show their true selves because they are scared of being judged by society. No one wants to be looked at as an outcast so we often fall into the categories and cliques created by the people. “We have become a society that’s overly critical of ourselves and others” (Beth). Our society judges us by the way we look, or the way we do something before we even have a chance to speak for ourselves. The question still remains, how is photography so influential?

¨We are the society. We create it, we change it, we are it. We determine what happens in our world.¨

» What role does photography play in this? «

Photography is everywhere: magazines, newspapers, the internet, etc. When most people look at a photo they see a dog, or a girl holding flowers, but it goes so much deeper than that. Photos have so much more meaning than just what you can visibly see. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Photos gives off messages that you might not be able to understand without really analyzing it. You can stare at it all you want but you will not truly understand it until you look beyond the surface. For example, ¨Photography speaks to the best and most generous part of our human nature¨ (Digital photography school). It is a way for us to show ourselves without having to say a word. It shows us things we would never see if we did not look for it. It’s the little things, life’s little secrets, captured in every photo. It’s the big things, with a deeper meaning. Photography is work of art and it captures who we are as people. It’s a voice for those who have none.

It is a way that we can show the world what life really is. It creates a way for the silent ones to speak and to be heard, a power that is often used in the wrong way.

» What can we take away from this? «

Pictures have the power to change our perceptions, so why wouldn’t we want to use it to make our world a better place? It’s such a simple thing to change things in so many things. If one picture can change a culture for the better would you post it? If people could just realize that what they do affects everyone else, we could make a big change. Photography is a gift. It’s a gift that we need to take use of it to help make this life a story locked in time. We need to capture all of the beauty, the sadness and the realities of this life because they do not last forever. Life is a crazy beautiful mess, and without the unique people, it would not be worth living. The world is like a blank canvas, and it’s up to you on how you paint it.

Photography is work of art and it captures who we are as people. It’s a voice for those who have none

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