ASSIGNMENT 1 SEMESTER 2- WHAT YOUR STUFF SAYS ABOUT YOU!

For my design studies assignment I was asked to firstly read Snoop by Sam Gosling and then over the Christmas holidays collect photographs of either myself as a child growing up, which are non posed or photographs of my flat.Once back at university I had to swap photos with someone who I didn't know and evaluate there photographs and consider topics such as taste, influences, possessions and environment. After I would meet up with this individual to discuss our findings and to see how accurate they were.

Over the festive period I took photographs of my flat as getting childhood photographs would be harder as these are in my mothers possession, stored at the bottom of a dusty box somewhere! I took many photographs and included ones from inside my wardrobe and close ups of my bookshelf. I was then teamed up with Rebecca who is a graphic design student. We then swapped our photographs over email and the snooping begun!

This part of the assignment felt very strange, just from looking at photographs of the other person, I was having to make judgements on someone who I didn't know. It just didn't feel right to do that but I found it fun at the same time trying to decode what they are really like. Also someone else looking at my belongings and flat and trying to analyse what sort of a person I am? What if they uncover something completely wrong or are scarily right about who I am? Are they going to be able to find out what my personality is like just by looking at my possessions?

 I used 6 of the best photographs to look further into:

In this photograph I was able to work out that:

• She was a risk taker and not afraid of heights
• Free spirit
• energetic
• follows the crowd
• family person
• she's not dressed for swimming- maybe unprepared or just living for the moment

After meeting I found out that she is actually scared of heights, and that she didn't really think about being fully clothed at this point she just lived for the moment and wasn't worrying, so I was partly wrong with this one!

In this photograph I was able to work out that:

• She is out going
• fun
• enjoys partying, drinking and dancing
• sociable
• keeps up with the fashion trends- belt at the waist, patterned clothing.

These predictions were right but I think it's quite obvious when look at this photograph!

In this photograph I was able to work out that:

• She was away to her end of year prom
• Shes a girly girl- curled hair, dress, make up
• Likes bright colours
• Likes to stand out in a crowd
• Recent photograph aged 18ish

All this was right!

 In this photograph I was able to work out that:

• Her friends are holding H&M bags so enjoys shopping
• Chair leading holiday so maybe away to a competition or rehearsals
• All dressed the same so enjoys being part of a group
• Appearance- hair and make up same as friends- natural
• Athletic
• Chair leading so isn't afraid of challenges
• Likes to fit in

These predictions where right, she was away on holiday with the chair leaders, just gone out after practice.

In this photograph I was able to work out that:

• She is the life and soul of the party
• Enjoys attention
• Funny/ has a humorous side
• creative

These were all right.

In this photograph I was able to work out that:

• She was more of a tomboy when she was younger
• Punk? maybe into the music or fashion at that time?
• Middle class house/ family

She was more of a tomboy when younger and when she grew up she became more girly and her top was just a fashion top she wasn't interested in punk music.

Overall my predictions were right apart from not being interested in punk music, and not being afraid of heights.For her predictions she got most of them right such as that I am close to my sister, enjoy travelling, enjoy partying and relaxing and that all my possessions have a place. Although she thought I was married and knew how to drive which isn't true, but I have been with my boyfriend for nearly 4 years and live together with him and also thinking about learning to drive soon so her predictions were nearly spot on! I feel that I learnt that I like more neutral colours in the flat with bursts of colour which I never really thought I did but thinking about it more it's quite true- the way my flat is decorated. I feel that this could be applied to researching a design situation as  sometimes going with your instincts and obvious things in an environment that you are able to find out more about somethings.

After looking at the Johari Window I have a clearer understanding of how I arrange certain parts of my house and life according to what aspects of my life I want to show others such as room one which is what we see and what other people are able to see such as photographs on display, books, Cd's, etc. Room two aspects that others see but I don't see such as that I have a candle and cuddly toy that both have best sister on them- I wouldn't have guessed that you would be able to figure out from snooping in my flat that I am close to my sister. Room 3 which is both the subconscious and unconscious part which neither ourselves or others know about and then room 4 which is a private room which I know but keep from others such as stuff in my wardrobes- old diaries, personal memories, etc.

Personally I felt that this was quite a fun assignment and learnt a lot about how I perceive certain individuals just by what they are wearing, how they are acting, possessions and what environment they are in.