Doctoral theses of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture are available in the open access repository maintained by Aalto, Aaltodoc.
Public defence, Photography, MA Sini Kaipainen
This article-based thesis expands the scholarly dialogue about photojournalism and Instagram in the professional context. Public defence from the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Department of Art and Media.
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Title of the thesis: The self-brand of authenticity: Persona-promotion and photojournalism through Instagram
Thesis defender: Sini Kaipainen
Opponent: Prof. Kim Barbour, Adelaide University, Australia
Custos: Prof. Lily Di谩z-Kommonen,Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture
This article-based thesis tackles the timely questions of self-presentation, authenticity, and impression management on Instagram as a practice within professional photojournalism. The analysis considers the issues through the persona and authenticity work of prominent photojournalists Lynsey Addario, Ed Kashi, and Sebastian Rich.
The thesis argues that Instagram鈥檚 persona and presentation logic requests Instagrammers to produce a particular strategic public image on the platform. The strategic public image is a self-brand of authenticity. Authenticity in photojournalistic practice as documentary evidence refers to a different logic than Instagram鈥檚 self-branded authenticity as 鈥渟incere鈥 self-presentation, equating self-branding with the authenticity of self-expression. As such, it is necessary to critically probe Instagram鈥檚 role in manufacturing the professional self of a photojournalist. This perspective has not been widely discussed in the research literature on photojournalism.
The originality of this study lies in developing and testing hermeneutic automedial close reading. This automedial close reading distinguishes impression management strategies that construct authenticity on the platform. The qualitative analysis indicates how photojournalism, activism, and self-promotion occur as rhetorical, automedial actions by revealing auto/biographical personal stories about one鈥檚 personal or domestic life and backstage self, as well as using constructed intimacy that the study calls professional. Addario, Kashi, and Rich follow a well-trodden path of public 铿乬ures and professional individuals, from celebrities and politicians to artists and journalists. They complement and complicate their professional lives and personas with communicative and intimate performances. Thus, they give the impression of self-branded authenticity, authenticating their professional communication and work-life-self.
Key words: Instagram, photojournalism, automediality, professional persona, authenticity, automedial close reading, professional intimacy
Thesis available for public display 7 days prior to the defence at .
Contact information: 蝉颈苍颈.办补颈辫补颈苍别苍蔼补补濒迟辞.铿
Doctoral theses of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture
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Department of Art and Media
The departments of Art and Media at Aalto University School of Arts, Design & Architecture have merged as of 1st January 2022. Professor Harri Laakso has been appointed as Head of the new Department of Art & Media.
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