brief 2 - image and anchoring text

1. Image and Anchoring
text – applying Hall
STEREOTYPING TWO DIFFERENT SOCIAL GROUPS

2. Stereotype of
teenagers in media
In media, teenagers are portrayed as individuals
who all share the same love for parties and
socializing at similar events. Teenagers are
often described as reckless, rebellious and
energetic which is portrayed through film, TV,
music and photographic media. This applies to
Hall’s theory as it fits a stereotype that is
frequently portrayed to an audience that has
created a societal standard of teenagers in the
modern day. This is because teenagers have
been depicted in the same light, mostly through
film media, for decades, making them seem like
crazy and fun individuals.

3. My photograph of
stereotypical teenagers
For my photograph I depicted teenagers as the party enthusiasts they are
presented as in media. I shot my image with a camera to focus more so on the
activities and atmosphere teenagers typically indulge in rather than the
individuals themselves to emphasize the common interests within their
stereotype. This piece of media is influenced by the depictions of teenage friend
groups in film as they are often shown in scenes of messy, colorful and chaotic
house parties. Teenagers are also often linked to the idea of late nights and
reckless behaviors which is why I chose to photograph a scene presenting both
ideas. This applies to Stuart Hall’s theory as it encodes a fixed preferred meaning
through its efforts of showing what is present, absent and different. It also
implicates the audience to gather an understanding on the stereotypical reality of
teenagers and how they act whilst being surrounded by one another.

4. My photograph
of counter
typical
teenagers
For my photograph, I visualized a group
of teenagers focusing on their
education with no distractions or ideas
of rebellious behaviors. This applies to
Hall’s theory as it provides a counter
typical meaning that is still an attempt
to encode a fixed preferred meaning.
The representation of a group of
teenagers indulging into education is
not often depicted in media as it
contrasts the idea that teenagers on
only focused on parties, relationships
and friendships, therefore creating an
image that opposes a stereotype.

5. Stereotypes of teenage
girls in media
In media, teenage girls are often depicted as feminine and
physically satisfactory individuals as beauty is a large part of
the female stereotype. In film and media, teenage girls are often
depicted adjusting their features to accentuate their beauty to
fit the standards of society. This links to Hall’s theory of
stereotyping as the responsible audience is presented with a
fixed preferred meaning of teenage girls. It also reflects the
ideas of wider society about the expectations of young women.
This stereotype also goes against the ideas of feminism as media
tends to follow the traditional ideas of femininity through
influences from other pieces of media.

6. My Photograph of a
Stereotypical Teenage Girl
For my photography of a stereotypical teenage girl, I used a high angle shot and a
shadowed effect to emphasize the traditional perspectives on young women. The
high angle shot enforces the idea that girls are inferior to boys through their lack of
physical and psychological power. I also wanted to present a shadow effect to have
an underlying meaning which resembles the dark reality of being a teenage girl in
society. To further fit the stereotype in my photography, I used my editing skills to
accentuate the shadow behind my model and add a pink hue onto the project as
teenage girls are continuously depicted to relate to this colour palate. This piece of
photography encodes a hegemonic preferred meaning as it portrays a teenage girl
applying makeup, focusing on her physical appearance and enhancing her feminine
features. This applies to Stuart Hal’s theory that media representation constructs
reality as it shows the perspective of teenage girls from the photographer's
perspective.

7. My photograph of a counter
typical teenage girl
For my counter typical photo, I took a picture of a teenage girl
doing an adventurous activity which contrasts the stereotypical
idea that teenage girls are feminine, dependent individuals. I
chose to use this angle and show expression through her facial
expressions to emphasize the idea that teenage girls can be
independent and be adventurous whilst having a positive
attitude about themselves. This applies to Hall as this phot fixes
a preferred meaning through its presentation of depicting a
teenage girl that opposes a stereotype. This counter typical
photograph also allows the ability for audiences to generate
their own meaning as it could imply a range of ideas rather
than being a closed-off, stereotypical piece of media.