"Literally the
only reason
I use Snapchat is so I can
show my friends
how much
ice cream I eat."
- Anon.
‘The power of now’ has become the universal punctum of
photography in today’s society, as the immediacy of photo messaging via mobile
phones enables ‘near-time’ communication. The Apple app Snapchat is the epitome
of this global trend. With over 20 million ‘snaps’ sent every day (Gallagher,
2012), I think it’s safe to say that Snapchat has become a revolution,
overthrowing previously established practises of photography and giving rise to
a new system of communication. But how, and why, has Snapchat had such a
profound influence on Western culture? To answer this we must look to academic
Mikko Villi and scrutinise his theory of ‘the power of now’.
One of the most fundamental terms in the study and practise
of photography worldwide is that of Rowland Barthes’ ‘punctum’. Unlike the
stadium, which is a detail in a photograph that everyone notices, Barthes describes
the punctum as something ‘cultureless and totally personal’, that captivates a
viewer and evokes an emotional response (Barthes, 1981/2000, 90). It could be
argued that Snapchat is not a form of photography but of communication, and
therefore theories of photography do not apply. However, with ‘more photos
taken on the iPhone everyday than any other camera’ (Apple Inc., 2013), it’s
obvious that mobile phone photography, including Snapchat, is today’s photography.
Villi explains that in this modern age of mobile photo
messaging, time is the new punctum of photography. He is quoted: “Photo
messaging is congruent with the notion of immediacy… photo messages are not
primarily sent forward from a mobile phone only after extensive time has passed”
(Villi, 2010, 87). It’s true, we live in a society that is all about time
efficiency – if there are two ways of doing something and one of them is
quicker, do that one. This is largely why Snapchat exploded into the digital
world shortly after its creation 2010 – it’s faster than traditional mobile
photo messaging. And of course, it’s free. But it is the immediacy of Snapchat,
the ability to communicate an image just moments after it’s been captured, that
is the enticement. Even Barthes himself agreed that time had become
indispensable in photography: “I now know that there exists another punctum…
other than the ‘detail’. This new punctum, which is no longer of form but of
intensity, is Time” (Barthes 1981/2000, 96).
So we’ve established that time, or rather the lack thereof
between the capture and viewing, is fundamental in photo messaging. But what’s
the rush? Why not send a picture three days later? I’m sure you’re thinking, “well
there’s no point because the moment has already passed”. Snapchat has
capitalised on this global attitude, priding itself on being 10 times faster
than a traditional MMS (Ortutay, 2013). And for those of us who have experienced
Snapchat, we know there is another element that further intensifies the
importance on immediacy and time – the photo disappears forever after a maximum
of 10 seconds. Villi claims: “The idea is to share a specific, fleeting moment
by using a photograph. Often the value of those photographs diminishes by time.
Therefore, transience is another focal characteristic of photo messaging” (Villi,
2010, 90).
We have entered a new era of disposable photography. My mum
was a photographer for twenty years after studying it at collage, and used a medium format camera. Now she watches with disbelief as I take ‘snaps’ on my
phone and send them to my friends almost simultaneously. She claims: "before
digital cameras, it used to cost (me) $5 every time I clicked the camera." But
it is her photos that hang on the walls in our house, not my ‘snaps’. Why is
this? No, it’s not just because she’s a better photographer than me. It’s
because the photos I take are ‘never intended to be considered as treasured
photographic objects’ (Villi, 2010, 94). My Snapchat’s are ‘a mere update,
rather than a record’ (Van Dijck, 2007, 110). This leads to a new photographic
culture – one of disposability. The photos captured on Snapchat are ‘designed
for no other purpose than to have fun for a few seconds before being discarded’
(Koskinen, 2011, 21). The punctum of those photos lies completely in the ‘now’
and has no purpose beyond that, leading to a throwaway attitude towards modern
photography. “Immediacy is closely affiliated with transience” (Villi, 2010, 98).
The use of photography has changed. Drastically. The
value of photographs and photography overall has radically diminished, but our
dependence on them has sky rocketed! “A picture paints a thousand words” (Barnard,
1921) is more relevant today than when it originated. Without Snapchat, it
would take more time and effort to communicate where you are, what you’re
doing, who you’re with etc. We value
photos less each day, but we depend
on them more. We don’t take photos to keep,
but to communicate. Although Villi
describes camera phones as ‘photographic toys’ (Villi, 2010, 93), apps like
Snapchat are becoming increasingly indispensable in society.
Mikko Villi’s concept of ‘the power of now’ has been personified
by the recent app Snapchat that was born out of a digital photography age and
has now created a new one. In my opinion, the reason why ‘now’ is so important
is because ‘now’ is our reality. The fleeting nature of a ‘snap’ means that the
moment of receiving and viewing the message becomes the new punctum of
photography. “The fact that one is there right now justifies sending the
picture” (Villi, 2010, 87). This is why Snapchat epitomizes Villi’s ‘power of
now’ theory, because it imitates reality. Why is ‘now’ the punctum? Why does it
have so much ‘power’ and ability to affect us and our world so greatly? Because
it is all we have. It is the only thing that ever exists. This is the sole
reason for why we cherish the ‘now’ and choose to share moments of our lives
through Snapchat, because we ‘realise deeply that the present moment is all we
will ever have’ (Tolle, 2004).- Larissa Bateman
References:
Barnard, F. R. (1921). “One Looks is Worth a Thousand
Words.” Printer’s Ink. Available
online at: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words.html
Barthes, R. (1981/2000). “Camera Lucida: Reflections on
Photography.” Trans. Richard Howard. Hill
and Wang Publications. New York.
Gallagher, B. (2012). “You Know What’s Cool? A Billion
Snapchats: App Sees Over 20 Million Photos Shared Per Day, Releases on
Android.” TechCrunch Inc. Available
online at: http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/29/billion-snapchats/
Koskinen, I. (2011). “Mobile Media in Action.” Vol. 1. Transaction Publishers. New Jersey.
Ortutay, B. (2013). “Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel Chats About
Sexting and the Future of his Social App.” San
Jose Mercury News: Business. Available online at: http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_24434969/snapchat-ceo-evan-spiegel-chats-about-sexting-and
Tolle, E. (2004). “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual
Enlightenment.” New World Library.
Available Online at: http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/840520-the-power-of-now-a-guide-to-spiritual-enlightenment
Unknown Author, (2013). “iSight. The World’s Most Popular
Camera. With Good Reason.” Apple Inc.
Available online at: http://www.apple.com/au/iphone-5s/camera/#video-camera
Van Dijck, J. (2007). “Mediated Memories in the Digital
Age.” Stanford University Press. Pp
77-121.
Villi, M. (2010). Book Chapter: “Near-time Photographic
Communication” in ‘Visual Mobile Communication: Camera Phone Photo Messages As
Ritual Communication and Mediated Presence’. Aalto University School of Art and Design. Pp 83-99.
Quote: “Literally the only reason I use Snapchat is so I can
show my friends all the ice cream I eat.” Quote found online at: http://www.wittyprofiles.com/quotes/snapchat
