Haptic Vs. Optic: Which Lens Do You See Through?
In my Early Childhood Education class this week, we discussed the article Lively Entanglements: The Doings, Movements, and Enactments of Photography by Sylvia Kind. In this article she discusses the inherent violence behind photography with its voyeuristic language and focus on objectification. She explores these themes of photography, playing with this inherently violent viewpoint and shifting it by suggesting that when we improvise with cameras, instead of using a camera as a tool to capture objects, we engage with the world and its materialities differently (Kind, 2013).
In exploring this shifted viewpoint, she discusses haptic perspectives and optic perspectives in photography. A haptic perspective means engaging with photography in a hands-on, close range and bodied manner. This means engaging in photography as if nothing separates you, the land and the materials around you. An optic perspective means engaging in photography in a manner that separates you from the materials and the world, focusing on distancing yourself from the objects you capture (Kind, 2013). In essence, haptic perspectives allow us to use photography as a way to engage with the world around us, focusing not on one object in a picture but everything that the camera captures, taking note of everything that came together to make this image possible. It also allows you to look at an image as an experience rather than just an object. It allows you to think of yourself as a part of the image, and how your presence might have impacted the image you captured. This is vastly different from optic perspectives, which supports the voyeuristic and inherently violent aspect of photography by objectifying the people, places and things in a picture and removing its existence from the rest of the picture and world around it. This also creates a power imbalance where the photographer is active and more powerful than the person, place or thing being photographed in a passive manner (Kind, 2013).
This article really challenged my viewpoint on photography, especially photography in the classroom where pictures are used to document children's learning. I had no idea that there is so much subjectivity and power imbalances in photography, and I didn't realize that the language of photography was so inherently violent. After reflecting on the subjectivity and violent language mentioned in this article, I thought about ontological violence in the classroom and how much photo documentation could be contributing to that ontological violence. When we take pictures of children's learning, I believe we are subconsicously subjugating the child and the objects in the picture in order to capture the learning and meaning making a child is engaging in. As children are usually aware of when their picture is being taken, their behaviour tends to change in order to reflect what they think you want to capture and, in my opinion, removes the authenticity in children's play and learning. Since educators are trying to capture a moment or product that children are engaged in, they are engaging in an optic perspective through their photography, and are, unfortunately, engaging in ontological violence. Kind (2013) discusses how we can move from the optic to the haptic by giving children cameras so they can record their own experiences in the early childhood classroom. This allows for a more authentic form of documentation, as children can take pictures of anything they are engaged in without being objectified themselves. As Kind (2013) mentions, these images then act as children's "visual voice" as their photos reflect their personal views, interests, and experiences, making their inner worlds visible through their personal lenses.
After learning how photography in the classroom spurs ontological violence when managed by the educators, I will absolutely provide my students with cameras in order to give them the freedom to capture their learning, views and experiences on their own terms. It is difficult to completely move away from ontological violence in the classroom, but if I can move one step away from it by providing my students with the tools to make their learning authentic and visible on their own terms, then I am more than happy to do so. The Kindergarten Program (2016) mentions two things that pertain to this viewpoint. It mentions that "When educators view children as competent and capable, the learning program becomes a place of wonder, excitement and joy for both the child and the educator." It also mentions that "The process of gathering and analyzing evidence of learning to "make thinking and learning visible" provides the foundation for assessment for, as and of learning." Although I agree with both of these quotes, I believe they can be intertwined. I believe that we can support our view of the child as competent and capable by also involving them in their learning and allowing them to take their own pedagogical documentation. I believe that it can be a collaborative effort between the child and the educator, where the child can take pictures of their learning throughout the day, and the educator can support this child's learning process by documenting what they see through anecdotal notes. I think by looking at your notes, and then comparing them to what the child demonstrated using their "visual voice" of photography will allow you to gain a greater understanding of what the child is truly experiencing in their learning through play. I believe giving the child the tools and agency to document their experiences on their own terms gives them a greater sense of ownership over their learning and allows them to reflect on their experiences in the classroom throughout the school year and beyond.
Kind, S. (2013). Lively entanglements: The doings, movements and enactments of photography. Global Studies of Childhood, 3(4), 427-441.
Ontario, Ministry of Education. (2016). The Kindergarten Program (pp.1-328).
In exploring this shifted viewpoint, she discusses haptic perspectives and optic perspectives in photography. A haptic perspective means engaging with photography in a hands-on, close range and bodied manner. This means engaging in photography as if nothing separates you, the land and the materials around you. An optic perspective means engaging in photography in a manner that separates you from the materials and the world, focusing on distancing yourself from the objects you capture (Kind, 2013). In essence, haptic perspectives allow us to use photography as a way to engage with the world around us, focusing not on one object in a picture but everything that the camera captures, taking note of everything that came together to make this image possible. It also allows you to look at an image as an experience rather than just an object. It allows you to think of yourself as a part of the image, and how your presence might have impacted the image you captured. This is vastly different from optic perspectives, which supports the voyeuristic and inherently violent aspect of photography by objectifying the people, places and things in a picture and removing its existence from the rest of the picture and world around it. This also creates a power imbalance where the photographer is active and more powerful than the person, place or thing being photographed in a passive manner (Kind, 2013).
This article really challenged my viewpoint on photography, especially photography in the classroom where pictures are used to document children's learning. I had no idea that there is so much subjectivity and power imbalances in photography, and I didn't realize that the language of photography was so inherently violent. After reflecting on the subjectivity and violent language mentioned in this article, I thought about ontological violence in the classroom and how much photo documentation could be contributing to that ontological violence. When we take pictures of children's learning, I believe we are subconsicously subjugating the child and the objects in the picture in order to capture the learning and meaning making a child is engaging in. As children are usually aware of when their picture is being taken, their behaviour tends to change in order to reflect what they think you want to capture and, in my opinion, removes the authenticity in children's play and learning. Since educators are trying to capture a moment or product that children are engaged in, they are engaging in an optic perspective through their photography, and are, unfortunately, engaging in ontological violence. Kind (2013) discusses how we can move from the optic to the haptic by giving children cameras so they can record their own experiences in the early childhood classroom. This allows for a more authentic form of documentation, as children can take pictures of anything they are engaged in without being objectified themselves. As Kind (2013) mentions, these images then act as children's "visual voice" as their photos reflect their personal views, interests, and experiences, making their inner worlds visible through their personal lenses.
After learning how photography in the classroom spurs ontological violence when managed by the educators, I will absolutely provide my students with cameras in order to give them the freedom to capture their learning, views and experiences on their own terms. It is difficult to completely move away from ontological violence in the classroom, but if I can move one step away from it by providing my students with the tools to make their learning authentic and visible on their own terms, then I am more than happy to do so. The Kindergarten Program (2016) mentions two things that pertain to this viewpoint. It mentions that "When educators view children as competent and capable, the learning program becomes a place of wonder, excitement and joy for both the child and the educator." It also mentions that "The process of gathering and analyzing evidence of learning to "make thinking and learning visible" provides the foundation for assessment for, as and of learning." Although I agree with both of these quotes, I believe they can be intertwined. I believe that we can support our view of the child as competent and capable by also involving them in their learning and allowing them to take their own pedagogical documentation. I believe that it can be a collaborative effort between the child and the educator, where the child can take pictures of their learning throughout the day, and the educator can support this child's learning process by documenting what they see through anecdotal notes. I think by looking at your notes, and then comparing them to what the child demonstrated using their "visual voice" of photography will allow you to gain a greater understanding of what the child is truly experiencing in their learning through play. I believe giving the child the tools and agency to document their experiences on their own terms gives them a greater sense of ownership over their learning and allows them to reflect on their experiences in the classroom throughout the school year and beyond.
References
Kind, S. (2013). Lively entanglements: The doings, movements and enactments of photography. Global Studies of Childhood, 3(4), 427-441.
Ontario, Ministry of Education. (2016). The Kindergarten Program (pp.1-328).
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