heteronormativity – the social enforcement of heterosexual relations to the occlusion of all other possibilities for sexual desire and expression.
heterosexism – discrimination based on the presumption that heterosexuality is superior to other forms of sexual expression/desire or effective and/or kinship relations.
historical materialism – a method of reading and telling history which emphasizes the actually lived practices (as opposed to the “great” ideas) of concrete human subjects, in particular, the way in which they socially organize their productive activities. A method first articulated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
homophobia – fear or hatred of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people and/or acts, practices, desires normatively classified as “homosexual”.
identity politics – an umbrella term used to describe various approaches to political resistance which, in one way or another, depart from the experience of oppression shared by members of a particular social group (e.g., black women).
ideology – a body of assumptions, ideas, knowledge, and epistemic practices which reflect and maintains the social position and interests of a particular (usually dominant) social group (e.g., scientific racism is an ideology which justifies and reflects white domination).
imperialism – a global system of domination exercised through private property (capital), military power, and global institutions (such as the WTO or the IMF), through which wealth is drained from the labour and resources of people in the Global South to the systematic advantage of capital (i.e., the capitalist class) in the Global North. A nation-state is imperialist if its ruling class and state apparatuses perpetuate and systematically benefit from this system of structural global inequality.
institutional(ized) racism – refers to the social structures, macroscopic social relations, and institutionalized practices which reproduce systems of racialized domination (e.g., racial profiling by police, unequal access to the legal system, anti-terrorism laws which target particular racialized communities, etc.). Also known as “structural racism”. [See also everyday racism and
scientific racism]
intersectionality – a term used to refer to the relation between systems of oppression (based on race, gender, class, nation, ability, etc.) which are understood to constitute each other, rather than being discrete or separate social phenomena.
intersubjectivity – relations between subjects.
islamophobia – the fear and racialized hatred of Muslim people, Islam and/or Islamic societies. Sometimes used more broadly to refer to marginalization and persecution of Arab and/or Middle-Eastern people generally, especially after 9/11.
identity politics – an umbrella term used to describe various approaches to political resistance which, in one way or another, depart from the experience of oppression shared by members of a particular social group (e.g., black women).
ideology – a body of assumptions, ideas, knowledge, and epistemic practices which reflect and maintains the social position and interests of a particular (usually dominant) social group (e.g., scientific racism is an ideology which justifies and reflects white domination).
imperialism – a global system of domination exercised through private property (capital), military power, and global institutions (such as the WTO or the IMF), through which wealth is drained from the labour and resources of people in the Global South to the systematic advantage of capital (i.e., the capitalist class) in the Global North. A nation-state is imperialist if its ruling class and state apparatuses perpetuate and systematically benefit from this system of structural global inequality.
institutional(ized) racism – refers to the social structures, macroscopic social relations, and institutionalized practices which reproduce systems of racialized domination (e.g., racial profiling by police, unequal access to a legal system, anti-terrorism laws which target particular racialized communities, etc.). Also known as “structural racism”. [See also everyday racism and scientific racism]
intersectionality – a term used to refer to the relation between systems of oppression (based on race, gender, class, nation, ability, etc.) which are understood to constitute each other, rather than being discrete or separate social phenomena.
intersubjectivity – relations between subjects.
islamophobia – the fear and racialized hatred of Muslim people, Islam and/or Islamic societies. Sometimes used more broadly to refer to marginalization and persecution of Arab and/or Middle-Eastern people generally, especially after 9/11.
means of production – these are the things which are necessary to produce whatever is produced by a particular society (e.g., natural resources, machinery, land, etc.)
mode of production – this is the particular way in which a given society produces whatever it produces (and reproduces itself). It involves the means of production and the social relations of production.
meritocracy ( the myth of) – the idea that the outcome of our lives is a function of merit (or lack thereof) as opposed to structural relations of oppression and privilege, and therefore wealth (or poverty) is deserved.
normative – [adj.] refers variously to something which is socially expected or prescribed, or to something which points to implications for action.
objectification – making something into an object. In the context of relations of oppression, that which is being objectified is actually a subject (i.e., a person).
oppositional knowledge – knowledge produced, in the course of a transformative struggle, to foster the self-determination of an oppressed group.
oppression – the constellation of structural economic, political, and psycho-social relations that systematically confine or reduce the life-choices of a social group, often through presenting members of the oppressed social group with a set of “double binds”: that is, choices between equally problematic outcomes. [See also privilege]
outsider-within locations – social locations or border spaces marking the boundaries between groups of unequal power. Individuals acquire identities as “outsiders within” by their location in these spaces.
paradigm – literally, an example. Used more loosely to refer to an interpretative framework used to explain social phenomena, which has currency (or explanatory power) at a particular historical moment.
performativity – a way of theorizing how gender is produced on the micro-level; that is, how individual subjects come to embody genders. First proposed by Judith Butler, drawing on J.L. Austin’s speech-act theory. A performative speech act is one that does what it says (e.g., “I sentence
you to life in prison”); similarly, according to Butler, gender is produced through performative acts – rather than merely expressing an existing gender identity, our acts bring gender into being. This implies, paradoxically, both that gender “goes all the way down” (that is, that there is no causal core which originates gender performance – biological or psychological), and that gender is a surface phenomenon (it doesn’t have the depth or intractability that is normally imputed to it) and is therefore radically malleable.
petition – a list of signatures in support of a certain demand or resolution, for example, to free a political prisoner, or to stop rainforest clear-cutting. In the digital age, many petitions have moved online, and are either circulated through e-mail or are posted on websites.
picket – an action often undertaken by striking workers and their supporters at the entrance of their workplace to prevent the entrance of “scab” (replacement) labor. More generally a protest with signs at a fixed site, in order to raise awareness about an institution or issue. For example, the Montréal-based groups Solidarity Across Borders and No One Is Illegal picket the Immigration and Refugee Board to stop deportations of nonstatus people.
post-colonial theory – a diverse body of theory which is concerned with understanding the effects (social, cultural, political, economic) of European imperialism, colonization, and their aftermath. Much of post-colonial theory interrogates the relation between knowledge and power, and the effects of power relations on the formation of subjectivity. It is the inheritor of a critical tradition of early- and mid-twentieth century anti-colonial and antiracist thought and is jointly influenced by, and in turn influences, post-structuralism, Marxism, and feminism.
post-structuralism – an umbrella term used to refer to a diverse set of theoretical discourses which, in one way or another, perform a critique of knowledge, totality, and the subject. That is, they criticize the idea that we can have objective knowledge; that subjects are self-transparent, or
entirely known to themselves; and that we can arrive at a total or systematic knowledge of social reality. A theoretical offspring of structuralism. [See also deconstruction]
praxis – unity of theory and practice; in Marx’s terms, “sensuous human activity” which transforms objective reality; “practical-critical” or “revolutionary” activity.
privilege – unearned advantages which are conferred systematically to members of a social group, in virtue of their group membership. [See also oppression and myth of meritocracy]
protest – a gathering of people to disrupt the status quo or to publicly interrogate or delegitimize an institution. For example, in 1903 Mary Harris (Mother) Jones led children working in factories in Pennsylvania on a 200-mile march to then-President Roosevelt’s house on Long Island, with
their maimed fingers, held high in the air to protest the exploitation of child laborers.
public/private distinction – a (gendered) distinction between two spheres of social life: the (masculinized) public sphere of work, government, and economy opposed to the (feminized) private sphere of home, family, and reproduction. Feminists deconstructed this distinction
in part by politicizing the so-called private sphere (this is one meaning of the feminist adage “the personal is political”).
Camera Angles in Photography
5 unusual camera perspectives to give your photos a twist
It really doesn’t take a lot to change the way someone perceives your photography. In fact, just by tweaking the perspective of your lens you can take plenty more great snaps to be proud of.
As photographers, we are never happy taking the same old shots – we’re creative, innovative people and we like it that way! So, if you’re looking for some inspiration to transform your photo composition, check out these five unusual perspectives we recommend.
If you’re looking to take a picture that has a lasting impact and a genuine ‘wow factor’, let us help you add an extra dimension to your repertoire of camera lens angles.
1. Aim your camera lens straight up
You might be surprised to see us recommend a simple straight up perspective, but if you’re taking a walk in the forest and you’re fascinated by its canopy, you can really get a sense of its towering, domineering stature. Taking a shot from the ground facing directly upwards is akin to a worm’s eye perspective of our planet. If you own a wide-angle lens, this angle can be particularly effective.
2. Shoot from ground level
It’s not very often that we find ourselves at ground level – even at bedtime, we’re above the floor! Taking a snap from the floor is another great way of demonstrating a sense of insecurity or fragility from a worm’s eye view once again.
Consider positioning your camera lens on the ground. If you’re looking to add some depth and dimension to your shots, ensure there’s plenty going on in the foreground. It’s certainly not a camera angle for the faint-hearted – you’ll have to get your tummy grubby if you want a perfect shot here as you’ll need to make sure the viewfinder shows little or no background distractions.
3. Take shots at an angle
An issue we often moan about when taking portrait shots of tall, thin objects is the sheer vacant areas that surround them.
It’s fair to say that a photo of an object in the middle of the shot lacks the creativity and pizzazz that both professional and amateur photographers love to capture. You’ll be amazed at what a difference twisting your camera makes to your composition. With a diagonal line through the frame, you’re left with an eye-catching perspective that can be labeled anything but every day.
4. Accentuate big features
Instead of snapping landmarks or famous features from the ‘record’ shot perspective, there’s really nothing more satisfying than taking a photo that exaggerates and celebrates its physical wonder.
Think about a tourist snapshot of Big Ben in London, for example. While most people will happily take a shot from a ‘record’ perspective from Westminster Bridge, why not get up close and personal with it and point your lens upwards towards the clock face? By taking your shot as close to Big Ben as possible and twisting the lens toward the clock face, you’ll guide people’s eyes into the heart of the picture; a really striking compositional skill to add to your arsenal.
5. Check out life on one knee!
Don’t follow the crowd and take your shot from head height – it’s our everyday perspective after all! Make your snaps sing by kneeling down. You’ll be amazed at what a different composition this offers – it’s a halfway house between a standing shot and a ground shot.
As you are already close to the floor it’s a fun way to illustrate the quirkier aspects of the world around us. If a floor shot is considered a worm’s eye view, you would probably name this shot a dog’s eye view!
And as you’re keeping low, your increasing the likelihood of the background of your shot being clean and free of interruptions.