Retailers know how to get into your head. As consumers in this Capitalist economy, everywhere we go, we are bombarded with advertisements that crave our attention. Colors, sounds and textures are strategically placed so that they stimulate our senses. Art of this sort plays a crucial role in marketing because it has the power to subconsciously effect our decision making process—meaning, it might increase the amount of time a customer spends in a store, and time is money. Humans are naturally drawn to the center of displays, so the more expensive items are placed there. In addition, there is a deeper psychology to the colors red and green than just serving as a representation of the upcoming holidays. In fact, a Time Magazine article states that green “is an optimistic color associated with luck and wealth,” and red “stimulates and energizes.” The article also mentions that studies have shown that waitresses who wear red reported receiving 14% – 26% than waitresses wearing any other color. Music played in stores serves the role of providing a sense of happiness, comfort and nostalgia in customers. Most Christmas songs played on the radio have lyrics that somehow tie the holidays with spending—perhaps a subliminal message?
I am fascinated with the culture of American consumerism and marketing tactics that have the power to influence. My iPhone camera collected photos of all kinds of holiday décor and merchandise along 42nd street, from east to west, beginning in Grand Central and Ending in Times Square. The streets were saturated with crowds from every direction, carrying clusters of bags and boxes. Their eyes were tinted with the sparkling chaos of the window displays. As a street photographer, my objective is to investigate the visual psychology behind what lures consumers into shops on 42nd street, one of the most populated areas of New York City.
Inspired by Phillip Lorca-Dicorcia, I photographed with the intention of creating a dreamlike, surreal essence. However, the Leica (used by Lorca-Dicorcia) and the iPhone are quite different, so I focused on the aesthetics rather than the technical settings. Lorca-Dicorcia uses high contrast, paired with saturated colors and sometimes, reflections to create the impression of a transient, illusionistic moment. My intention in utilizing this style was to convey the message that these lights and decors seem to blur reality and time, and sometimes even seem to hypnotize consumers by bringing them to a place and time where they felt most comfortable and safe. In fact, many of the scenes in my series look like a ‘grandma’s house’ setting or a warm living room for that particular reason. I took close-ups because not too many people stop to observe the artistic facets of the décor. In wanted to photograph people, but that brought up quite a number of challenges.
First, I took several photos of people interacting with these objects, but most of them were out of focus, because the subjects often turned away when they noticed. It takes a great deal of courage and poise when photographing people, because a photographer can never accurately anticipate how they will react. The Dicorcia lawsuit brought up the case of the man who sued the artist because he was photographed and his image was displayed and shown in Lorca-Dicorcia’s exhibit Heads, so I wanted to be respectful of the privacy of those who happened to walk into my photographs. Similarly, the displays in retail stores and booths are often protected by copyright laws, so I was often stopped in the process. However, I simply moved on after being confronted and just went to another store. Taking a clear, focused photograph is rather difficult when you’re pretending to text.
Editing the photos allowed me to see them in a new light, and facilitated my intention to create a semi-surrealist series. Using iPhoto, I chose to make the hues deeper and create a higher contrast in most pieces. In addition, because half the images were taken after sunset, they came out rather dark so I raised the exposure. On a few pieces, I decided to alter the hue because color is probably the most crucial part of establishing a tone. For instance, I exaggerated “Lost Wallet” to be a deep blue with purple accents to communicate the sense of panic and desperation the woman must be feeling while rummaging through her bag. I added a sepia tint to “A Grand Central Evening” because I felt this monochromatic palette would convey the sense that this space is timeless. Here, I especially blackened the individuals to a mere silhouette since I’d rather bring more attention to the sociology of crowds and public spaces during a busy time of the year. The rest of the pieces are saturated to capture the presence of a strong energy.
My slideshow offers an inside perspective on how images can stimulate feelings. Each person who views it will establish their own personal tie to each scene, based on past experiences, religious views, etc. However, I hope that all my viewers will see merchandise in a new way the next time they walk into a store.
