Concept

The concept was to create a set up where a member of the group would act as a photographer about to take a picture of a location - a spot that was chosen for its lack of "kodak-qualitiy" in order to make sure that the photographer and his/her actions got the full attention. The idea was to focus on some of the key words: People >< Technology >< Space in order to see how people would react when confronted with a photographer, who without any speculation or consideration claim the public space a part of his/her domain. An act that forces the ignorant and random passerby to quickly make a decision about his/her next move.
Will I accept this claim of a public space? Or not? Is it even possible to claim a public space? Will I move behind the photographer? - Or just duck and pass by? And is this in order to prevent myself from being caught in the photo, and thereby "reveal" myself? -Or is it to assure that I don´t spoil the photo and its aesthetic? Is the evasion for my sake or the photographer´s?
So it´s a way to clarify this behaviour, and see how people in the public sphere change their movement/path when confronted with some sort of obstacle, change in scenery or an unforseen event.
The event has been filmed by 1) the photographer in order to get a close-up of the reaction from people who pass straight by the camera, and 2) a "second part" in order to give a more general impression, and to see the reactions from people who pass behind the photographer.

Dynamic highlight

Any urban space is charged with conventions and has a decreased situational complexity. Conventions for how individuals are expected to behave and react to their surroundings.

This project aims to highlight how mobile-camera-technology creates special social situations in urban settings. It is our opinion that mobile-recording-devices gives the user an accepted power (by the spec-actors and observers) to claim an urban space, from within the space that the user is pointing the mobile-device. For example; take a look at video ref. 1 and ref. 4 (same situation from different viewpoints) where the recording artist claims a piece of urban space his. The man walking by actually stops and waits for permission to continue his walk within the public space. This reaction seems to be a build-in convention of human behavior in urban space. This means that mobile technology shapes the conventions for urban behavior which also indicates that mobile technology dictates part of our sociological tactics and influences the future of social situations and urban behaviors in a increasingly consistent degree.

However, people react in totally different manners and instead of seeing the space claimed by the recording device, as a scene where they can act and express themselves - see ref. 2. We can point out, that there is likely to be a difference in the behavioral dynamics depending on: urban location, time of day, single recording artist or entourage, camera size, general settings and so on.

The reactions

Observing peoples movement in public spaces, can be a very peculiar thing. During the hours we moved around the city in different locations, we decided to pick out spaces that were not obvious photo opportunity spots. Standing in front of the main attractions of Århus would be to obvious, and would probably not distract the surrounding pedestrians and spectators. Placing ourselves in Non-obvious locations and in the spatial environment of the ordinary passersby's and Sarturday shoppers, we could observe how they react to an unsuspected event. Looking at the video recordings. It is plain to see that not only the people in the view field of the Camera but also the people who see the photographer from afar, unconsciously start to divert their planned route because of this Interface device that invades the urban space they are traveling in. Many of people started to evade or even duck in front of the camera, and felt/looked almost paralyzed in their movements, others simply by all means tried to take an alternative route, but because Esther & Henriette had decided to stand in a manner, that assured there was no way of not passing the camera's view, people started pushing/squeezing themselves past by all, just to avoid the space claimed by the camera.

Final thoughts

This experiment has some resemblance to "Tilted Arc", a scultpure by Richard Serra, as we´ve discussed in the urban adventure class, where the purpose was to highlight and clarify how people move and navigate in public space. - A sculpture placed in the middle of a public square, so that now the only way to get across the square is to move around the sculpture, so no shortcuts are possible! -So the conditions for a space have been changed and people now have to re-adjust their movements to this change!

Documentation

Artist camera 1, ref. 1
In this video we see a quite polite reaction from the guy in black. He has seen us from a distance and is trying to pass behind us. The photographer tries to block the route behind him thereby forcing the guy to make a decision whether to wait or just cross through the picture. He kindly waits until he gets an OK to go from the photographer. The location was an alley, where people couldnt just pass around us, but they were forced to make decisions. See "Observer camera 2, ref. 4" video for another point of view.

Artist camera 2, ref. 2
Here we were standing in front of magasin, hoping to get some reactions from the shoppers exiting the warehouse. At first you see the woman in the red coat who obviously is a bit uncomfortable being filmed. She tries to evade the lens. But suddenly "Martin" comes along and provides a hilarious contrast to other peoples reactions. He certainly doesnt feel that he needs to respect the space that we are trying to claim.

Observer camera 1, ref. 3
In this shot we see how the three people make an effort not to obstruct the photographers field of vision. They neatly pass around his back. But after that we see the guy coming from the top of the picture. He spots the photographer very early, and instantly plans to pass around his back. Its a good example because, he doesnt give much thought to whether or not he should intrude on the photographers field of vision. Apparently the norm of respecting the space that people claim is pretty basic to him.

Observer camera 2, ref. 4
Another point of view in reference to the first video. Here the observer is hiding with the camera

Observer camera 3, ref. 5
In this video we see how the people dont pay any attention or respect to the fact that the photographer seems to be filming. So we agree that Morten should try and make some sound, letting people know that he is actually trying to take a picture. See next video.

Observer camera 4, ref. 6
He the bypasser is made aware of her presence in the photographers frame. You see how see reacts as though the camera is some sort of evil eye, dodging the lens.

Observer camera 5, ref. 7
In this video we had placed Henriette and Esther by the store. They were to try and block people from taking the route behind the display cases. As Morten tells them he is trying to take a picture, they make quite an effort to pass our "quarterbacks" and disappear behind the display cases.