The Dual Perspectives of Atlantic City

   

   

Yves  Marchand  and  Romain  Mefre   in  The  Ruins  of  Detroit  

inspire  the  following  photographs.  Having  been  raised  near  

Atlantic   City,   New   Jersey   my   entire   life   I   have   seen   the  

highs,  lows,  and  everything  well  in-­‐between.  As  the  months  

have  progressed,   the   interior  of  Atlantic  City  has  begun   to  

deteriorate,   casinos   and   businesses   closing,   while   crime  

rates  have  remained  steady,  and  unemployment  is  at  an  all-­‐

time   high.   While   this   has   continued,   many   tourists   have  

disregarded   the   negative   impact   Atlantic   City   has   had   on  

the   community   and   its   people.   The   photos   in   this   album  

show  two  different  perspectives  of  Atlantic  City,  that  of  the  

tourist,  and  that  of   the  resident.   I  am  attempting   to  depict  

the  struggle  versus  the  party.  Majority  of  the  images  are  of  

landscape   and   scenery,   which   is   enough   to   portray   this  

time.   I  would   like   for  each   individual  viewer   to   take   these  

photos   into   consideration,   and   to   attempt   to   determine  

which  view  of  Atlantic  City  they  have.  If  your  views  seem  to  

align  with   that  of   the   tourist,  perhaps  you  can   take  a   step  

back  and  determine   if   there’s  something  that  can  be  done,  

or  feel  sympathy  for  your  favorite  party  place  turning  into  

rubble.  While  that’s  one  way  of  viewing  the  photos,  there  is  

also  the  perspective  of  those  who  live  in  the  city.  If  you  tend  

to  only  see  the  negatives,  take  a  moment  to  realize  there  is  

still   hope,   and   there   are   still   a   lot   of   events   and   places   to  

look  forward  too.    

My  point  being,  Atlantic  City  is  what  YOU  make  it,  but  it   is  

not   a   city   limited   to   one   perspective,   it   can   vary.   Realize  

that  there  is  a  lot  of  depth  to  this  city  becoming  ruins  if  you  

search   the   interior   long   enough.   Take   a  moment   to   try   to  

decide  where  you  stand.  

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

   

   

Photography  &  the  Process  to  Present  Atlantic  City  

Disclaimer:   I   am   in   no   way   attempting   to   portray   every  

individual’s   view   of   Atlantic   City,   these   are   perspectives  

that   I   have   experienced   in  my   twenty-­‐two   years   of   living  

near   the   area,   and   it   would   be   close   to   impossible   to  

portray  such  a  unique  city  in  only  12-­‐15  photographs.  

To   record   the   images   of   Atlantic   City   I   used  my   iPhone   6  

along   with   filters   from   the   apps:   Aviary   as   well   as  

Instagram,   with   a   combination   of   the   three   I   was   able   to  

depict   various   images   yielding   different   effects   depending  

on   the   editing   technique   I   used.  The   reason   for  my  use  of  

the   iPhone  is  because  cell  phones  are  one  thing  that  tends  

to   be   a   common   thread,   whether   you   are   a   resident   or   a  

tourist.  Also,  social  media  through  the  use  of  cellphones  has  

been  a  huge  reason  why  people  even  know  what  is  going  on  

in  Atlantic  City,  and/or  realize  what   there   is   to  do  around  

the   area.   While   each   technique   was   different   per  

photograph,   in   the   end   I  wanted   them   to   somewhat   be   in  

uniform   in  order   to  not   throw  off   the   story   I   am   trying   to  

tell.   Evidently,  many   images  are   lacking   in   saturation,   and  

clarity  –  having  a  gritty  like  state  to  them.  I  did  this  for  the  

photos   pertaining   to   the   residence’s   possible   view   of  

Atlantic   City,   somewhat   lifeless,   and   fading.   I   wanted   to  

portray  the  “gritty  version”  of  what  this  city  can  be   like   in  

comparison  to  what  a  vacationer  might  see.  The  look  I  was  

going   for   aesthetically   was   that   of   a   vibrant   city,   such   as  

you   see   in   the  movies.   I   wanted   it   to   be   about   the   bright  

lights,  and  fun  colors,  things  that  make  a  city  “come  alive,”  

and  a  reason  people  come  here  for  fun.    

While   the   unfiltered   photographs   could   have   conveyed  

similar  meanings,  I  believe  the  after  shots  push  each  photo  

more  to  the  extreme,  in  a  sense,  filters  can  be  thought  of  as  

a   type   of   rhetoric   to   use   in   photography.   I   wanted   each  

image   to   convey  a  meaning  at   first   glance,  whether   it  was  

lively   or   pessimistic,   and   I   believed   the   filters   helped  me  

achieve   that.   The   use   of   highly   saturated   photographs  

versus  low  saturated  ones  automatically  helps  set  the  tone  

for  my  images,  and  the  way  that  I  would  like  for  them  to  be  

perceived.    I  worked  around  Burgin’s  theory  in  “Looking  at  

Photographs,”   in   that   each   reader   deploys   however   he   or  

she  is  familiar  in  order  to  “make  sense”  of  the  photos  (137).  

This  digital  album  is  all  based  on  perspective,  which  differs  

for  each  viewer.  

While   each   photo   is   different,   they   each   help   spread   my  

main  point  of  this  entire  album,  which  is  to  portray  Atlantic  

City  through  two  different  lenses.    I  also  attempted  to  fram  

my   work   around   Julie   Berlins,   article   on   “10   Top  

Photography   Composition   Rules.”  While   the   other   articles  

read  inspired  me,  this  one  had  a  variety  of  rules  that  I  could  

go   by   for   this   assignment.   Majority   of   the   photos   are   of  

landscape,   and   objects   because   despite   the   amount   of  

people   that  may   reside   in   the   area,  most   tend   to   focus  on  

what  there  is  to  do  here,  whether  that  is  the  casinos  (work),  

the  beach,  or  home.    Also,  architecture  is  what  tends  to  take  

up  Atlantic  City,  onto  the  expressway  into  Atlantic  City,  the  

first   thing   you   see   are   the   huge   casino   buildings,   so   I  

wanted  my   focus   to   be   directed   towards   the   objects.   The  

images   depicted   in   this   virtual   album,   are   ones   that   I  

believe  best  summarize  my  main  goal.  

           

 The  Woman  Who  Remains  Nameless  

First,  to  discuss  the  rules  of  composition  

that  are  incorporated  into  this  

photograph,  I  would  have  to  say  that  I  

was  able  to  accomplish  a  great  deal  

more  than  I  had  expected  when  

originally  taking  the  photo.  Once  I  was  

able  to  go  back  and  truly  study  each  

shot  that  I  had  taken,  then  was  I  able  to  determine  whether  

it  well  within  the  guidelines  of  composition.  This  was  also  

the  photo  that  was  critiqued  in  class,  and  seemed  to  get  a  

lot  of  positive  feedback  from  my  peers,  after  everyone  

photograph  was  taken  for  this  project;  this  one  still  

remained  my  favorite.  One  rule  of  composition  that  is  in  

this  photo  is  the  rule  of  thirds,  whether  going  from  top  to  

bottom,  or  left  to  right,  there  is  something  to  be  seen  within  

each  area,  and  the  focus  of  my  picture  

(the  woman)  is  located  on  the  third  

block  of  the  photo.  Not  only  did  I  include  

rule  of  thirds,  but  also  balancing  of  

elements.  Like  I  previously  stated,  my  

main  subject  is  off-­‐center,  yet  there  is  

the  window  on  the  opposite  side  to  help  

even  the  space  out.  There  is  also  a  sense  of  patterns  as  you  

can  see  the  lines  that  run  throughout  the  building.  This  can  

also  be  noted  as  texture.  It  helps  make  the  photo  come  to  

life,  and  seem  that  much  more  realistic,  and  almost  3-­‐D  

(Berlin).  Each  of  these  aspects  of  this  one  particular  photo  

entitles  it  to  be  received  as  a  well  compositional  

photograph.  Despite  the  amount  of  shots  I  took  of  this  

particular  moment,  in  different  angles,  and  with  different  

amounts  of  lighting,  I  found  this  one  to  be  my  favorite,  and  

the  most  appropriate  for  my  message.  

In  John  Berger’s  “Understanding  a  Photograph”  he  

discusses  how  photography  has  become  a  lost  art  that  can  

no  longer  be  appreciated.    Going  off  of  his  statement  I  

wanted  to  depict  a  unique  photo,  one  that  is  not  seen  on  

Instagram  as  you  constantly  refresh  your  news  feed.  I  

thought  this  photo  was  worth  recording,  and  the  woman  

alone  could  tell  her  own  story  (292-­‐293).    It  also  brings  up  

the  question,  like  Berger  mentioned,  what  is  not  being  

shown  in  this  photograph?  Which  I  think  can  be  important  

in  determining  how  you  view  and  depict  this  photo.  Having  

to  construct  your  own  idea  of  what  might  be  next  to  the  

woman  if  you  were  to  zoom  out.  “Every  photograph  is  in  

fact  a  means  of  testing,  confirming,  and  constructing  a  total  

view  of  reality,”  this  was  the  overall  point  of  out  

assignment,  to  be  able  to  create  a  message  and  meaning  

through  our  own  use  of  photography.  (294).  

This  photograph  represents  a  lot  depending  on  which  way  

you  look  at  it.  My  intentions  when  taking  and  editing  this  

photo  was  to  show  more  of  the  solemnness  that  is  Atlantic  

City.  While  the  original  photo  did  not  depict  glee,  with  the  

editing  of  the  saturation  and  contrast  I  was  able  to  depict  

this  photograph  in  a  gloomy  manner.  The  woman  in  the  

photograph  represents  the  residents  of  Atlantic  City,  the  

people  that  this  city’s  downfall  actually  harshly  impacts.  

Going  off  of  assumptions,  the  viewer  can  assume  she  is  not  

a  tourist;  she  is  not  glammed  up,  or  worrying  about  her  

surroundings.  Instead,  she  is  focusing  on  whatever  task  is  

at  hand,  because  the  life  of  Atlantic  City  has  lost  its  

excitement,  and  is  instead  a  dreary  routine.  The  pop  of  

color  in  her  dress  (a  color  that  lingers  in  a  majority  of  my  

photos)  can  also  be  taken  as  a  sign  of  optimism  –  not  

everything  has  to  be  seen  as  desolated,  in  fact  there  can  be  

signifiers,  small  and  large  that  not  everything  is  dead.  Also,  

commenting  on  the  building  in  the  background.  You  can  

clearly  see  the  grit  and  deterioration  of  the  building,  

representing  parts  of  Atlantic  City,  as  well  as  what  AC  is  

now  becoming.  Many  are  aware  of  the  downfall  of  this  area,  

with  casinos  closing  and  many  individuals  losing  their  jobs,  

just  as  this  building  seems  to  be  collapsing,  Atlantic  City  is  

as  well.  Another  aspect  of  this  building  that  furthers  this  

notion  is  the  window  and  its  reflection  of  the  outside.  

Rather  than  becoming  too  caught  up  in  what  is  inside  this  

building  we  are  looking  at  the  exterior.  In  this  photograph  

the  window/building  is  a  literal  and  metaphorical  

reflection  of  what  the  outside  world  is  like  in  Atlantic  City.  

So  while  there  can  be  positive  aspects,  there  is  also  a  lot  

more  depth  to  Atlantic  City  than  what  tourists  see  as  they  

drive  to  the  main  attractions.  

   

   

Works  Cited    Berger,  John.  “Understanding  a  Photograph.”  The  Look  of  Things.  Viking  Press:  1974.    Berlin,  Jule.  “10  Top  Photography  Composition  Rules.”  PhotographyMad.  December  9,  2014.    

 <http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/10-­‐top-­‐photography-­‐composition-­‐rules>  

 Burgin,  Victor.  “Looking  at  Photographs.”  Screen  Education,  No.  24.  (1977).