Extra Credits - Baltic Coutries

Sebastian Aguirre
Baltic Countries

     


Photomontage is when you arrange a lot of images, pretending to present an idea. Finland is a Baltic country that has many stereotypes, like snow and blonde women. In this description I will talk about the stereotypes of Finland and its relation to my photomontage.

     In this photomontage I present the basic stereotypes of Finnish people, like blonde women. Blonde women are a very usual stereotype because people around the world think that people form the north of Europe are blonde. This stereotype is kind of true due to the amount of blonde people in Finland, but not all of the population is blonde. Another stereotype is the snow. People think that in Finland there is always snow and polar bears. This stereotype is not true because Finland is a cold place, but only in the winter is when the snow comes, in summer there is no snow. Finnish people also have the stereotype of living in small houses, this is true, but the reason is because they spend a lot less than other houses.

     Finland has one of the best systems for education in the world. This system is very efficient. Finland has 100% rate of literacy, this shows the level of compromise that the Finnish government has with its people. The system make that education is free for all. Education is free at all levels, including universities and polytechnics. For entering polytechnics you have to give from 3 to 5 years of full time study.

     Environment is another part of Finland. Environment is very important for people of Finland, they pay a lot of taxes, around 46% of wage, and part of this percentage goes to ecology. Finland promotes the industrial ecology, which is the waste of factories is use as raw materials for other factories, and that way to make new products.

     As conclusion, Finland has many stereotypes; some of them are presented in this photomontage. Finland is the best country of the Baltic region due to its economy, its education system, and the way they preserved the environment.

Extra Credits

   A photomontage is the process and result of making a composite photograph by cutting and joining a number of other photographs. In this blog I´m going to describe a photomontage that I did, based on the global perception/stereotypes that people has of west Africa.

  The first thing that we can appreciate from this photomontage is the color red, this color represents all the blood that was spilled during the civil wars and during the independence war that every country had to face.  Another important part of the composition are the words, I selected this words because I think they can give us a clue of what is happening in this part of the world, thats why I selected the word WAR and NOT OVER. I also selected the phrase LAND OF ADVENTURE because besides all the problems that they are facing, this region also has its touristic part, that is well known because the safaris and the extreme activities that can be practiced here.

  The images that I selected are the ones that best describe the stereotypes that we have about this region, this images are elephants, diamonds, classic architecture of this region, a world map pointing towards this region of the world and also some pictures of desolation and the effects of the civil wars.

  In conclusion I selected those images because I think are the ones that can best describe the main stereotypes that we have of this region. I also selected images that show "happy" parts of this region because all the people thinks that all the things that happen in this region are bad, but in this way I can show that this is not true, that this is only a wrong STEREOTYPE.

Extra Credits

José Luis Castañeda 

A photomontage is a combination of several images that at the same time crates a single piece; in this case the merging of the pictures generates an idea. Because of several facts and events some countries had won a certain reputation or a global perception that is not always true and accurate. This photomontage is about the stereotypes that Russia has and I will like to explain the reasons why I chose this pictures.

Russia is a very known country because of its culture, strong economy, large armed forces, research and technology and a really important role in the world history.  Because of that most of the people think in the old Russia, the USSR and the communism that’s why I put some images of Joseph Stalin, USSR logo, the army and the flag. But in the other hand Russia it’s also known because of the culture and the beautiful architecture that’s why I put some folk dancers and the most representative building in Russia, located in Moscow, that is the Kremlin. Other think that comes to your mind when someone says Russia, is the space because of the role that this country played during the space race and also in present days in the International Space Station.

The image in the top left represents the stereotype that the Russians live all the time in the winter and that they all have beards. The Russian mafia is also popular among the country they are famous because of the smuggling of alcohol and drugs. Also I put two photos of the actual president, Vladimir Putin that is the typical Russian because of the face expression, the blue eyes, and the coldness that he projects. And in the center I put a hand holding a bottle of vodka because we all think that Russians drink vodka all the time and the funny part is that is actually true but not because they like to be drunk, the real reason is that they drink it to keep their body warm.

So as we can see the global perception or the stereotypes of Russia are mostly based on the past of the country and that the idea that we have is not that bad, the stereotype of the people it is quite accurate and that in most of the cases is true. The positive side of the stereotypes for me is that they are based on something and it’s pretty interesting to found out why.

Extra Credit Germany (Central Europe)

Germany

Germany is one of the most powerful countries along the world because of its development in all the aspects. Many of these aspects are reflected in different way in other regions, for example the perception that Americans have of Europeans is not the same as the one that Asians have of them (Europeans). The most representative aspects of a country can be stereotyped in a positive or negative way. Working with a photomontage we could see that many aspects are important parts of what the country really is, what I want to mean is that every little piece is fundamental. The stereotypes are also part of the structure that shapes the country. Let’s check some of the stereotypes made of Germany.

Talking about Germany the first thing that comes to my mind is the Second World War, because its end was the start of a new era for Germans that was the construction of the big empire that actually is. In the photomontage we can find many images that are a shallow view of the Second World War including the Nazi symbol, Hitler and finally a book that relates the war.

The other aspect that is very notable in the photomontage is the economy, but why? The reason why I put those images related with money was that they have a very strong and stable economy, and is interesting to mention that they have the highest GNP in the European Union. The German economy occupies the third place at global level.

The third aspect that I want to underlie of the photomontage is the image that has a woman saying “We can do it!” that was used in the United States in the period of the war, representing the strength that woman has and demonstrating that woman can do the same as men.

Another aspect easily found in the photomontage is the beer. Beer is a fundamental part of Germany, in a word, is Germany. Is well known that is the place where beer was born, and as sausages, is recognized globally.

The other aspects that are present but are not as crucial as others, are the personality, characteristics, skills, technologic and scientific developments, scenes of cities, nuclear plants, the Berlin wall, the president, the flag and the football team.

What I really wanted to do with my photomontage was to represent each aspect that forms the actual Germany, but also part of its history, include every detail of the country.

Extra Credit Western Europe

A photomontage is a combination of several photographs joined together either for art or to depict a single subject in an exceptional manner, better than the one which can be achieved with a single photograph. Throughout history different regions have been characterized both by common stereotypes and well known facts alike. In this essay we’ll explain the composition of my collage and how it represents stereotypes and well known facts of Western Europe; to be more specific France.

The main feature which can be contemplated is the use of three main colours Red, White and Blue. The usage of these colours has its origin within the flag and main symbol of French national unity and identity. Red represents the blood of the fallen, white represents perfection and purity whilst Blue is for the caring of the less fortunate. The usage of these three colours not only awakens a sense of pride and nationalism, but is appealing to the eye and therefore attracts its attention.

Another part of the composition consists mainly of the images and their meaning. In the collage, the usage of the images of “liberty”, the legionnaires from the French foreign legion and the French flag represent pride and love for the nation. The presence of fine food, architecture and former queen Marie Antoinette in the composition is used to represent the fine arts and cuisine as well as culture and intellectualism.

Out of the main characteristics present within the composition of this collage, it is important to highlight two important details. The first detail consists on the composition being shaped as the French Nation, which emphasizes the theme of the composition. The usage of stereotypes is the last and most important detail present in the composition. Stereotypes are depicted by pictures of Frenchman with berets, moustaches and striped shirts as well as baguettes and white flags used for surrendering. The stereotypes which have been related with this specific part of Western Europe have been carried upon throughout the years and help to depict part of France’s history. 

Extra credits

  

I pasted the most representative images about Argentina. When we think about Argentina, we think about:

•  Its soccer and its good players as Maradona and Lionel Messi. 
• Something typical  is tango and folcloric music.
• Che Guevara is an important character, although he didn´t do anything important there. He was born in Argentina
• Argentine literature has been very important in Latin America
• Christina Fernandez is Argentina´s president
• Argentinians political ideology is democracy, so the ballons that are coming out describe what democracy. 
• Its economy is very important and it´s in second place in South America 
• One of the most important things in Argentina is the production of meat, sunflowers and wine
• The typical food is Chimichurri sauce and a drink that is called "Mate", it is like a kind of tea
• Places are also beautiful. I pasted somo of them as Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, a famous glacier, island and a park in one of the most beautiful city of Argentina.
• Finally the man who is at the center is the argentinian stereotype; big nose, like vain, arrogant and disagreeable.

France Photomontage

Russia Photomontage

Photomontage Germany

Photomontage Japan/China

A photomontage is when you take a lot of pictures, drawings, etc. and combine them to create one piece. On this project we had to show the stereotypes of our region or country. My region is East Africa and I used printed images and magazine pictures to create a collage. I also wrote East Africa with markers and colored white spaces with green color.

The stereotype of this region cannot be defined in a good way, when somebody thinks in an African person, the first thing that comes to their minds it's hunger, HIV, color people, thin people, painted bodies and very shy people. Even do we can't think about good things of this region, I can say these countries are famous for.

East Africa is not a very famous country but it is known because of certain characteristics. One of many is that these countries use to be at war because of religion, Sudan and Uganda are a very brief example. Another thing is that these countries suffer from hunger. In the other hand there are good things about these countries, for example, they are one of the most diverse countries in the world, Sudan has 578 different tribes and 145 registered languages, this means that Sudan has a lot different cultural aspects inside its country. Another good thing is the tourism, everyone around the world dreams about traveling to East Africa and take a safari to see all the animals, the plants and the landscapes. This is why this region has survived against many problems such as education. East Africa also has beautiful beaches for tourists but nowadays it's a very dangerous zone for independent travel because of the conflicts of the government forces and piracy. 

In conclusion, the global perception that everybody has to have of this region is that they want to overcome every problem they have but they don't know how. These people is the happiest people all over the world because they know how to deal with huge problems and they continue living no matter what they have or what they don't, the best thing they have is life and they know how to love it.

Photomontage West Africa

Baltic Countries Photomontage

Finland

   

Photomontage Southamerica

In this collage I paste the most representative images from my region, this one is South America and I choose Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname because are the most known, the images for, like, a general idea of South America are the half of the cross because they are really religious, also the two bottles of beer that represents party time, the butterfly wich is the nature of the region and the guy smoking that for me, represents like the "under table" ilegal stuff that this region has. 

When I think in Brazil, instantly come to my mind soccer, thats why I pasted the soccer balls with the Brazilian flag, the big eye also with the brazilian flag, and a photo of Pelé who is one of the most known Brazilian soccer players; but on the other hand  i also think about carnivals that`s why I pasted the cats with bikinis and the girls with some carnival costumes, and finally at the top left corner a picture of Rio wich is the most famous city in there, thank`s of the giant Jesus. 

Now for Venezuela I add tow picture of Hugo Chavez who is the leaving president, but i pasted tow because he is now in his campaign for the reelection and i also put him in the right top corner but now with like a red suit and giving an speech, reminding us who he is.

And finally for Suriname I pasted a guy with the flag on his face representing that they are really patriotic and they are proud of who they are, and also i pasted like  "chaman" who is a man with a chicken hat, representing the different rituals they have.

Photomontage Eastern Europe (Romania)

The main idea of doing a photomontage, or collage, is that those who are not very familiar with the stereotypes or characteristics of certain countries may find a visual aid to create a mental image of what that country represents. Personally, I think this was an opportunity for mixing art with research and create a dynamic piece which can help illustrate people and, in a way, encourage tourism and culture. However, I am very much aware that stereotypes are common, so I think that this work should be complimented with the warning that this is the way some view the people or the country, and that not everyone is like that. The region my collage was inspired by is Eastern Europe, composed of countries like Croatia, Serbia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Poland and Moldova. I have to say that it was a very challenging project, since this region is far apart and is often forgotten by the rest of the world.

                Common stereotypes of this region are located upon Romania, and they mainly have to do with either vampires or superstition. In my photomontage there is an image of a vampire, portrayed by Johnny Depp, of which I am particularly fond of. It is set on the far right and he has his finger lifted, as if contradicting someone. I liked this because it could mean that, even though there are vampires in the collage, there are not in the actual Romania. Also I included tarot cards –lifted by an energetic yellow hand –, a coffin, a beautiful woman –because the main stereotype about woman in those regions is that they are extremely beautiful –, a man shouting while protecting two women, and a manifestation.

                I think these images, especially the latest, symbolize how volatile people might consider these countries by the mere idea that they are in constant political struggles. It is true that, in the past, countries like Serbia and Hungary have been famous for their rebellions; furthermore, they are known for the untrained armies known as Cossacks. Because of this historical view we have been struck by the idea that Hungarians, Serbians or Romanians are incapable of self-control and, if one goes visit and insults them in any way, they might grab a sword and kill you. This is only complemented by the notion that these people still live in dark stone castles or in the country side like peasants did centuries ago.

                Finally, and what’s most important or attractive about my montage, is that there is a man standing beside a castle and staring at the map. His clothing is old and poor and the colors are always dark –like blue or black –so that we can get a notion of older times. In the map we have the region of Eastern Europe and that is representative. These countries are known for their anonymity, mainly because no one knows –or cares –where they are located. I think it is a good touch and it helps people become aware of what is the region they expect to understand.

Photomontage Scandinavia

           My photomontage represents the perception of the Scandinavian countries. Indeed, countries, which composed this part of the world, are Norway, Sweden, Island and Greenland. Through this collage of photos, we can better understand these countries.

At the top of the poster, we can find a beautiful landscape, which represents a snowy mountain with a beautiful lake. We can also find other mountain landscapes in this photomontage. These landscapes are typical of the northern countries and they are known to be cold countries, with snow and mountains. I placed a person-playing hockey, one of the national sports in these countries, which would hit dollars to multiply themself. I refer to the economy of these countries, which, is known to be efficiency. We can also find the words Perfect and Economy, which emphasizes this idea. Top right of the poster, we see the sentence The Money Issue, which translates as an award for these countries. We know that in these countries, there are few poor people and that most residents are quite wealthy. We also see the Vikings, one of the stereotypes of these Scandinavian countries. There is also a little girl who rides her bike in a snowy mountain. Fishing is a national hobby throughout these countries. The sign in the middle and the photo, which the bear is fishing, represent well this idea.  We also find a pretty blonde woman, which is a stereotype of the Scandinavian countries with a dollar in the eye to emphasize the idea of rich countries. Common law and Health are present in this poster because these countries have economies that take care and consider about their residents. Health and economy are one of keys to success in these countries, as showed the smiley, the coin and sign against stress.

Photomontage Southeast Asia

        Firstly, my photomontage is my perception of the Southeast Asia. Top right you can see a big yellow sun for because most of the time in these countries it is very warm and hot. Also the background of the photomontageis bleu, this represent the turquoise water and blue sky in these countries.

         Secondly, I put in my photomontage words such as "Traveler" and "Trip" because the region represents for me the place where we want to travel and experience. In addition I have taken many pictures representing the blue sea and white sand that there are in these countries especially Thailand and the many beaches and small islands, each more beautiful than the other.

         Then I put in my photomontage in many species of animals such as fish with beautiful colors, turtles, a monkey, a big bird with beautiful color too and an elephant along well. The elephant is a very sacred animal in Thailand and very popular in all countries of this region. I tried to put many animals because these countries have very many species of animals most of which are unknown in our own country. Also I placed a flower in the sun because all these countries have incredible flora thanks to the many forest and jungle they own.

Also at the center of the photomontage I put a picture where you can see an house that is built entirely on water. This is very common in these countries because there are many fishermen especially in remote towns. Much of the population of these countries living mainly from fishing and agriculture.

          Finally I placed two photographs of Asian women. In this region we can find the most beautiful girls of all asia. But this can be a big problem because there are more and more prostitution in these countries, especially with girls younger and younger and can often willing. This also causes many mafieu networks.

          To conclude these countries in South-east Asia represent for me a heaven on earth with many beautiful landscapes and varied flora just amazing.

Photomontage Iraq

The photomontage I made is a collage for the area of ​​the world called the Perosphère. This area is composed of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. All these countries have a rather negative connotation in the minds of European and American. We think they are at war all the time and that's what I tried to represent in this photomontage. First I place a veiled woman. I added a mouth having a leg blown off by a mine to show that you do not know if they are dangerous or not. I also put a soldier for the military presence, which is very strong in this country. Also represented by the American flag, automatic weapons and knives. These soldiers are scarred for life by what happens in this region. This way of being hit is represented by the white man holding a rifle and a knife and being tainted with blood. I also disposed of Afghan civilians who are fighting to preserve their countries from military forces. These men are on the bottom left and fight to prevent any home is destroyed as the top left with a destroyed building and the word “dead”. The word “dead” is basically what is happening with hundreds of civilians who die every day from flying bomb. These bursts of bombs shatter lives and entire families. The word ”rocket” that breaks a heart in two represents this tear. I also added a lot of smoke because many things are burning now in Iraq. The oil wells are on fire, houses are on fire, and some people sacrifice themselves to show their displeasure. I also completely burn the bottom of the page in order to show that everything is burning and my paper feels that too. Finally on the right you can see the faces of a man and woman who seem clueless about the situation and who cannot act.

I tried to do a photomontage pretty realistic of what happens in Perosphère. I put the red to show violence and blood, because this region is experiencing a real ordeal. This is what I wanted to show through this collage as accurately as possible.

Photo Montage Oceania

Photo Montage Australia

....In this article, I am going to describe my photo montage. The region that I chose is Oceania and the four principal countries of Oceania are Philippines, Australia, New Zeland and Indonesia. However, I chose to make my photo montage only on Australia because in this region countries are different.

....I spent 5 months in Australia, and I think it is the best country of the world because everything is clean. I think it is because they have an english education and not latin education like in France. Australian respect the nature. As you can see, in my photo montage there are a lot of beautiful landscapes. The main stereotype of Australia is I think the landscapes. Everywhere in Australia the landscapes are spectacular. Just next the money you can see a personal picture. It is the view which I had of my room. The name of this beach is Mainly beach just near to sydney. You can also see below of the photo a long train truck. They used that too transport goods. Australia it is a massive country, so they can not built rail train because of the cost. The main economy is mining industry. Julia Gillard The Prime Minister has created a tax for the mining industry. She wants that mining factories share their profits. If you go to Australia, you have to learn surfing. At the center of the photo, you can see a big wave, and just below to this picture a surfer with a shark. You have to be careful with sharks, because they are everywhere. Also, fauna and flora are amazing, lot of exotic flowers and exotic animals like koala or kangaroo. Australia is the only country if you want to see Koala and kangaroo. Of course, you can go to the zoo, but it is different. The main sport is rugby, lot of rivalry with New Zeland. The main brand is Quiksilver, is the country of the surf! The money is different because it is waterproof so you can go swimming with your money. They have a lot of free Barbecue, and they are always clean, so you can eat kangooroo with your friends when you want.

....To conclude, I hope my photo montage makes you want to travel in Australia.