Bob Collins Dr.

Erin Dietel McLaughlin Multimedia Writing and Rhetoric October 9 2013 Isolation of the Jorgenson Land One of Terry Evans many photographs of the recent North Dakota oil fracking controversy, entitled, Oil pad on Jorgenson land portrays one of the many fracking sites along the Midwestern United States. This photo is one of a series of photographed sites throughout North Dakota on the many different drilling sites. Each photo shows a different aspect of the natural beauty being invaded and destroyed by the mechanization of oil drillings. In the photo, Oil Pad on Jorgenson Land a lone house, seeming to be a farm, is portrayed in the background with oil drilling equipment are in the foreground. With the photographers use of immediacy, scale, and appeal to the viewers sense of pathos, the viewer has not only a sentimental feeling for the destroyed land, but also a prevalent sense of isolation.

By being exposed to a wide frame shot and taking in the whole scene, the viewer immediately feels immersed in the scene of the drilling. The photographer clearly did this on purpose to expose the immediacy of the photo, in an attempt to drop the viewer in that very spot the photographer was. There is no human sense or even acknowledgement of a photographer taking the photo. As Bolter and Grusin say, The photograph erases the human subject through the mechanics and chemistry of lens, shutter and film (28). The wide frame photo completely erased the human element of the artist. The photo is almost completely immersive. The idea of

being alone in the middle of North Dakota looking at this surrounding area has an added effect on the viewer. The first thought that comes to mind when looking at this photo is complete and utter isolation. This isolation leads us to a belief of uncertainty in fracking in general. In seeing such beautiful roaming lands, the viewer does not enjoy the intruding drilling equipment. The viewer believes nothing should be in view besides solely nature itself, and because of this there is a negative light on fracking.

The viewer feels as if he/she has been dropped off in the middle of North Dakota and is looking around at what is ahead of him. Looking from side to side, the viewer feels almost surrounded by the number of oil drilling equipment and rigs amidst nothing else but nature. The viewer finds himself wondering how someone could destroy something so naturally beautiful. Surrounded by the machines, the viewer searches for anything human. Picking out the house in the center, the viewer focuses in on it and wonder. Is there anyone that lives there? Was it deserted? Did they leave because of the drilling? The photograph becomes interactive with the questioning of everything around them, which has a very strong effect on the viewer. As Bolter says, The viewing can be interactive, although the interaction may be as simple as the capacity to change ones point of view (Bolter). The interactivity of the photo gives the photo deeper meaning. Most photographs do not evoke questions in the viewer, but with this the viewer becomes completely obsessed with the photo, and cannot take their eyes off of it. This adds to the isolation, as it is only the viewer and the machines.

The photographer accomplished all she wanted, as with the wide angle shot the viewer takes a full frontal view of the photo and becomes a part of it. Spinning their head from one side to the other, the viewer takes in every detail that the scene presents. Some may say that all

photography has a feeling of hypermediacy, as Bolter and Grusin say, Hypermediacy manifested itself in the nineteenth century alongside the technology of photography (Bolter). Botler and Grusin say photography is naturally a form of hypermediacy, but this is definitely an exception to the case. The viewer does not acknowledge the frame which is essential to form the sense of isolation. Some may say that the viewer does not feel a part of this photo and instead is looking at it through a glass wall. I do not believe this to be the case as the photo is shot at a level in which a person would be standing if they were there. It is not above, below, or any other possible angle. Instead, it is at the level where the person would be standing, in an effort to put the viewer in the shoes of the photographer.

The scale of the photograph also brings up a lot of thought within the viewer. It is interesting as to how the objects in the photograph are presented. Directly in front of the photograph is very large oil drilling equipment pieces, or at least they seem large. This is the first thing the viewers eyes are drawn to, mainly because of the abruptness of the oil rigs. They are so unnatural with everything that it is surrounded by. Then, the viewer focuses in on the focal point of the photograph, the house in the center. It seems small compared to the machines, but the viewers eyes focus in on it, and it then becomes impossible to avoid. Finally, the viewer looks upon vast sky that seems to go on for miles and miles. This seems to be that the natural beauty presented in the photo goes on uninterrupted for hundreds of miles. This is also important to the sense of isolation, as the viewer really feels alone. If this natural beauty goes on for hundreds of miles, it also means that no one is there living. If they were to scream for help, no one would hear and come.

The positions of the objects in the picture actually are a major part in the interpretation by the viewer. As Tom Benson says, rhetorical analysis of visual texts must investigate the ways the text positions the spectator in an active participant in the making of meaning and, we must go beyond what meaning emerges from a text or artifact to an explanation of how it emerges (Lancioni 4). The sense of isolation emerges as the viewers eyes moves from machine to machine to finally focus on the house in the center. A home, where a family should happily be living, is located behind a number of large obnoxious machines. The viewer searches for another sense of life amidst the machinery, but this is impossible to locate. This all emerges because of the train of thought that goes on while moving ones eyes from object to object. This further emphasizes the point that fracking is unnatural, unnecessary, and should not be there at all.

The Oil Drilling Equipment in such a natural environment is in itself rhetorical. The viewer already knows it does not belong, and begins to question. Terry Evans purposefully took this photo to bring about a sense of isolation and a lack of comfort. Because of this, the viewer begins to hate the drilling equipment and the overall idea of fracking in general. It is not just a photo of the destroyed land, but it is a photo with meaning. By having the viewer questioning consistently, the photo has more of an impact on the viewer. It will stick in the viewers head more than just a photo of destroyed land. The most important aspect of staying in the viewers head is the effect of having the viewer be put in the scene. Feeling immersed, the viewer wants to fix the unnaturalness of the photo. This can cause action, with people actively becoming involved in the fight against oil fracking. This is Terry Evans purpose with the photo.

Works Cited Bolter, J. David, and Richard A. Grusin. "Immediacy, Hypermediacy, and Remediation." Remediation: Understanding New Media. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1999. 21-50. Print.

Evans, Terry. Oil Pad on Jorgenson Land. 2011. Photograph. Snite Museum of Art, North Dokota.

Herrick, James A. "An Overview of Rhetoric." The History and Theory of Rhetoric: An Introduction. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001. 1-30. Print.

Lancioni, Judith A. "Revisioning Archival Photographs in the Civil War." Rhetorical Analysis and Historical Documentary: A Case Study of The Civil War. Philadelphia, PA: S.n., 1996. 397-414. Print