Monday, March 14, 2016
Blog Prompt for 3/21
The essay "Snowfall" is a feature that was published both in print and digitally. The digital version allowed for moving graphics including maps and video that color photographs in the print article could not. What do you think these digital enhancements added to the content of the story for the reader? Do you think they were needed? Why or Why not? What did they add or take a way from the reading experience for you?
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I think that the digital version of "Snowfall" was interesting and fun to look at. With an intense article, hearing from some people who were actually in the avalanche, was a good glimpse into actually getting to know what people went through during this horrible event. The moving graphics, slide show and other photos were something, I as a reader, enjoyed. I think they were needed because it helps the reader picture and then actually be able to see what they are reading about. I think these enhancements made it more interactive and interesting. For me, it added a better look into the story and made it more real to actually see photos, hear interviews and actually see videos.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I think that having the digital features added really kept me much more interested in the article. It was fun to watch the videos and do the slideshows alongside the text as you were reading.
Delete- Sarah Despres
The digital version of the article “Snowfall” definitely offers a lot more to the reader than a regular print article could. The visuals make it more possible for the reader to understand what is occurring, in addition to the accounts of the people who experienced it. It’s almost like in a way you can also experience it for yourself. It is definitely more visually appealing and interactive, but on the other hand, I could see how the visuals could distract a reader away from the words. I also think that without the visuals, the piece is still very intense and intriguing.
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DeleteI agree with you on everything. I like how you pointed out that it can distract the reader. At some points I wanted to play the videos and see what happened before I finished reading the paragraph near the video. I know if I played the video before I finished reading I would forget what I read and would have to read it all over again.
I agree with the fact that the visual version is much more appealing to me. Although i do not agree with the fact that the written piece is any less potent. I believe that the writing was of very good quality and did well describing every aspect of the setting which made it easy for me to personally enjoy both just as much.
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ReplyDeleteI believe adding the digital enhancement made the story more interesting for the reader. It catches the readers eye, which makes the reader want to read the story. As you read the article they have the the digital enhancement spread out all through the article. I think that was a good idea that every time they talked about something, they had either someone who experience the situation or a map that matched what they were talking about. The videos of the people made it interesting, and hearing how they felt when they went though it. The videos of the map, right after tunnel creek made you feel like you were on those mountains. I don't think they were needed, the story would be good either way. I think it made it more fun for the reader to read. It also shows the others stepped out of the box finally the readers had fun reading their article. This gave them another way to learn the information. It didn't tAke away anything from my reading, it just added fun to my reading. I'm the type of person that is not good at reading so if you give me something else to go along with reading to look at I love it. I'm more of a visual person, so when I saw all the videos and the maps that moved I understood the reading more then if I just had to read it and not look at anything.
I agree Kayla, by adding all of the digital aspects it added fun to reading the article. Having another look at the story besides just reading it definitely helped if you are a visual person when it comes to reading and learning.
DeleteI believe adding the digital enhancement added more to the story. Rather then only displaying the text, the visuals definitely added more color to the story. The text makes you visualize what is going on in your head then the visuals show another way to view it. Also visuals catch the attention a lot more than text. If something is unclear then you can refer the visual for a better understanding of what you are reading
ReplyDelete- Sherley Sidney
I agree Sherley, I felt like the visuals served to clear up any confusion and also created a more vivid image.
DeleteI loved the visualizations to the article. The reading was interesting when they started to talk about personal people's stories, but at times it did get a little dull for me to keep reading. By having the maps and diagrams alongside the text of the real place it's talking about, it kept me focused on what was being talked about. What also added to it was the fact that they used real pictures that were shot by people there the night before the avalance. It just gives you a much better visual of what is being discussed. Having the digital graphics put in all throughout the text and not just at the end was a good addition also. It kept you interested and wanting to see the next set of pictures, or video, or whatever. Overall, if it wasn't for the added digital features, I doubt I would have liked the article as much.
ReplyDelete- Sarah Despres
The digital supplements embedded throughout “Snowfall” created a more well rounded and interactive feature for readers. The videos, pictures, and maps allowed for readers to have a more depthful and comprehensive idea as to the events that unraveled as well as the circumstances leading up to such events. Stating that a storm produced 32 inches of snow at Steven’s Pass and then supplementing that statement with a radar map for example gives the reader a visual allowing them to truly conceptualize and process the severity of the storm. Overall, digital enhancements including videos, maps, and picture slideshows create a backdrop that making the reader feel as if she or he is part of the unfolding events. While the story was very well written and doesn’t “need” the enhancements, they certainly were a useful tool in strengthening the feature. In my opinion, the only downside to the effects is that they could be slightly distracting, but nevertheless, the many pros of the enhancements outweigh this con.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you wrote about how it let the readers have a more in depth understanding of the events that happened. I also agree with the fact that the piece was already great on its own because of the fantastic writing. I did not think of the con you brought up about the possibility of distraction due to the graphics, but that opened my eyes because not all readers are alike and some only wish to have a simple, well-written piece.
DeleteWhat was already a hard hitting story “Snowfall” by John Branch became something more with the addition of moving and interactive graphics. Most of the time it is left up to the readers to create the images and scenes inside their heads as they read, but in this article the graphics does that for them. I believe that the graphics allow the reader to see a more accurate representation of what truly went on and to allow them to step deeper into the story. I think that these additions were needed because print journalism is something of a dying art and online journalism has taken over. With the abundance of online journalism, articles should have a component to make them stand out from the rest and for “Snowfall” it is the graphics. It also showcases the author’s technical, innovative, and creative abilities. In my opinion, I was captured by the writing alone and the graphics only added onto how much I loved the piece.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. This piece already had great writing, and the images and the scenes added a more accurate and better representation of the story. It captured me because I have never read anything like this story before.
DeleteThe story "Snowfall" was a breathtaking and intense story with in-depth descriptions that truly made the reader feel like they were at Tunnel Creek. The printed story was enjoyable, and I do not think that adding the digital version was necessary because the descriptive writing was already superb. However, the digital version turned the story into something completely amazing. Usually, when you read a story you have to imagine the scene and the characters. For example, if you were reading this story, "Snowfall," then you would have to imagine in your head the massiveness of Tunnel Creek, and the individuals suffered through the avalanche. The digital version enhance the reader's ability to get a much better sense of the scene that "Snowfall" was depicting. The reader has a chance to see the a outlook of the mountain, and hear the testimonies of the victims of the avalanche. This piece certainly deserved the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. It was like something I never read or experienced before in my life.
ReplyDelete-Andrew Higginbottom
The story "Snowfall" was a great read to say the least. I do believe that while adding visuals such as videos it made it much more appealing to read without taking away from the writing. I believe that everything that was included in this story was needed. Although this may seem like an overwhelming amount of information, It covers every bit of the story with detailed description following a visual which made it extremely easy to follow along. I also believe that the writing can stand alone because of how well this piece is put together.The visuals are a great accesory to appeal to a greater audience. Adding a visual does not only give you an idea of what is going on but also making the story ascetically pleasing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the piece could still be intriguing without the visuals because the intensity of the content. I mentioned the same thing in my post.
DeleteKayla Chernecky
The digital version of "Snowfall" helps the reader understand the story better. This version lets the reader see the images of the breathtaking and dangerous mountains, as well hear the victim’s testimonies. The videos of the testimonies help the reader get a real feel of what the ordeal was like for the victims. The visuals help the reader really stay engaged in the story.
ReplyDeleteSean Burwell
The digital version of "Snowfall" was a great version of the story. By adding the graphics and video it takes the story to another level when it comes to feeling as if you are there watching this happen. The video of the Elyse talking about the experience creates a sense of reality towards what happened to her. Hearing her emotions towards the story adds emphasis to the disaster that took place. It keeps the reader interested when these digital aspects are added to a piece of writing.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the images and digital media aspects of this feature help the reader form more of an understanding. By adding videos, maps and pictures- it helps illustrate a picture for the readers, and gives them a glimpse at what this disaster was like first hand.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the image and digital content made the story more interesting, and could appeal to different audiences. However, I felt like the point was illustrated pretty well in the feature story, although the digital content was a great touch.
DeleteIn my opinion, the essay "Snowfall" is a feature that reveals the future of multi-media journalism. These digital enhancements are supposed to increase the interaction element for reader, however I tend to scroll past them. I think these enhancements are more for the science and mathematic oriented people, however literary people, like me, could care less about the additional features. For a science or mathematics person, they are more hands-on and like to listen to the audio and video. I personally believe that this feature story was catered towards the science audience, and would be the perfect fit on a science website. you think these digital enhancements added to the content of the story for the This did not have a direct effect on my reading experience because there were still words, although the story was lengthy enough that it did not need the added enhancements.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that the digital images really helped this feature piece. While it was written beautifully and was full of emotion and detail, it was extremely long and hard to get through. I understand that it being a feature piece is an explanation for it's length, but I was losing interest at places. I believe that the GIFs, videos, and pictures really helped that issue though. First of all, without those supplementing the piece, it could easily have been much longer. In addition, anyone can write what someone wrote, but having a video of their interview and being able to see the pain in their eyes and hearing it in their voice gives you something written text never can. The pictures and GIFs of the mountain really helped put me there as well, especially the recreation of the avalanche itself. It really helped me understand the story much more.
ReplyDeleteI think the graphics in this article really bring the story into perspective, especially with the snow and the maps. The interactive maps help to show the reader exactly where this story took place and how bad the storms were that passed through the Washington Cascades while the people were hiking. Since the pictures do move, they also helped the readers interact with the story and really have them get the feeling of how the people felt. I think it depends on the reader as to whether or not the graphics were needed because some people might say it is distracting while others say it adds life to the story. Personally I think it really brings light to the new idea of multimedia journalism and while people are reading they can go through the pictures the follow along with the story. Even the words in the article were very descriptive of what was going on, the images and videos really showed how the people felt and they make people feel very emotional while reading the piece. For me, I felt that the images and videos were very helpful because I am a visual learner and I could really see what people were feeling and what was going on throughout the story.
ReplyDeleteI think the graphics in this article really bring the story into perspective, especially with the snow and the maps. The interactive maps help to show the reader exactly where this story took place and how bad the storms were that passed through the Washington Cascades while the people were hiking. Since the pictures do move, they also helped the readers interact with the story and really have them get the feeling of how the people felt. I think it depends on the reader as to whether or not the graphics were needed because some people might say it is distracting while others say it adds life to the story. Personally I think it really brings light to the new idea of multimedia journalism and while people are reading they can go through the pictures the follow along with the story. Even the words in the article were very descriptive of what was going on, the images and videos really showed how the people felt and they make people feel very emotional while reading the piece. For me, I felt that the images and videos were very helpful because I am a visual learner and I could really see what people were feeling and what was going on throughout the story.
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