OASIS
The following photographs are figurative and literal representations of the effects of technology and social media on our society. Exploring the themes of surveillance, isolationism, and self-consciousness, I combined real and digital editing techniques to create a surreal yet physical collection of photographs. I wanted to convey my fears and concerns for the present and future problems our modern society presents to us. Each photograph has a distinct theme and purpose, yet they all convey a cohesive vision that I aspire to.

Peanut Gallery - Anytime we consume any form of content, our data is packaged and sold to the highest bidder. Your every keystroke is tracked and collected. These companies and algorithms know more about your tendencies than you do.

Corrupted - As we as a society spend more and more time away from reality locked inside, we become disassociated from the real world. Sunlight becomes a rarity, and every moment away from the screens makes us yearn for them more. Reality seems boring and mundane compared to the endless stream of information at our fingertips.

Permutations - With the rise of online gambling, young people are no longer just wasting their time online; but there money too. Predatory ads, promotions, and scheme have made gambling all too accessible to vulnerable people. But the worst part is, online, you have no idea what the odds are. Every game could be rigged, and you'd be none the wiser.

Identity - Webcams watching, microphones listening, baby monitors hacked; all real problems with real devices. From amazon Alexis listening in on conversations, to webcam movements being tracked, your physical life is being watched in ways you cannot even imagine. These companies know your name, address, billing info, family members, and more without ever asking you.

Tracker - Nobody ever goes anywhere without a device. Even if you leave your phone at home, there are electronics in your car. Your physical movements are tracked by GPS throughout the world. They can be used to show you advertisements based on the stores you visit or catch you red handed in crimes. We have lost our ability to be anywhere without surveillance.

Futures - In the digital age, teenagers and students are exposed to career paths and jobs they would never had seen in the 1990s. 18 year olds now want to become investment bankers, quant traders, or computer science engineers purely for the high salaries. Some go down a path where they get scammed by course sellers on social media promising them financial freedom. Either way, young people have begun to see school as nothing but an obstacle to material possessions. They don't study for education and learning, but to achieve superficial goals. But yet they still procrastinate. Even with money in their faces, kids are still drawn away from focusing by the dopamine inducing short form content farms.

Skyfall - Even in the most natural and rural environments, we cannot escape the grasp of technology. I remember during our Pecos Wilderness trip in the middle of nowhere seeing Starlink Satellites dancing in the sky. There is no place on Earth that is truly safe from technology, and that is a scary thought.

Loop - This is an abstract representation of way the way our brains are altered by the unhealthy levels of dopamine readily available. Much like a smoker, we degrade our minds with the crap we consume on a daily basis. Our attention spans are shorten, the ability to read is lost, and anything other than scrolling is tedious. We continue to consume this content because it entertains us, but it holds us back from experiencing anything new,

Twentyfourseven - In our home, there are a multitude of devices constantly sucking power and working all day long. From our printers to washing machines to dishwashers, everything has a digital component. Nothing is mechanical anymore. Not only do these devices collect our data, the constant hum of the electrical pulses means you are never truly alone.

Distorted - As we spend more and more time on our devices, we lose our individuality. Groupthink becomes prevalent, and social media leads to the decline of self expression and uniqueness. Similar demographics get fed similar content, and we all become less like ourselves and more like the machine.