JPEG Jeopardy

A Different Perspective - Self-portrait

I usually file my photos to a JPEG file; it’s convenient and easily transferable.  It is probably the best format for
compressing photographic images because the images are not limited to a certain amount of color as in other file formats.   However upon checking TechTerms, I learned JPEG is “a lossy format, which means some quality is lost when the image is compressed.”   By the way, JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, which is the name of the committee that developed the format.  Also, Wikipedia states that “JPEG is not well suited to files that will undergo multiple edits, as some image quality will usually be lost each time the image is decompressed and recompressed, particularly if the image is cropped or shifted, or if encoding parameters are changed.”  
 
Enough tech talk! I am always cropping, shifting, and encoding parameters with my mental images.  Things become wildly distorted as I mentally adjust the contrast and color saturation, and by all means add a filter.  It
is simply a matter of perspective.   This is just another reason why it’s important to Log Off – to give perspective free rein, to naturally orient and reorient.   I have found that whether you take an actual photograph, or mentally mark a moment that you experience, your personal format for filing an image (in memory) does not have to lose quality. The quality can be enhanced. 

Here is an optional JPEG file format. It ensures intensity, quality, and clarity.  When viewing an image of any kind consider these guidelines.

J - Journey      An image represents a journey.  Consider the actions taken and events that happened to reach this specific point in time, this still image.  

P - Perspective      As an observer or a subject, you have a view point.  What is it? From your perspective  consider the probable actions that brought the image to focus and how the image might be different following other outcomes.  Now consider the probabilities surrounding the components of the image going forward.  

E – Experience     What is your experience as a subject in the photograph, or as an observer?  What emotions have been aroused? Why? What associations have come to mind and why?

G – Growth     What have you learned or gained from viewing and experiencing the image? How has your perspective been altered?

Photographs and images represent an intrinsic part of our communication.  It goes without saying how meaningful
and vital a role photographs play in our lives, as well as an insight or vision we may hold.  From my perspective, the only jeopardy or loss would be not to fully engage in an image and the opportunity it offers.

As always, there's much more to explore. The Search is on. join me.