Screen Capture Photograph

Even twenty years ago, a photograph from a screenshot of your desktop would have sounded like a foreign language to most. Looking at my "photograph," I am reminded of the fact that I am using someone else's computer. It is strange that this sort of self portrait varies so greatly from those created a hundred years ago but are still conveying fragments of our composition (both metaphorically and literally). This digital snapshot can show you a very detailed account of someone's life including the letter to my brother I was writing. I have not spoken to him in weeks, so the task of updating him on my life is a tedious one. Although, being able to type rather than painstakingly write and rewrite a letter by hand makes it easier.

In the digital world, composing transforms from a slow, relatively thought out process into something that appears carelessly swift. The task of editing alone is cut from a daunting red penned event to a simple click-click spellcheck. All information is within reach via the internet making resources readily available and in overwhelming amounts. Everything about composing digitally is easier but this comes with consequences. With communication, knowledge, pictures, dictionaries, and anything you can think of at your disposal, there is perhaps an instance of excess communication. This is especially apparent among social networking sites that allow you to update everyone in the world about where you bought that bagel this morning. It is only when one is immersed in the culture of Word, Flickr, and Twitter that he will begin to understand the process of digital composition and how it has changed from letters and documents to explaining your day in 140 characters or less.