After the 1st campus session at Hendon i travelled back with a few of the people i met. We were discussing our blogs and the layout of them. After saying goodbye and going our separate ways I started thinking....What does my blog say about me? What are people’s first impressions when they see my page? Does it give off a professional image?
Our everyday life is evolved around image! When we get up and get ready we constantly think about our self image, from brushing our teeth and doing our hair to choosing what to wear and the way we wear it. Not many people go out of the house without looking in the mirror at least once! I always walk out of the house looking presentable as you never know who you may bump into that day you what to have a professional and respectable look about you, even if you are wearing your casual wear.
Also first impression is everything. They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but I can’t help it! I always go by first impressions before diving deeper to get to know someone.... I can’t help it and I’m sure other people are the same!
Image is also in everything around us. Buildings for instance; an architect will not design and plan a building which doesn’t have a nice image and is not settling to the eye. Look around London; we have some beautiful old buildings such as The Tower of London, Westminster Abby, Houses of Parliament and not forgetting the Royal Albert Hall. We also have some new contempery buildings such as the new Olympic stadium, the Millennium Bridge, London City Hall, 30 St Mary Axe (the gherkin) and the new building going up by monument. There all eye catching and beautiful in different ways. Some are ever breath taking.
Image in a way is an art form. No matter whether it’s a building or a person other people take notice.
After thinking about how important image in the Dance profession I came home and changed my blog background. So instead of it being all girly and dance orientated I thought I would still show my girly personality but have my blog a simple colour and some colourful text as i felt it gave off a more professional look.
What do you thing about image in everyday life and what goes through your head when first meeting someone or even first view of their blog?
Charlie,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Whilst reading I couldn't help but be reminded of a few thoughts I've had on this subject myself. I'm always wondering "As dancers/artists/"creatives", are we more hung up on image than those involved in other industries?"
My first instinct is always yes. Especially when speaking of dancers or performers. Such a huge part of our job is self-image; we are ourselves the very product we're trying to sell. Going out not looking our best is no different than creating a shabby, unfinished advert for a physical product. It will effect sales!
Because of this, I think those of us in the performing world do certainly give more of our time and attention to our image than others, and I think this can be perceived from the outside as vanity. However, we know that's not the case.
With regards to your blogg, I'm on the fence a little bit! I can't quite remember what it looked like in the first place, but my first thought was that perhaps you've gone a little too far the other way with your blogg image. It certainly looks professional, but maybe slightly (for want of a less harsh word) bland?
This of course is just my opinion. Let's see what everyone else thinks!
Liam's blog made me think that after all it is not that hard to communicate to an audience a point of view. You have made a good argument based on the evidence based on conversations with colleagues. Have you ever seen anything about professional image in the professional sources you look at?
ReplyDeleteLiam it is very true. We as performers are more into our image than say a shop assistant. i feel we have been brought up with the fact image is important. I think this as even from a young age going to dance school your told to look presentable and every class had a set uniform and you hair had to appropriate.
ReplyDeletei took you comment on my Blogg in to consideration as it did look to bland so I jazzed it up a bit.
Hey Charlie,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what you are saying. Image is a big factor and I feel especially with a blog, they have to be simple but still attractive to encourage others to read what you are saying. I still feel I need to look at my own and hopefully I will be able to play around with it at the weekend.
As far as image in general I think Liam's comment is so true. It's finding the balance between being too obsessed with how we look verses promoting a good image for the industry we are in as we do have to sell ourselves.
I think your blog is looking great!
Hi Charlie,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you too. Image is very important, especially in such a fast world, which are full of informations. I am wondering why it is getting more and more important to look well, young, fit, modern etc. I suppose this is depending on the competition. The more people are living in the world, the more everybody has to stick out of the mass. But that is only my opinion. Maybe others getting to another theory.
I suppose people expect a well-groomed appearance from a dancer and also a stylish, creative and modern appearance from a designer. But must we always fulfill these expectations?
Sometimes we have to, because you as a dancer earn money also with your appearance. And people expect a well looking blog from a designer. What do you think?
Hi Katherine
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the question"must we fulfill people's expectations of being so groomed" in a way I would love to say no but in the performing arts world we do have to keep our image up as every one else does. I reckon that if everyone wasn't so up to date on image then it would be fine. I think everyone in society is under pressure to look presentable and keep up with fashion. If we didn't then the fashion indurstry would die out. I so pose that in a way we all keep each others indurstrys up and running.
What do you think?