Qi Wang
The Impact of Vernacular Mobile Phone Photography on Ideas of Beauty in Everyday Life
Email address
Names of Supervisors and their affiliated institutions
Marco Pellitteri (Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University)
David Kurt Herold (Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University)
Michelle Henning (University of Liverpool)
Research topic
Historically, photography as a form of art was primarily associated with skilled artists and professionals, especially during the early nineteenth century when it was introduced. However, accessibility to photography has increased over time, particularly since the beginning of the twentieth century. In the twenty-first century, the increasingly widespread use of mobile phones has made photography more accessible to the public, and taking photographs with a phone has become common. Taking photographs with mobile phones has become widely accessible to the everyday user. The popularity of mobile phone photography has drawn significant attention from both the public and within academia.
This study investigates whether and how the everyday practice of vernacular photography among mobile phone users may impact their long-term aesthetic taste in identifying and appreciating beauty in their everyday moments. Whether photography enhances people’s aesthetic experience and lets them view things beautifully will be examined in the context of mobile phone photography. Qualitative interviews are employed, including interviews with mobile phone practitioners to gain their insights and concepts of beauty in relation to their photography practice.
Research areas
Mobile phone photography; aesthetics; everyday life; photographs; visual culture
Academic achievements
Conference Presentation: “Visual Diaries in the Age of Mobile Phone Photography: Capturing Life Beyond Selfies”, presented at the Mobile Studies Congress, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, December 2023.
Conference Presentation: “Visual Reality: Mobile Phone Photographs as Visual Representations in Everyday Life”, presented at the 41st International Visual Sociology Association Conference, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico, June 2024.
Teaching experience
Teaching Assistant for COM402: Public Relations Campaigns and Texts (Master’s module), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Semester 1, 2022-2023.
Teaching Assistant for COM414: Global Advertising (Master’s module), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Semester 2, 2022-2023.