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In terms of advancing ethnographic insight, the frame of this image is particularly interesting.  With the centering of commodified water, as well as a commodified nationalism (MADE IN AMERICA and red/white/blue coloring) this image is attempting to layer the complications of commodities in a time of crisis. The irony of Nestle donating bottles to Flint really should be front and center here though. Ultimately, this photo uses a water bottle to scale up to larger conversations on nationalism and capitalism.  

In terms of advancing ethnographic insight, the frame of this image is particularly interesting.  With the centering of commodified water, as well as a commodified nationalism (MADE IN AMERICA and red/white/blue coloring) this image is attempting to layer the complications of commodities in a time of crisis. The irony of Nestle donating bottles to Flint really should be front and center here though. Ultimately, this photo uses a water bottle to scale up to larger conversations on nationalism and capitalism.  

I think the VERY complicated layers of Nestle’s (who owns Ice Mountain) relationship with the State of Michigan could really add to the conversation of toxicity in this photo. Nestle water bottles were being sent to Flint, Michigan while simultaneously Nestle was involved in a major lawsuit where the company was essentially taking water from Michigan communities, bottling it, and then selling it for profit.

The image is a found image. The frame of the image interesting bc the clear focus is on the pack of water, but in the periphery there is a bright orange traffic cone, a hand setting or picking up the case, bodies are in the background in warm clothes indicating this would be during the winter months. The centering of the American flag and Made in America seems to stand out the most for me as well, it’s that where I think the ethnographic insight really comes in too.  The cone next to the cases of water could perhaps indicate a cautionary tale? 

I like the centering of the water bottles, BUT would actually love more of the periphery to come in. What does the rest of the distribution site look like? I wonder if there would be a way to broaden the frame, and sort of blur the periphery so we get more of it BUT the water cases are still the center? 

Right now, I think the visualization could say a lot about toxics - nationalism, political toxicities, chemical toxicities (plastic water bottles)-- but I don’t know if it’s necessarily pulled out right away. I think the caption could do a better job about really grappling with these converging toxicities. I think a way to do that could be by bringing in the background of the Nestle lawsuit.