Blog10 - Exhibition Poster & Heroshots

The Experience

This week, I focused on creating the hero shot for my interactive installation "Noise Tide" and preparing the exhibition poster. I found myself struggling with this task, as I had never created a hero shot for an interactive installation before—my past work primarily involved apps and models. The first challenge was my photography skills. Due to "Noise Tide’s" size, photographing it wasn’t as straightforward as shooting smaller products, which can be done in the design lab studio. I had to photograph it at home, where the lighting was poor, and I couldn’t find the ideal angle.

Additionally, I conducted user testing and discussed the project with my stream partner. She pointed out that the installation might unintentionally encourage people to make more noise to interact with it and suggested I differentiate between pleasant sounds (like birdsong) and harmful noise, possibly creating distinct "safe" and "dangerous" patterns.

Figure1

Inviting classmates to do user testing.

Reflection in Action

My main goal was to create an effective hero shot and start the user testing phase. The process was unfamiliar and frustrating, especially with my lack of photography experience. I assumed that I could just photograph the installation as I would any other product, but the scale and interaction added layers of complexity. During the user testing, I wanted to see how people engaged with the installation, but my partner’s feedback made me realize that my design could lead to unintended consequences. I hadn’t thought about how users might exploit the interaction for entertainment by increasing noise levels, which could contradict the installation’s environmental message. I felt challenged but grateful for the feedback. It made me reflect on the importance of designing with clear intentions and anticipating how users might interpret and engage with the project.

Figure2

Screenshot of my miro board about the user feedback.

Theory

This experience taught me a lot about the unexpected challenges that arise in moving from conceptual design to real-world implementation. Hero shots for interactive installations require not just technical skill but also a consideration of how best to capture the interaction in a still image. I also realized the importance of refining user experience. My partner’s suggestion to distinguish between "safe" and "dangerous" noise patterns connects back to my original goal: raising awareness about noise pollution. Incorporating this distinction could improve the clarity of the installation’s message and enhance its educational value.

Preparation

Next time, I will approach the photography of large installations with a better understanding of the technical requirements and the importance of lighting and scale. I might also seek help from peers or professionals who have experience with this kind of photography. As for the user testing, I plan to incorporate my partner’s feedback by refining the noise detection system, distinguishing between "good" and "bad" noise patterns. I will also design clearer interaction guidelines to prevent users from misinterpreting the installation’s purpose. This week’s challenges helped me see where I need to improve, and I’ll apply these lessons in future work.