Currently, there is an undercurrent of clever and artistic prose,  photography, and video  hidden among the customer product reviews on Amazon’s site. These “Customer Reviews” can be submitted by anyone who registers with Amazon as a customer. Near the end of January 2010 it came to my attention that we are in the midst of a groundswell of creativity and cleverness with regard to these reviews. A few of the products with fictitious and/or hysterically funny reviews include a laptop writing desk you attach to a steering wheel, dead rabbits, milk, and Bic pens.

Customers can also upload photos (shown as thumbnails below the main photo of the product on that product’s main Amazon page), which are apropos of the product, in many wonderful and twisted ways. For example, these are some of the photos included in the review of the writing desk.

Now, you would assume the pictures would tell the whole story regarding this ridiculous product, but no. Customers describe their experiences using it as a mobile bar, changing table for baby, and work surface for model ship building!

The “Raven”-esque review of Tuscan Milk by “Edgar” of “Baltimore” is beautifully written and worthy of national attention.  The review of rabbit meat “mistakenly” purchased as a children’s gift at Easter is pointed commentary on our gullible and litigious society (as is the Bic pen review by the dissatisfied customer who found the pen to only function as advertised if used in one hand, but not the other).

And then there was video! An astute consumer friend of mine steered me to the Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt video review! Classic! If you’ve ever wondered who would actually wear a shirt like this, the review is a testimonial to the shirt’s power: “This video is living proof that you will get women, and fly.”

Certainly I don’t want to stem the tide of creativity by bringing Amazon’s attention to all this but it does beg the question, ‘who’s monitoring all the product reviews, videos,  and photographs people upload?’ Can I add a review easily? Are the products real (a gallon of milk for $67.99)? Why are some “reviewed” products featured in the “reviews”  of other products (product placement of Tuscan milk in the Three Wolf Moon review)? Are we on the verge of a conspiracy to overtake Madison Avenue? Are all the fake reviews written by one person, or a secret braintrust in some remote hideaway? What do the actual makers of these products think of the reviews, assuming they even know? Why am I going on and on about this? One thing is certain, there is no such thing as ‘bad’ advertising! If it brings attention to your product, it’s all good! Such creativity is sure to bring more traffic to Amazon’s site.

In conclusion, I’ve been wondering how to find the reviews that are worth reading. I haven’t searched them out myself–people send me the links (Special thanks to my astute observer friends, Tom, Patricia, and Mike). It seems just about everyone knows of one. How many are there? Dozens? Thousands?! So far, I’ve collected five. If you know of one, email me the link (via the “Contact” tab on this page) and I will compile a list for our collective enjoyment!

Photography Exhibit
by Ed Snyder

Exhibit Location:

Mugshots Coffeehouse
2100 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Phone: 267.514.7145

(21st and Fairmount, across from Eastern State Penitentiary)

**Free Opening Reception: July 9, at 7 p.m.**

Ever come across some unexposed expired film? Instead of relegating it to a landfill somewhere, why not shoot it? You may be pleasantly surprised by the results!

Exhibit runs July 5 – August 1, 2009Old technologies never die when they get repurposed through artistic endeavor. I find new uses for outdated film, exploiting its degradation to give me a high-contrast effect not easily achieved in the exacting world of digital photography (to me this is more ecologically and artistically sound than burying the film in a landfill). Digging into antiquated film technology allows me to create some unpredictably unique imagery, especially when I shoot the film in a Holga (120mm toy plastic) camera and cross-process it. Often the colors shift and the world gets grainier—a virtual reality that I find more appealing than actual reality.

Ed Snyder is having a show of his photography at St. Asaph Gallery, Feb. 17 – Mar. 16 2008.

OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, Feb. 15, from 6 – 8 pm.

Twenty images spanning his 10-year study of cemetery statuary will be on display. The exhibit merges art and photography with society’s desire to come to terms with death and dying. The reception is free; there will be wine and snacks to lighten things up a bit.

St. Asaph church, attached to the gallery, is sort of a miniature gothic cathedral, complete with gargoyles and Tiffany stained glass windows! It’s located one block off City Avenue, near Belmont Ave. Please see the St. Asaph website for directions.

Thanks and hope to see you there!
Ed

Ed Snyder is participating in InLiquid’s 9th annual “Art For The Cash Poor event.”

Saturday, June 14, 2008

The Crane Arts Building
1400 N. American Street (MAP), Philadelphia

He’ll have a lots of his work there for sale–framed and unframed photographs in various sizes, greeting cards, etc. It’s a fun time with beer, bands, food, and a hundred or so artists selling their work.

The festival runs both Sat and Sun, but Ed will only be there Saturday (noon-6) .

Please stop by and say hi, join the Mailing List and get a free copy of Ed’s new booklet, “The Nine Biggest Mistakes People Make When Buying a Digital Camera.” This is an introductory promotion to announce the publication of Ed ’s new book, to be released in Summer 2008: “Digital Cameras for the Impatient.”