According to Chalfen’s description of home mode recording, people tend to capture the best of themselves. This is contrary to Hsu; basing on her instagram profile, she presents herself in a manner that suggests she is ordinary just like another person or her followers. For instance, she is depicted not wearing make ups in some her photos but ordinary clothes that are not branded expensively such as basketball cap; despite embracing normal lifestyle she looks excellent and as beautiful as ever in her public image. She reveals a personality of humbleness and closeness to her audience as she greatly cut off the boundary between a celebrity and an ordinary person. Indeed, she reveals herself as a unique person in character and manners even to her followers who had never had any chance to know her in person (Chalfen 88).
Moreover, the audience is able to perceive her true and honest thought and intention in advance as she embraces her self-image. Most celebrities work hard to make themselves extra-ordinary and distinct from the rest of the society. They assume totally different personality from what they really are as Chalfen explains, creating difficulty to their followers to their real personality, character and values (Chalfen 122). Hsu’s photos give a clear message of her. She does not imitate another superior person in her but rather makes and acts as her real self, giving her followers a good understanding of their star, as well as motivating them to be what they are. She gives the sense of self acceptance to audience and the need of self respect.
Hsu’s many photos not only include the ones taken in her happy moments, but also in distressful, emotional and worrying situations. She provides a photo when in hospital as a result of overworking. Most celebrities would not like to taint they good public image through revelation of their difficult or worse moments in life hence conforming to Chalfen’s description of home mode recording. Hsu seems to live a more optimistic life and does not regard it as a burning issue on displaying her snaps that portrays sad mood to her followers. In fact, she becomes a super celebrity as her followers like even more as they are updated on every course that her life takes time and then. Additionally, this is observed as a moral lesson to her by her followers not to overwork and always give their body time to rest. The idea of getting sick because of overworking also put forward an important issue of her life; she toils to earn a leaving like ordinary people (Massol, Vincent and Timothy 104). We rarely find cases where a celebrity overwork himself or herself for the sake of better life, they believe they are already superior and hence should not subject themselves into hard earning. Vivian’s followers will definitely like to assume her life as it can be easily integrated and correlates to normal living standards.
In home mode recording, audience selection plays a great role in shaping the public image of the audience. Vivian cleverly chooses other well known celebrities with whom she has photos. The audience considers them as friend as it is revealed in Vivian’s eyes as well. Therefore, those who follow her get to know other celebrities a well particularly those associated with her either through work or friendship.
It is a common phenomenon to celebrities to keep away their families from fame as possible. They often do not consent to the idea of going out together in public. This can be attributed to egocentricity and self possessiveness. Vivian is different in her actions as some of her photos depict her dating her mother and holding her sister’s child. She does not fear public scrutiny whatever she does as she regard it as real and ordinary life. It is therefore clear that she does not experience character splitting or acquire divided identity for the sake of either her audience or public image. Basically, we can evidently note that Vivian is a self preserved celebrity; she portrays a good image to her audience as well as instilling the sense of belonging and virtue of family concern and association. Being a celebrity does not means one have to alienate himself or herself from the ordinary society as that is the source of our origin.
Wealth, which more than often comes as a result of fame, “provides immediate, tangible evidence of celebrity’s distinction and staying power.†Some celebrities transform from average lifestyle to executive living class. In as much as Vivian has been a celebrity for many more than 20 years she does not proudly show off by living high luxurious lifestyle as is the norm to many celebrities as illustrated by her photos, in one occasion she uses stamps to get her sister’s kid a toy.
In conclusion, indeed Vivian is a down to earth celebrity with splendid personality and positive influence to her audience. Evidently, the photos of celebrities displayed to the public portrays great message to the audience hence making them to develop a given attitude and perception of the person. Â
