AAshton Reeder
Research Photo Notes CV Shop
Research / Design
Surveillance in the United States operates with insufficient regulation. The omnipresent push towards surveillance ignores the social implications of an emerging corporate-police state. In this research, my personal data serves as a case study to visually depict the enormity of big data, which has been translated into large, immersive scroll-like data visualizations for a comprehensive perspective.
Data graphics in order: map of surveillance cameras; 1200 corporations with my personal data; data point harvested, method for harvesting; one day of data, 33,000 datapoints; TransUnion data report with accuracy measured.
Display of final research
Research / Design
The incident of the Kakhovka Power Station explosion on June 6, 2023, near Kakhovka, Ukraine, marks a key moment in Putin’s war. The substantial impact of this event, which included the inundation of nearby towns and the loss of civilian 9 lives, also raises concerns about the stability of the Kakhovka Reservoir, an essential Ukrainian national asset. Additionally, the Dnieper river's prominence as a critical waterway for the country heightens the significance of the event's potential implications. The understanding among experts suggests a deliberate assault by a foreign entity, Russia, with the intent to sow discord in regional economic stability and evoke terror within the affected communities.
Timeline of Terror in Ukraine - Explosions and Civilian Casualties
3D Model of Khakovka Dam pre-explosion(s)
Research / Design
The Aliağa shipyard holds the title of being the largest EU-sanctioned facility for large-ship recycling. However, it is also a focal point of concern due to its perilous working conditions, environmental threats, and resulting significant global ramifications. This shipyard serves as my subject of an extensive and systematic documentation of various shipbreaking yards worldwide. As vessels routinely journey eastward for disassembly, cost-saving measures undertaken by corporate shippers and cruise lines, oftentimes prioritizing fiscal considerations over essential human safety and environmental preservation.
Panoramic stitch of Aliaga Shipyard
Data visualizations of top global ship destinations
3D point cloud from drone footage
Publisher / Photographer
In his debut book, Ashton Reeder embarks on a journey through the evolving landscapes of Asia's megacities. The book explores the rapid technological transformations that shape these urban giants, with a particular focus on surveillance, density, digitization, and the relentless pace of change. Capturing fleeting moments as they dissolve into the urban fabric, offering a glimpse into the environments that are continually being redefined by societal and technological progress.
Excerpts from the book
Research / Design
During the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, there was a notable trend of American law enforcement using tear gas and other chemical deterrents frequently to deter peaceful assemblies, particularly in western states. June 2, 2020 in Portland, Oregon, exemplified this trend with the deployment of numerous tear gas canisters, an action which had severe ramifications on the city's air quality. This case underscores the potential environmental implications of airborne crowd-control tactics, implicating law enforcement strategies in the larger discussion of urban environmental health by simulating potential teargas clouds in Unreal Engine.
Panoramic Stitch of Aliaga Shipyard
Screencaps from simulation
Sourced images used for syncing/geolocating cannister usage
Research / Design
A real-time data art installation that serves as a captivating and visceral representation of air quality data from various regions across the United States. The primary objective was to use real time data to shed light on the environmental inequalities and the disparate impact of air pollution on communities.
Live data art installation
As air quality index increases, particle density increases
Researcher / Presenter
A systems level analysis of the political decisions leading to the demise of the Great Salt Lake. A look at key players, stakeholders, and what can potentially be done to save the fragile Wasatch snowpack.
Research presented at Oxford University, Saïd School of Business.
Research components
Design
A series of plug-and-play visuals for a local podcast studio seeking to utilize generative videos. Using TouchDesigner, we create accessible video content allowing for smaller podcasts to populate video platforms like Youtube and TikTok.
Audio reactive video for podcast audio
Researcher
An improved workflow I created of converting videos produced in the field into high definition manipulatable point clouds in Blender. I utilized After Effects for frame creation, Agisoft3D for high detail point clouds, then finally Blender as a place to upload and manipulate the 3D space. I picked scenes of street art and urban decay I found around the world as test cases.
Research components