Pre-Writing Assignment 3

Life in the United States in the late 1930s and early 1940s was vastly different than the life we live today. People everywhere were dealing with the aftermath of the Depression and with all the changes The New Deal was bringing to the country. This also was a time where the African American people were still facing the same racism that they had been facing since slavery, and they decided to revolt. This was the time when notable people started pushing more and more for civil rights.

Taking this information into consideration, it sheds some new meaning on the photo I’ve selected. There are four African American individuals in the photograph. The two children are at the front of the photo and both of them have a very serious look to their face. There are two women in the background, who could be the mothers. You can’t really see the expression on the faces of the background women, but you can assume it is along the same lines as the childrens’ based on what the African Americans were going through at the time the photograph was taken.

The coloration in this photo takes a whole new meaning when you take the history of the photograph into consideration. There are not many hues in this photo. The main hues are green and brown, and then there is random light blue, yellow, purple and white as well. The greens and browns tend to create a drab effect to the photo, but the random bursts of color do bring some light and almost a sense of hope to the photo. The brightness of the photo also makes more sense now that a background to the photo is known. The photo appears to be dulled and has almost an antiqued look to it. This effect makes the photograph have a more serious effect, which goes along with what was happening for most of America at the time of this photo.

There are quite a few vectors of attention in this particular photograph. The two children, the two mothers, the white building in the background, and the other building behind the two women are all things that caught my eye and raised questions. I couldn’t help but wonder why both of the children weren’t looking at the photographer as this photo was being taken. The child in yellow was looking straight at the cameraperson, while the child in blue is looking more towards the ground. Was there a reason the child in blue is looking at the ground?

Then my attention shifts towards the women in the background. You can’t see their faces, but it almost looks like they are staring in the direction of the camera. Do they approve of the photo being taken? Do they know who the photographer is? The way they are positioned and the outlines of the features of their faces makes you wonder if maybe they do not trust the photographer or don’t know the intentions of the photographer.

Works Cited

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_the_United_States

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1851.html

Pre-Writing Assignment 2

The image I selected for my documentary photograph is, in my mind, a very beautiful picture. There are many different aspects of the photo, however, that make it that way. First, there is only one person in the photograph. That little girl is looking away from the camera and out towards the water. Therefore, the vector of attention is shifted away from the audience. With this speculation comes one main question from the audience. What is the little girl looking at? With her whole body and face facing away from the camera and out towards the water, you can’t help but wonder what has enchanted her out there. With the vector of attention shifted away from the audience, you also get the feel of being an outsider looking in on this photograph. The person in the photo isn’t looking at you, but you are looking quite intently at them.

There are other photographical effects that raise questions about the picture and give it its own unique style. The framing and cropping of the photo bring a few thoughts to mind. The way this photo is cropped makes me wonder more about the location of the photo. There appears to be another dock to the right of the picture, but it’s cropped off so you can’t really tell if that’s what it is or not. Also, you don’t get the whole idea of how large or small the lake is. Is it a private owned lake? Is it residential? Is it a fairly large lake that people just come to for the day or week to get away? There appear to be homes on the other side of the lake, which gives it the feel that it may be a residential, private lake, but you just can’t tell from looking at it.

In my opinion, the lighting is what makes this photograph so beautiful. The colors are so vivid and bold, which draws your attention in. There are quite a few hues that contrast each other. There is the subtle light periwinkle and pink colors in the clouds up top, but as your eyes travel lower in the picture, the hues get more vibrant. The periwinkle and pink slowly transforms into a bright yellow and then on the outline of the trees and in the reflection on the lake is a very bright, bold pink and orange. These colors work together to create a masterpiece and really draw the audience into the photo. The saturation of the photo also contributes to the boldness. There is a possibility that this photo’s saturation wasn’t messed with too much, but there is also a possibility that the developer made the colors more deep and rich for a more soulful and calming feel to the photo. The way the colors stick out and the trees and houses in the background are so dark makes me wonder if the saturation has been adjusted just a little. The photo isn’t particularly bright, but it isn’t dark either. It has areas of both, which give it a realistic feel. It does an excellent job of drawing you in and giving you the feel that you are there on the beach with that little girl.