Period 1 -- Critical Analysis #15

2/28/2017

To celebrate Black History Month, today you will be writing about this image made by artist and photojournalist Gordon Parks. This image is from a series Parks completed for Life Magazine. Life sent Parks to Alabama in 1956 to document 3 black families during one of the most turbulent times in American history. The project was meant to show how ordinary black families truly lived in the Deep South during 1956, and the images would serve to counter the misinformation spread that a racially segregated society was good for everyone.

From the Gordon Parks Foundation:

"Gordon Parks was one of the seminal figures of twentieth century photography. A humanitarian with a deep commitment to social justice, he left behind a body of work that documents many of the most important aspects of American culture from the early 1940s up until his death in 2006, with a focus on race relations, poverty, civil rights, and urban life. In addition, Parks was also a celebrated composer, author, and filmmaker who interacted with many of the most prominent people of his era - from politicians and artists to celebrities and athletes."

Complete in class. FIVE paragraphs minimum; five sentences per paragraph.

Remember, refer to your "How to See" handout for analyzing a photograph--

Describe specifics.
Describe form.
Describe the content.
Evaluate the image.

Your analysis will be graded on:

meeting minimum length requirements
depth of organization
evaluation of the content
grammar/punctuation

Good luck!

Raven

2/28/2017 07:01:18 am

This image made by Gordon Parks, is an image of a black lady and her daughter are looking at the children’s clothes on the manikins in a store window. The colors being used are washed out blues and reds, with some tan. The lighting is sunlight.

This image has good exposer. The image is in focus, on the little girls face. This is color corrected. The image has some fuzz look to it. The fuzz is most likely from the year of the camera.

The point of view would be of the older black woman. The focal point of this image is the woman and the little girl. They are being framed by the manikin on the right in the red and the manikin in the middle of the image in the plaid outfit. This image is balanced. The only negative space in this image is the left upper corner.

The themes in this image are the race segregation. The manikins are white children, and the woman and her daughter are looking into the store, most likely because the’er not allowed in the store. This photo was made to show us the race segregation, Gordon Parks wanted to show this and he did so in photography. This reminds me of the movie “Hidden Figures”, a great movie, and also had race segregation.

I would love to know why we ever had race segregation and how we could hate someone just because they had a different skin color. This image is noteworthy for me. The colors work together. You can see so much in this photo if you take the time to examen it. The time of race segregation was a very dark time.

I like this image and this image was successful. Gordon Parks wanted to send a message and he did.

Zachary Perkins

2/28/2017 07:03:56 am

In this photo there are sculptures of people in a case with a child looking at them with her mother behind her. The sculptures are white people and the child and the mother are black. The light in this photo is bright and is taken in daylight. Being the child and the mother, there are other adult sculptures. The child looks very interested in the sculptures, and looks like she wants to be like them.
This photo is well exposed. The image is focused, but on the child and the mother rather then the sculptures. The photo is color correct. There is no pixelation in this photo, which means it is using a adequate resolution. These details make the quality of the photo look sharp and detailed, meaning the overall quality of the photo is great.
This photo is pleasing to look at because there are many forms of one thing appearing in the image. Because there are many sculptures of white people in the image, and three black people in the image, it puts a lot of focus on them. The photographer took this photo from the point of view of one of the sculptures. The focal point of this image is the child and the mother looking at the sculptures. The mother and the child do not completely fill the image, but the many sculptures they are looking at fill the rest of the image.
The main idea I see in this image is segregation. The child and the woman in this image show their life of being a black person because they aren't like the many sculptures of the white people. The child really shows that she wants to fit in because she is really interested in the sculptures. The mother looks as if she is telling her child that it is going to be difficult to fit in. This image is really sad because in reality, everyone is all the same, but the black people are not treated as well as the white people.
The quality of the image is great. The position of all of the objects really makes the idea clear of the image. I also have a really hard time looking at this image because the idea is really sad and makes me feel really bad about the black people during segregation. I think this image is successful because the child and the mother really explain the idea of how hard is was for them to fit in. I really think that if someone were to look at this image today, they would really try to change the world, and make them feel welcome to society, thus helping them fit in.

Alexis Parsons

2/28/2017 07:04:17 am

In this photo there is a child with her mom looking at life size dolls. The mom and her daughter are positioned between two dolls so that your eyes focus on them. the background is light allowing the family to stand out. the mom has her arm around her chid. the mom is looking down at her child.

This photo looks like it was taken back in the old days, maybe around 1950's. The photo was taken by Gordon Parks. Their clothes look older which shows the different year. the mom is wearing a white or gray button up shirt which is tucked into a faded blue high-waisted skirt. the daughter is wearing a pink halter-neck dress.

a majority of the dolls in the photo are children. this looks like it was taken in either a toy store or a wax house. outside the window it looks cloudy but bright or even overcast. the daughter looks like she's maybe 7 or 8. the daughter looks amazed but a little scared, maybe because the dolls look so real.

the biggest difference in this photo, that stands out, is the amount of diversity. all of the dolls or wax figures are white. the Mom and her daughter are both black. Back in the time of this photo there was a lot of racism. the mom probably doesn't like that all the dolls are white.

the dolls are all wearing dresses or nice pants and a button up shirt. the boy in the right front corner is wearing a red button up shirt with burgundy pants. the girl in the middle of the photo is wearing a navy blue, grey, and black dress. she is also wearing penny loafers. along with her loafers she is wearing long white socks but they are bunched down around her ankles.

Will Oliver

2/28/2017 07:09:58 am

This photograph made by Gordon Parks is of an African American woman and her daughter looking into the glass window at mannequin. This picture seems to be quite norman and nothing out of the ordinary is happening. The mannequins are wearing children clothes and are all white. You can see the young girl pointing at them and looking in awe. This picture looks very ordinary as though it could happen today.
This picture does seem to have correct exposure although it seems a little bright. I think the brightness of this picture helps show that this is not a dark photograph but rather a normal one. The image is in focus and the color seems to be correct as well. The pixelation also seems to be adequate. The reflection of the glass window does make this photograph a little harder to see.
This is a good photograph but it is a little hard to look at due to the reflection of the glass window. Everything is mostly easy to make out though. The rule of thirds is not being used and the focus seems to be the mannequin to the left of the woman which helps you notice the woman and the child in the background. The mannequin really draws your eyes to the woman but the mannequin in the front right also makes a tunnel that directs your eyes and his elbow is directing your eyes right to her face. The image seems to be balanced a little with the tunnel the mannequins make. There is some negative space to the left which is the reflection. You can just barely make out the reflection and it is hard to see.
This photograph really shows how normal their lives were back then. Just like today the girl is looking in the window at all the clothes wanting them and admiring them. I do think it is important however to notice that all the mannequins are white and there is a glass window separating them. Even though there are parts that look normal there is still a separation of the mannequins and the women. Parts of this image show how normal it can be, but other parts seem to be pointing out that there is still segregation going on.
I do like this photograph because it shoes something that really happened. This image is showing part of American history and how things really were. Even though there was segregation at the time of the photograph, a lot of what is happening is a normal day occurrence to us. I do think this photograph is successful because of how it portrays what is going on at that time. Some parts of the society are normal and some parts are segregated and even with this segregation normal everyday occurrences can happen

Simon Bruhn

2/28/2017 07:10:10 am

The image by Gordon Parks is of a an African American woman, possibly a grandmother, and a young child. They are looking at plaster dolls that are displaying clothes, and all of the dolls are the poster child for what people believed a white child should be like. The colors of the image are essentially the colors of the clothes that people would wear in the 50’s. The image is taken with the ambient light in the mall. The image also has a reflection of the people moving behind them, creating a feeling of actually having space on all sides of you.

The image is correctly exposed when looking at the people. However, towards the left side of the image it becomes over exposed. The image is in focus, and the mannequins both in front and behind the people allow you to see the changing focus. The color is correctly white balanced, and the skin tones of the African American’s seem life like, and the mannequin skin tones look like fake mannequin skin tone. The image does have adequate resolution, though given the technology of the time I don’t think that it could be blown up much without serious pixelation.

The composition is pleasing to look at, but more because of the contrast in the image than because of the way the composition is spaced out. The rule of thirds is not used, and there are few, if any, leading lines. The photographer took the image from about head height (albeit a short person’s head hight). The focal point, the people, are framed by the mannequins, on wither side, and though you can’t see the edge of the display box on either side, it does feel as though you are looking through it and they are framed by its edges. The people and the mannequins leave little negative space, save for in the top left corner.

Given the nature of the project that Gordon was sent on, there is almost certainly going to be a message behind each image. In this image I think that is represented by the contrast between the African American family, and the mannequins. It represents a gap between the many and the few, with the majority white population in the deep south exerting their dominance on a smaller minority population. The minority is unable to escape those that oppress them, because they are everywhere. The image is beautiful, both because of the way it looks and how it functions inner society.

I like the image. It has a rather basic, natural composition as it simply takes advantage of the objects found at any given moment in a mall. I enjoy looking at these seemingly spur of the moment photos. I think the image is successful, because it makes the point that it wanted to make, and does little else. The image does not try to distract you with other ideas by trying to hard to make it beautiful (if that makes sense :)).

Grant Kahl link

2/28/2017 07:11:09 am

1956 the years following ww2 and still segregation had a large influence on society. segregation was however improving yet was still there especially in the deep south. the truth behind the treatment of black people has been obscured by the prejudices of the time. this photo allows the viewer to get an idea of what it was like to see the treatment of black people.

in this photo you can see a black family took at what los to be a museum exhibit possibly. in this exhibit the viewer can see that all the mahicans are clearly white and only white. these art any superstore models they are replicas of people. this shows the segregation of how black people only saw white supremacy.

the image is taken well it has a proper exposure so the nothing swans to be washed out. i personally find the glare to be slightly annoying but it helps to show more manikins. touching back on the glare in the image i think it was intentional to bring more whines into the photo. outs is white and there is a lot on the statues but by adding more it creates an even greater contrast with the mother and daughter. by adding more white i think it's trying to show just how unfair society is and how they are an island.

the author of this image includes many faces in this photo, most go them statues. if you look at the face of the mother you can see an underlying sadness that comes with a lifetime of suffering. the girl in the photo still has the look of innocence and unknowing knowledge. she hasn’t realized what she will soon ahem to face. all the faces of the states are white and frozen in time and look happy almost smug.

this image it centrally focused on the black family. the faces seen cause the viewer to feel for them. the photo to me is successful i feel for the family and i know this is only a photo but you can feel bad for them. the realization that one day the girl will face her mother's problems is another sad thought. i like this photo for it has a deep meaning that can make people feel.

Olivia iskander

2/28/2017 07:13:42 am

This image is of a black family in a museum staring at statues/wax figures of white people. The colors this image is using is mostly the black snd white in the families, not that the others don’t matter but they’re not as important to this peace. The lighting is bright sunlight coming from the windows in the corner of the picture. The objects include in this image is a mom and a little girl and some wax figures. In this particular picture the little girl looks curiously through the glass while her mom holds her back.

This image is perfectly exposed. This image is also in focus around the mom and the girl but as you start to fade out around the glass it starts getting blurrier. The color is correct because the whites in this image look white/ There is no pixilation but that doesn’t mean it has a perfect resolution either. The picture id pleasing to look at beach the girl reaching out makes you instantly have a connection with her.

The rule of thirds is not being used in this image beach the people are in the middle. The angle this photographer took this photo at was right even with the family. The focal point is the family of two and they are framed by all these wax figurines in glass. The image is not symmetrical beach if you split the image in half, both sides wouldn’t be exactly the same.There is extra space around the subject of the frame.

The frame crops off the rest of the museum and the other people there. The themes/ideas in this of a girl wanting to learn a little bit more but her mom is holding her back. I mean this litlle girl is pointing at the image but the mom has her hand other chest as if she’s trying to protect her from the white statues. The story is I think in my opinion her mom is trying to help her understand but not shove all the information her too fast. The artist made this image because she wanted to show that a lot of people were misinformed about the racially segregated community.

This image reminds me of a lot of people in society are segregated sometimes for no reason, whats the point in segregation anyway its just the color of skin at the end of the day. This image doesn’t question my beliefs but it may challenge some peoples. This images a beautiful image in so many ways in where it kind of unites some people. I like this image very much! I also think that this image was very successful and still is.

Caden Fincke

2/28/2017 07:15:19 am

The image is of a older black woman and either her daughter or possibly granddaughter looking at clothes at a apparel store. The daughter seems lost in a trance as she stares at the all white mannequins and the mother holds her close to her side with one hand. The mother is wearing a light green almost grey skirt with a blouse, and the young girl is wearing a pink dress. The girl is looking at mannequins in different clothing through a glass case.
The photo uses adequate resolution and a proper white balance.There is also very little pixelation. The lines in the image don’t necessarily direct you eyes towards anything, but they do sort of frame the daughter and mother. The image is not symmetrical nor balanced. The right side has much less negative space that is not filled with mannequins or the subject. The image crop of at some of the mannequins in the box so as you never see the entire glass case. The negative space is taken up by the mannequins, but the negative space could also be considered the space without the mannequins, daughter, or mother.
The image is properly exposed with a focus on the daughter and mother. The image is pleasing to look at at and uses the rule of thirds to offset the daughter and mother as a mannequin of a young white girl is in the center. The photographer took the image from a straight on angle, but by taking the image from the other side of the glass case, the photographer allows for the viewer to feel as if they are watching the daughter and mother as if they do not know that anyone is watching them. The focal point is the daughter and mother, but they are not necessarily framed by anything except for some faint lines created by the glass case. The subject does not fill the frame, but the negative space is filled in by the many mannequins around them.
The image could be attempting to portray how we see black people through the glass case as different, and not fitting in, as they look through this glass case. We see black people as not having a place in this perfect case of white mannequins. I think the artist wanted to have a deeper meaning to the image and make a statement on the civil rights movement. Here he shows how black people want to become apart of our society, but are seen as outsiders. We see black people as wanting to join and correct our utopia of clean well dressed white people.
I think anyone who saw this image and thought about what deeper meaning it could have would see the imagery Parks was attempting to convey. Not only was Paks able to show how black families live in the United State’s south, but he was able to show deeper meaning. Images like these are what truly impact people to change their way of thinking. Parks understood that anyone can be told stories and be told that black people are just like them, but seeing it in action, and the desire for black people to be accepted into society is what really changes hearts. I thoroughly enjoy this image and all that it attempts to convey. I also think that Parks did a fantastic job with showing his main message, and also having a deeper meaning.

Julian Gauntlett link

2/28/2017 07:18:19 am

This image is of a African American woman and her daughter looking into a case with all white people wearing nice cloths and dressed nicely. The african american child is wearing a skirt like one of them in the case which shows some similarity. This image is created by Gordon Parks and shows a bunch of white people that are models that are in glass and the African American woman is showing her daughter this. The colors are good and the light has bright sunlight outside the store or building. Doesn't seem like it is studio set up. The models seem well made and there is small girls in models and grown woman.

This image seems a little overexposed but not by too much. The sunlight that is being cast into the building seems to be natural and perfect. The color is correct black is black and white is white. There is not any pixilation and it is a adequate resolution. The technique is fine and seems to be played well.

The different colors and the meaning behind this makes this photo very interesting. The composition function is good and the rule of thirds in not being used in this photo. The point of view is from one side of the glass through to the other side to the African American woman and child. The focal point is the small girl looking on into the models and it looks like she enjoys them and wants to be apart of them somehow. It is framed by the rest of the models and the glass. The subject does not fill the frame but the objects do fill the frame. The image is symmetrical and balanced. The frame crops off the rest of the models and probably some of the other people in the store or building. The negative space is the things outside the glass and in the air or background.

I think the theme in this image is that this african american girl is born into this and has nothing to do with it and just wants to live a fair and equal life that normal. Her mother just wants the same for herself and especially for her daughter. It shows a big thing that segregation is really there is still occurrent. This image may give off many different views and perspectives about what the photographer is trying to say but there is many. The artist wanted to give off a civil type of feeling from this photo. This photo is honestly beautiful and gives off many different feelings and emotions when looking into.

I honestly like this photo a lot because of the significance of the civil rights and equal rights and the mystery behind this photo. This photograph is successful because this is really deep and thoughtful image that has many different meanings and small things that just make you think about it.

Patrick Behrens link

2/28/2017 06:04:37 pm

This image revolves around a storefront window. Mannequins of white children stand on display in the window. Behind the mannequins stand a black mother and daughter, looking at the mannequins. The image shows the divide between the races persisting through the 1940’s and even into the modern era. More specifically, the divide existing in people’s everyday lives shines through, as the non-studio lit image shows (the normal lighting from the sun contributes to this effect. Additionally, the colors of the image are faded, giving the image a dated vibe; nonetheless, this does not dilute the message of the image.
The image possesses no outrageous techniques. Everything about it is fairly bleak when it comes to technique. The sky is a bit “whited- out”, due to the image not being properly exposed; however, the sky isn’t the focus of the image. Everything in the foreground and midground (the more important aspects of the image) are in focus more so than the background of the image. The artist needn’t worry about difficult techniques with this image, for the purpose lies in sending a message across more so than being aesthetically pleasing.
The photographer took the image on the same plane as the mother and daughter, thus giving the viewer a more personal connection with the family. Additionally, the mother and daughter stand behind the mannequins in the window. The mannequins almost obstruct the view of the subjects. This creates a cluttered and frenetic feeling in the overall image, all the while contributing even more to the message. Stating how, the racial tensions during the time period left people, such as the subjects, forgotten.
As stated a multitude of times previously, the image was made to send a message, a strong one at that. The photographer clearly divulges (if not already common knowledge) the prejudices thriving in everyday modern life in America. The image provides proof against the population claiming to have a desegregated society in America. Upon first glance, the image seems normal and dandy. Nonetheless, after giving the image an inkling of a thought, it becomes starkly evident that it has a purpose and inspires a will to change in (hopefully) most people.
Overall, this image is extremely powerful. The way it uses the seemingly mundane environment proves extremely interesting. The mundane aspect plays especially well with the message. The viewer is made to second guess oneself, and question the societal norm of the time. This all contributes to an enticing and interesting image.

Kyle Meister

2/28/2017 09:22:38 pm

The image is of a black women with either her daughter or granddaughter observing clothing. They are looking at all white mannequins in clothing. Both of them are wearing clothing that is different and less of value then the mannequins. The expression on the girls face explain a lot. To me her expressions is saying those are some nice clothes, i want some.
The photo uses very little pixelation. Good white balance. The lines in the image really don't point to something. Its not balanced.The right side of the image less negative space.
The image is properly exposed. The focus is 9 on the daughter and the mother. The image uses the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is to offset the mother and daughter and mannequins. The image was taken at he same angle as the objects. The focal point is the mother and daughter but the objects around them don't point toward them. They don't fill the whole space of the image though.
The image could have been used to display how blacks were in the past. As i noticed every mannequin is white. The people in the image are black. The clothing they have on is less of value then the clothing in the glass case. This could be seen as how back then people were fixed on the idea that black people were of lesser value. Maybe the photographer was trying to get across the point of civil rights.
The image is a good image. Not just on the outside but in the meaning of the image too. Anyone could see the true meaning of the image if they looked hard enough. Parks uses his image to send a message. A certain meaning but has to be thought out to figure out. I like this image and how Parks used his image to display a message.

Preslee Vanlandingham link

3/1/2017 04:16:06 pm

This image is of a mother and daughter in a clothing store surrounded by white mannequins. The heavy contrast between black and white is literal and figurative. Its brightly lit like a studio and its just two people. The little girl is staring at all of the mannequins while the mother is looking down.
Its correctly exposed. The two people are the only things in focus while all the mannequins are blurred but are still identifiable. The color is correct. The resolution is accurate along with low pixelation.
The composition functions as multiple factors leading to the focal point. The rule of thirds is being used because the subjects are farther right of the image to make way for the display of mannequins to get a sense of location. The point of view is as if someone was looking from the other side of the glass casing at them. The focal point is framed by the placement of mannequins.
There is extra space. The frame crops off the rest of the store and possibly the other shoppers. The positive space is the people and mannequins while the white and glass walls is the negative. The themes associated with the image is the division when the photograph was taken.
The little girl seems to be perceiving that she is different than the mannequins which probably makes her feel wrong and outcasted from the displayed social standard. The mother looking down is symbolic of how she already knows and the lifelong shame that she has experienced. Its a display of a child learning and putting negative things in her head and a mother who has already grown accustomed to that certain reality. Its a display of segregation and how powerful it can be, especially to learning children. It challenges today's society. I like it because of the message that can be found underneath.

Preslee Vanlandingham

3/1/2017 04:20:26 pm

Also, the protective hand the mother has around her is a gesture of trying to save her from the pain of a segregated society and the extreme inequality.

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Period 1 -- Critical Analysis #15

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