Period 3 -- Critical Analysis #3

10/4/2018

Today you will be writing about this image by artist Zora Murff, which is from his series titled Corrections. Your analysis must be 4 paragraphs, 5 sentences minimum per paragraph. Remember to post your analysis as a comment to the blog post that corresponds to your class. If you post your analysis to the wrong class's post, it will not be graded.

Below is a project statement written by Murff about his body of work, Corrections:
From 2012 to 2015, I worked as a Tracker for Linn County Juvenile Detention and Diversion Services in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As a Tracker, I provided services to youths who were convicted of crimes, adjudicated, and subsequently ordered to complete probation. Juveniles in my charge were asked to comply with services which may include: electronic monitoring, therapies, drug screening, and community service; it was my responsibility to have continual contact with them to ensure these expectations are met.

Tracking and other similar community-based services are being increasingly used as an alternative to detention facilities. These services, which allow juveniles to stay in their homes, show a higher rate of success than strict incarceration. Although community-based services are built to foster a collaborative relationship between juveniles and service providers, attaining the actualization of teamwork becomes problematic when juveniles feel that they have done nothing wrong, are victims of circumstance, or do not fully understand why they have committed a crime. The system has been put in place to provide rehabilitation, but it is far from being a straightforward process. Many influences outside of the youths' control such as education, socioeconomic status, and race all play a role in whether or not a youth reoffends - all of these factors possessing the propensity to lead them to extended periods of incarceration in the juvenile system or to involvement with the criminal justice system as an adult.

By reconsidering the role that I played in the lives of the kids I worked with, I began to acknowledge the burden that comes with tasking young men and women with continued complicity. My stance as a consequence kept our relationships in a state of flux ranging from stable to tenuous – a constant motion mirroring the discord that develops between the system's intentions and outcomes. Through employing ideas of anonymity, voyeurism, and introspection, Corrections is an examination of youth experience in the system, the role images play in defining someone who is deemed a criminal, and how the concepts of privacy and control may affect their future.

Refer to your "How to See" handout for analyzing a photograph--

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

Your analyses will be graded on:

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

Hasan Ehsan

10/4/2018 08:44:31 am

This image depicts a young African-American male standing on a gravel track and presumably staring at the football end zone. It uses red to illustrate the track, green to depict nature, and black to identify the human aspect of the image. Natural lighting is being used, which allows for the contrast between the individual and his background. This young man’s face is hidden, and he’s wearing sandals with socks and flip flops. There’s also an ankle monitor to track the individual; all of these factors in the image culminate into an inferred background and life story for the individual.

This images uses a shallow depth of field to place focus on the young man, which indicates a small f stop was used when photographing the image. The rule of thirds is not being used as the focal point of the image is in the center. The geometric use of lines directs the audience to focus on the front and then move their way to the background, from right to left. The point of view of the photograph is the photographer himself, looking at this teenager. The frame captures a cross-section of the field rather than the entirety of it to keep focus on the individual, and the trees are slightly cut off in the background.

I mentioned previously that the different aspects of this image provide insight into his life. The attire of this person indicates a lower socioeconomic class, and the tracker presents some kind of juvenile delinquency. This picture, however, is very natural and organic. Murff is trying to create the idea that although these kinds of people may have made a mistake in their lives, they’re still human and deserve basic rights. They shouldn’t be judged based on one moment in their lives, especially one at such a young age and heavily influenced by uncontrollable factors like race and social class. The image does challenge the idea that prisoners and juvenile delinquents are inferior to “normal” humans for their mistakes, and Murff corroborates this by emphasizing the use of a tracker over incarceration. The tracker may seem like a limit on freedom and opportunity, but if we put it in perspective where the other option is solitary confinement, this ankle monitor is much more liberating and treats these juveniles with the respect and humanity they deserve.

I love this image, mainly because of the message it emanates. It directly corresponds to my chapel talk, in fact: people are more than they appear to be. You can’t understand and represent them through one term or one experience. The author incorporates discreetly the life status of this individual through his clothing. It allows the reader to garner a sense that this young teenager shouldn’t be entirely blamed for all the wrong in his life and deserves the respect and dignity of others.

Sam Meldner link

10/4/2018 08:44:47 am

This image is of a young boy who looks like he is on a football field and or track. The boy is wearing an ankle monitor that he is supposed to be wearing because it looks like he could be in juvenile detention or on probation. The image shot by, Zora Murff, is definitely trying to get us to think more critically and deeply and it. He seems to be the only one there and is not playing any sports. Yet, looking at the field longingly.

Zora Murff uses a shallow depth of field to portray to us the importance of the subject. The subject is also directly in the middle of the image and is our main focus. The colors that Murff decided to place throughout the image complement each other so that the image is pleasing to look at. For instance, The subject is wearing black clothing that compliments the relatively bright background. The artist also uses natural light to create a raw image in his perspective.

Zora Murff is known specifically for the imagery he takes of the children in the juvenile detention center. The reason that he worked with this and photographed these children is that he wanted to get the message across to society that even when these kids have messed up, they are still people. He wants the people that see his imagery to realize that often times when kids are put through this system there is a reason. For example, abandonment and or homelessness. The way that the boy is longingly staring at the football field forces us to think about his desires and sadness that he faces. It also makes us stop and think about his story and wonder what he is going through.

Overall, I really liked the image because it reminded me that these children are still children. Despite what they have done wrong, they are still children and they don’t get a good childhood as I’ve had. It reminds me not to think of someone or judge someone based on first glance. I should get to know their story and try my best to understand where they are coming from, even though I haven’t been through all the hardship they have been through. In addition, this image reminds me to never take things for granted because I could be living without it.

Sofia Galindo

10/4/2018 08:47:01 am

This image is of a male teenager who was convicted of a crime. He is staring off at the football field and standing on the track surrounding the field. His face isn’t shown because the author wants to keep their privacy. The boy has a monitor on his ankle, allowing him to be able to stay at home instead of being locked up in a juvenile prison. He is wearing black clothes, which is contrasting the lighter background. The lighting makes the sky and photo look a little cloudy with the sun trying to break through.

This image is pleasing to look at because of the simplicity of it. The background is blurred out, causing your eyes to go to the boy and pay attention to every detail on him. He is standing in the center of the frame, so the image is not using the rule of thirds. The photographer took the photo straight on from his point of view. The depth of field in this image is very shallow, only being able to see the touchdown pole, houses, and some trees in the background. The subject does not fill the frame, leaving extra space. This photo is symmetrical because of the subject standing in the middle and the background is mostly the same throughout the whole photo, except for the touchdown pole.

My interpretation of what’s going on in this image is before the boy was sent to juvenile detention, he was part of the football team at his school. Because he misses football and being part of a team, he goes back to remorse and remember the days when he played. If this is true, the football field he is staring at could possible be the one at his school. This image is beautiful because it showcases the subjects feelings and although you can’t see his face, one can only imagine the emotions on it right now. The photo is so simple and basic that one can focus on the small details, revealing more about the image than having a busier picture could.

I enjoyed this photo a lot because of its simplicity. It was simple, but also filled with emotion at the same time, while revealing the subjects passions and regrets. Blurring out the background helped me focus on the subject rather than being distracted by the trees and houses in the background, allowing me to figure more out about the boy and the story behind the image. I think this photo is very successful because it has so much emotion in it by having the viewer look at only the boy with his face hidden and being able to tell a whole story through it.

Matthew Sutherland

10/4/2018 08:47:35 am

The image is of an African-American male with a tracking monitor on his ankle standing on a football and track field. The man appears to be a teenager. The teenager is looking at the football goal post. He is wearing a tank top, black shorts, white socks, and black flip flops. In the background of the image, there are houses behind trees. The image is using green and rust colors. The image was shot in bright sunlight. In this photograph, a teenager who had committed a crime is running on a track in a mostly likely a poor area, due to the low quality field.

The image is pleasing to look at. The point of view is from the photographer, who seems to be either on the sidelines or on the track. The image has a shallow depth of field. The focal point is the teenager. In the picture, there is a line between the football field and the track. There is also a tree line and a line of houses. The lines direct your eye to the teenger. The image is asymmetrical. The subject does not fill the frame.

The photographer worked as a tracker for juveniles who committed crimes and were on probation. The story of the image is a teenager who committed a crime and is living outside of a juvenile detention with his tracker watching him. The image gives a little insight into the teenager’s life. The artist most likely made this image to describe life after committing a crime for a teenager. This image is interesting.

I like the photo. I like it because it looks good. I also like it because it describes this teenager’s life. I believe this photograph is successful. I think this because it seems to tell a story about this teenager.

Sergio

10/4/2018 08:47:41 am

This photograph by zora murff of a brown skinned man in black clothes, white socks and black sandals, resting while standing after running through a long red track around a big football field is well lighted while not using any colors that are neon or bright because it is not a very happy picture.

In my perspective it is not pleasing to look at because it has no bright or neon colors and is not a photograph of which you do not see every day.
The photograph is not using the rule of thirds by placing the subject in the center. The point of view of the photo is of someone who just found that man after running the red long track. The subject does not fill the frame and leaves lot of extra space to see the setting.

There is no theme or story to this image, while not challenging anything. I did not like the image because it looks like your everyday photograph and it was unsuccessful.
:)

Farouk Ramzan

10/4/2018 08:54:17 am

There is a black boy around the age of 17 to 18 I would guess, standing in the edge of the football field on the track. I notice that he appears muscular and strong and he has a tracker clasped to his leg. The dirt red is a nice contrast to the black of the boy’s clothes. The bracelet he’s wearing has a similar green tone to the grass. The face of the boy is tilted to his left to cover his identity. It looks like he’s looking at the white football goal. The image is using natural light as it seems that it was probably a cloudy day. There is a blurred building in the background which is most likely a school complex.
The image does not use the rule of thirds as the focal point (the subject) is centered. Since the the focal point is centered, the image is roughly symmetrical. The subject does not fill the frame, as the edges of the frame is covered by the environment such as: clouds, trees, and the track. The depth of field is shallow as a low iso was used. The point of view is from the photographer. Overall the image is pleasing to look at due to the symmetrical nature of the photograph.
The theme is centered around the life of this boy and the struggle of being a juvenile. Taking the photo at the school football field has two implications: high school football fields are associated with high school, so taking a photo of a juvenile high schooler reminds the viewer that the boy is still a kid and is in the process of learning and the track has a symbolic meaning of running away, as the boy desires to run away from his past mistakes but can not because of the juvenile system thus causing him to remain stagnant. The image has a strong social message to improve America’s juvenile systems and to make Americans aware of the issue. Zora is pushing the image’s message by showing the average citizens the life of these individuals in an attempt for an emotional connection.
I like the image, as it has a positive message to society and I hope it becomes successful at conveying to people all over the world.

10/4/2018 03:01:07 pm

There is a black boy around the age of 17 to 18 I would guess, standing in the edge of the football field on the track. I notice that he appears muscular and strong and he has a tracker clasped to his leg. The dirt red is a nice contrast to the black of the boy’s clothes. The bracelet he’s wearing has a similar green tone to the grass. The face of the boy is tilted to his left to cover his identity. It looks like he’s looking at the white football goal. The image is using natural light as it seems that it was probably a cloudy day. There is a blurred building in the background which is most likely a school complex.
The image does not use the rule of thirds as the focal point (the subject) is centered. Since the the focal point is centered, the image is roughly symmetrical. The subject does not fill the frame, as the edges of the frame is covered by the environment such as: clouds, trees, and the track. The depth of field is shallow as a low iso was used. The point of view is from the photographer. Overall the image is pleasing to look at due to the symmetrical nature of the photograph.
The theme is centered around the life of this boy and the struggle of being a juvenile. Taking the photo at the school football field has two implications. First being, high school football fields are associated with high school, so taking a photo of a juvenile high schooler reminds the viewer that the boy is still a kid and is in the process of learning. The track has a symbolic meaning of running away, as the boy desires to run away from his past mistakes but can not because of the juvenile system thus causing him to remain stagnant. The image has a strong social message to improve America’s juvenile systems and to make Americans aware of the issue. Zora is pushing the image’s message by showing the average citizens the life of these individuals in an attempt for an emotional connection.
I don’t like the image itself, but appreciate Zora’s other images in the “Corrections” collection along with his raw and pure style. I do like the social message the image is spurring as the issue on juvenile detention is not discussed often. The photograph in my opinion is very successful conveying its message as I do feel connected and understand the situation. The fact that we can’t see his face forces us to understand him with context, which is very interesting. I hope Zora’s message spreads and becomes successful.

mariah podwika

10/4/2018 08:54:27 am

The image is off a boy who is in the juvenile system who is standing on a track and looking away from the camera. It is using the dull red and green of the grass and track to contrast with the bold black that the subject is wearing. The lighting is very natural and it is a cloudy day so it is a bit darker than a normal sunny day would be. There is a boy standing in the center foreground of the image and he is standing on a track that is connected to a football field and there are trees and what looks like houses in the background. In the image the boy who is on the track is looking away from the camera and towards the goalpost and the trees in the back.

The boy is standing in the center of the image so rule of thirds is not being used. The photographer took the image from his own point of view and it was taken from a balanced and straight on point of view. It is using a shallow depth of field to pull all of the attention onto the boy. The place where the track is attached to the field pulls my eye along the curve of the track all the way into the background. The image is symmetrical because the subject is in the middle and not off to the side.

The theme of the image was that even though the boy has the electronic tracker on and is a part of juvenile detention he still does normal things that kids his age would do, like go to the track. The photographer made this image to make us understand how strange it is for the kids who have to deal with things like trackers or parole officers to go out and do things that everyday kids would do. It reminds me of one of my old classmates who went to alternative school and when he came back from there we didn’t know what to expect from him and when he acted like himself again (rather than what he was before) we were all relieved. The image is very interesting because it gives you a different perspective of the kids who are in juvie, rather than them being vicious, aggressive monsters who can’t be dealt with, the image shows that at the end of the day they’re just kids. The story that is being told is that even with the kids who deal with trackers and parole sometimes they just want to do what seems normal.

I really like this image because it really challenges the precedent of kids who were put into juvie as ravaghes and untrainable beasts but rather as just kids who want to do normal kid stuff. The photograph was really successful in portraying this because of the calm and toned down colors in the image and the boys overall calm demeanor. I also really like this image because it tells a story that not a lot of people get or want to hear about kids who go through this kind of stuff, not all of them lack remorse for what they did, some of them might not know what they did was wrong. This is a very important story to be told and I’m glad that the photographer is telling it the right way. It is a very well done and well executed image that tells the story the right way.

Clara Blume

10/4/2018 08:57:25 am

In this photo, there is a young man standing on a track surrounding a football field in the foreground. Behind the football field in the background is a line of trees and houses. The houses seem to be in poor condition. The football field looks unkempt with dead grass and no visible lines. The track also seems out of shape without the running lanes. The young man is wearing all black with white socks, black slides, and an ankle tracker . He is looking back over his left shoulder towards the football field. The lighting is natural and it looks to be sometime in the early afternoon.

I do not think this image is pleasing to look at because everything looks like it hasn’t been taken care of. The rule of thirds is not being used seeing that the subject is in the center. There is a very shallow depth of field. The only thing in focus is the subject. The lines of the track as it wraps around the field directs your eye first to the subject in the foreground, then to the trees and houses in the back. The subject does not fill the frame. I think that there is extra space in the foreground in between the photographer and the subject. The image cuts off most of the football field and the track, so you can only see one end zone from about what looks like what would be the 30 or 40 yard line.

I think the story being told in the image is about the young man and his life outside of being what other people call a juvenile delinquent. I also think it’s purpose is to show where he’s from and his life being tracked with the ankle tracker. This image reminds me of the movie McFarland. In that movie, kids who aren’t from the best side of town put together a cross country team that ends up winning at a big meet. I think this image kind of goes along with what society deems as your typical “criminal” from the wrong side of town, as unfortunate as that is. Seeing this young man walking on the sidewalk anywhere in the city, people would probably assume he came from a certain area of town that they of when they think of crime in general.

I do not like this photo because I feel like as a society, we shouldn’t be giving a face to crime. When we talk about crime we shouldn’t immediately think about a certain place in the city or a certain type of person. I feel like this image just strengthens what society as a whole, particularly the wealthy community, thinks about the face of crime. I also think it strengthens the stigma around crimes committed particular by people of color. I think this image is unsuccessful for this reason as well.

eden vogelsang

10/4/2018 11:05:17 am

In this image there is a young man on a track, he's wearing a black t-shirt and shorts, sandals, white socks, and an ankle monitor. In the background, there is a goalpost. The photographer Zora Murff is using a lot of dark colors than lighter ones in the background to pop against the blacks. the image looks a little cloud, kind of like it's going to rain. There is a person in the photo. The boy is just standing on the track looking away from the photographer with his ankle monitor on.

To me personally, I don't think it's pleasing to look at because of the colors that are being used and the way they are being used. The rule of thirds is not being used in this photo, because the boy is the focus in the middle of the image. Murff took it from his point of view. The first line that my eye sees is where the red track meets the greenish brown field, then the lines in the goalpost, to the background of where the track meets the field. The subject does not fill in the frame because there is a lot of extra space in the background.

The theme of this image is kind of sad in a way because he got into doing bad things and committing crimes. Yes, there is Zora Murff worked as a tracker for a juvenile detention center in cedar rapids, photographed these images “an examination of youth experience in the system, the role images play in defining someone who is deemed a criminal, and how the concepts of privacy and control may affect their future”. No this image does not remind me of a dream but of were I used to live in some parts like every city there are the not so safe parts, and when I lived outside of Houston, we driving to go into the huge city and downtown passing by al the old houses and just seeing kids and their families.

I do like the image because it is very different and not a lot of photographers I feel would do that. I like the story behind why Murff took these photos. I think the photo is very successful because they all have something unique about them and this one in particular, the young man is wearing an ankle monitor. Also that he is taking in the consideration to hide their faces because they are minors, i think it adds a level of the image being dramatic and depressing in a way because of the way they are standing or however they are instructed to stand you can see the emotion.

Claire Rollwitz

10/4/2018 03:16:44 pm

When I first looked at the image, I thought of a man who longed to play football. With some more background information about the artist and his collection, I learned the real meaning behind this photo. The artist captures a teenage man with a tracker on his right ankle standing on a track to show us what the boy is going through in a juvenile facility. The colors in this photo are mostly dull, except for the boys black clothing that stands out against the background. The image has good, natural lighting.

The rule of thirds is not being used in this photograph because the boy is standing in the middle of the frame. This photo has a shallow depth of field because the boy is the only thing in focus. Some lines that stand out include the long line that separates the field from the track and the lines made by the goal post. The point of view from which the image was taken is from the eye-level perspective of a person standing in front of the boy. The artist leaves extra space around the boy to show us what the rest of the facility looks like.

The artist tells a story about what these teens face every day. The artist made this image to bring awareness to what happens to teenagers who are in juvenile facilities. In the photo, the man turned his head away from the camera to conserve his privacy. This image might question the beliefs of some people because it gives them a look into what the facility is like. Some might wonder if the punishment for these teens is too harsh or too relaxed.

I think the artist was successful because he told the story of what life is like in a juvenile facility. The artist does a good job of putting the boy’s life into perspective. It definitely gave me a better insight into what juvenile facilities are like. I personally do not like this photograph. I think that it’s hard to see people around my age being punished.

EmmaKate

10/4/2018 05:09:44 pm

In the image by Zora Murff there is a guy in front of a football field. The guy is wearing black clothes and flip-flops with socks. There is an ankle monitor on his ankle. The colors that are being used are black, red and green. The lighting is natural light and bright light. The guy in the photo is standing on a track looking at the field behind him.
The image is is pleasing to look at because the colors that are being used go well together. The rule of thirds is not being used because the subject is in the center of the frame. The point of view is from someone looking at the young man. A shallow depth of field is being used because the background is blurry and the foreground is clear. The lines are on the track and they direct your eyes first to the boy then to th
e blurred trees. The image is symmetrical because everything is centered. The frame cuts off most of the field behind the boy and the edge of the image is a house in the background.
The story behind the image is that young people who do bad things can be punished and older people have to help them get on the right track again. Zora Murff created this image to let us see what young people in a delinquent center can do and how they get through life. This image does challenge social assumptions like that just because people may say that they have the perfect life it doesn’t mean that they always do. The image is interesting because it gives us the perspective on what some young people may face.
I don’t really like it because I think that young people should be taught the difference between doing what is right and what is wrong. I think that parents should be able to parent their children and telling that what they are doing is wrong. The photograph is successful because it is composed well and it’s organized. The photographer was doing a good job at making sure that the foreground is the part that people focus on the most.

Henry Cool link

10/4/2018 08:23:45 pm

The image is of a light skinned African American male with a monitor on his right ankle standing on a track surrounding the football field. The person in this picture appears to be a teenager, and it seems that he lives in a poorer district because of the gravel track and the sandy torn up football field. The image uses a lot of darker variation of colors which draws out the teenager and the white objects in the picture, socks and the football goal post. The image looks as if it were taken on a cloudy day or a hazy morning making the picture darker. The is looking at the goal posts as if having a memory while he is walking around the track being monitored.

The composition is pleasing to look at because it makes use of certain colors to draw out the teenager, and the colors a pleasing and not hard on your eyes. The point of view is from the photographer who is standing on the track with him and makes sure to get an angle to see the goal post. This image uses a shallow depth of field because the background is unfocused while the foreground is. The focal point of the image is the teenager which is not framed by anything. The lines of the image start from the goalpost at the back right of the picture down the sidelines where it arrives at the teenager.

I feel an idea of this image is make the right choices because he seems like he is trying to remember the good times, but he is being restrained by his own burden. The story of the image is this teenager did something wrong, probably got put in some detention facility, and now is being monitored wherever he goes while he regrets what he did. The artist made this image to show what it feels like to be a teenager who committed a crime and is now having to pay the consequences. The intention is to influence teenagers to make the right choices. I believe the image is beautiful because it is pleasing to look at and it really makes you wonder what it feels like to be like a teenager who has done something wrong.

I really like this image. The reason is because it is a very mellow picture which uses colors great, and has an interesting viewpoint that makes you wonder what they are feeling. The photograph is very successful. This is because the photographer is able to get his point across and show feeling and emotion while putting in great aspects of photography.

Troy Githinji

10/4/2018 09:14:44 pm

In this photo, we are introduced to the figure of an African-American man standing on what appears to be a track field with large trees in the background. The colors of this image really contrast, sending the eye directly to the man in the middle of the photograph. On his right leg, directly above his sock, we can see a tracking device, implying that he is in some kind of juvenile detention. The photograph is not very bright and the sky is cloudy and dull. We can see the man in the foreground looking outwards, towards the goal post, and beyond the goal post, we can see signs of buildings, probably used for housing.
This photo is somewhat pleasing to look at because of its somewhat darkened and dull color pallet, but also because of the shallow depth of field and how the man in the foreground is in focus and the background isn’t. Although the photo does not follow the rule of thirds, it does a great job of leading your eyes through the picture using the line between the grass and the track, and the treeline. The trees in the background also fill a lot of negative space so that there is not much left. The photographer was probably only a few feet away from the subject, judging by the shallow depth of field, and the photo was taken in his point of view. The image is very balanced both in color and in symmetry, making it even more pleasing to look at.
When looking at this image, one can see many themes that it portrays. When we look at the ankle bracelet the young man is wearing, the viewer might distance themselves away from the man and his problems and experiences. But what I think the photographer is trying to tell us through this image is that, although he has made some mistakes, he is also human and shouldn’t be seen as less than because of what he has done. His entire life should not be judged off of one mistake or bad decision. Without even seeing his face, we can almost feel the longing to be free and be able to not be identified by the ankle bracelet of his past mistakes that he can’t even change. By this photo alone, we can already feel the pain and hardship he has been through and wants to forget. His story speaks volumes about his past, as he looks back at the goal post, and future, the track of freedom.
I enjoy looking at this photo, not because of its outer appearance, but because of the story it tells and leaves us, as a society, with. This photo gives us a small glimpse into life in juvenile detention, but it also shows us the tiring struggles of a black American fighting to find his identity, strengthen his moral compass, and recover his freedom. It shows us how we as a society let our differences split ourselves apart and think of others as not human. This photo is a major call for us to change our mindset about other people. Instead of judging a person from their outward appearance, what they wear, how they talk, the color of their skin, we should get to know them and talk with them, and then make a judgment. This picture says a lot about our society and I think it is successful

teresa lei

10/4/2018 09:47:10 pm

An African American teenager is standing in the middle of the picture above the track, staring back at the football field. He wears gym sets, slippers, and there is a device connecting to his ankle. To correlate with the theme of Correction, the photo is depicted under a relatively cold tone. In order to achieve this goal, the image was shot under a cloudy day with natural light. The complementary colors are used. The image is considered to be a portrait, the main focus of the camera is the male that stands on the track. It can be suggested that he is thinking or recalling things in the past.

The image uses the rule of the third by the level of the track and the field. The green, darker trees in the upper portion of the image with high saturation contrast the lighter field below the trees, which creates a line that leads the audiences to the lower part, where the colors contrast between the clothes and grass are more obvious. The author also uses shallow depth of field to focus the man in the middle in order to highlight the main character. It’s asymmetrical image cause the man split the image in half, however, the colors of the grass and the track are not symmetrical, but they create a sense of instability, which adds more interests into the picture. The negative space includes the trees, sky, track, and grass.

Zora Murff’s series of Correction focuses on the teenagers who committed a crime and was sent to the juvenile center. As a worker who has access to know and understand the children, he wants to depict their thoughts to the world. In order to do so, this series is created. In this specific picture, the boy is looking back at the field, standing on the track with a monitoring unit on his ankle. Even though he is standing on the track and he can run, there is something holding him back. Physically he is trapped in the place and is always under control, the author appeals it through the monitoring unit. Also, he is mentally trapped in the past. This can be shown by the direction of his face. He is looking back and stands still life if he is thinking.

I am not a fan of the color and the composition, but the story behind the photo is interesting. The author fuses a complete idea within the picture. It also has a purpose, raising attention for this specific teenagers group. It is a successful picture if to put it in a collection like what Zora Murff did, otherwise a single picture without any further elaborated information, it may be considered mediocre or likely not to be successful.

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