Period 3 -- Critical Analysis #8

11/15/2018

Today you will be writing about this photograph by artist Holly Andres. The image is from her body of work titled Stories From A Short Street. Here is the artist's project statement:

STORIES FROM A SHORT STREET is a collection of eight photographs inspired by my unique experience growing up in rural Montana as the youngest of ten children. By casting a fictitious group of siblings loosely based on archetypes of my own family, each image is constructed to enact a specific moment, communicate identity through space, and depict a psychological portrait.

Your analysis must be 5 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. This is due by 4PM today.

When you are writing, be sure to pay close attention to all of the details in the image—the artist loaded the photograph with many visual details to cue you into the subject's identity. Remember, in the statement it says the images are meant to depict a psychological portrait. How can the details of the photograph—the objects, lighting, background, color palette—help you make educated guesses about the identity of the subject and possible meaning of the image?

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 and organization
evaluation of the content
grammar/punctuation

Samantha Meldner

11/15/2018 08:37:59 am

In this image, the artist uses plenty of colors to create an image for the viewers to question. We see a lot of pink on the wall, dresser, and even in the girl’s clothing. Pink is obviously an important characteristic of the image, however, the viewers are always wondering why. In addition to the pink color palette, the use of frame and reflections draws our attention to the subject of the image. The way that she is positioned with the mirrors allows the audience to see almost every side of the subject.

Holly Andres uses these reflections as a way of opening up the subject to the audience because the image is definitely portraying a personal aspect of the subject, herself. One way that I, personally, view the image is that the subject struggles to accept herself because she seems as though she thinks she needs a lot of beauty products and is constantly looking at herself. She seems unsatisfied with herself. Furthermore, this image looks as though it was staged to be in a time period that was a while ago and it looks as though the image is trying to describe to us what it was like. It shows us the clothes wore and the way people lived.

The photograph was taken in the rule of thirds format and has the subject placed in the very corner. The lighting looks to be unnatural and the exposure is correct. Holly Andres used a deep depth of field to capture every part of the image. The portrait created of this woman is a way for the photographer to express her own experiences. By looking at this image, I can tell that each aspect of the frame was very carefully put together, set up, and staged. Although the author created the set for this image, the image itself is still moving and pleasant for the audience to see.

Although the author created the set for this image, the image itself is still moving and pleasant for the audience to see. However, in my personal opinion, this is not my favorite image to look at because I feel as though it is presenting women in a very bad manner. The women are shown looking at herself and standing by a very large supply of beauty products. I think that because of this degrades the image of women. Beauty may be important to women, but it is not our only concern.

I do not think that the artist intentionally meant to portray that concept to her viewers. But, she wanted the audience to be taken back to a different time. This time was very different for women and it deeply affected the way that they acted. They were more concerned by the way that they looked because they had to be. Overall, I think the image is beautiful and can be seen in many different perspectives.

Eden Vogelsang

11/15/2018 08:39:03 am

In this photo there is a girl holding a mirror while standing with her back facing a full length mirror. She’s in a room that look older especially with the decor and the colors of paint on the walls. She has a lot of pink colored beauty products on her aqua/teal dresser,that also has another mirror on top of it that you can see her profile. The photographer uses a lot of greens and pinks, the walls are a pastel pink and green. There are some dark shadows in this image, they go from the ground up like an ombre effect.

I think that this image is somewhat pleasing to look at because of the colors that she used in this image. The rule of thirds is being used because the subject is all the way to the far right. It is in the people's view point. Depth a field is not being used. The focal point is the girl/ subject.

There are lines in the wall that first directed my eyes. The image is balanced, because the use of space was really well put together. There is extra space from the subject. The girl in the image which is the subject is not cropped off, the framing was really well done. The negative space is at the bottom of the picture, and the positive space is at the top.

Yes the photographer has a backstory to this image. The image is very interesting, i like it alot. This does not challenge anything i don't think, to me it doesn't. I think her intention was she wanted to show her talent.

I do like this image a lot, i like the colors scheme, the way she had the subject hold the mirror, overall ui really did like it. It was very interesting to me. I think that this photo was very successful based on the overall image and the story from why she shot this series. I think people really enjoyed it.

mariah podwika

11/15/2018 08:40:54 am

The image is of a girl standing in her bedroom and looking in a hand held mirror. There are many mirrors in this room along with pink makeup containers. The colors are very dull and borderline pastel colors. The walls and ceiling are very worn and cracked and even the desk gives off the older and vintage vibe. The bed seen in the furthest mirror back is very plain and a sharp contrast to the colorfulness of the vanity and the items on it.
The image has a deep depth of field and most of the frame is filled with items of the room. There are imaginary lines that draw your eyes to the mirrors to see the different angles of the reflections. The outer edges of the image are darkened so it makes the items in the center seem brighter and more the center of attention. Most of the image is framed by the mirrors, without them you wouldn’t have half of the image that you do. The image is not symmetrical and the edge of the image cuts off right where you can’t see anymore of the reflections, putting more emphasis on them.
The story being told is about a girl who pours her heart into looking the best so she doesn’t have anything else to show. The vanity is over the top and she has excessive amounts of makeup products on it. She has an excessive amount of mirrors in the room, and yet, her bed is bare and has almost nothing on it. The girl is looking into the mirror with a look of, what looks like, disgust or discontent. She is looking in the mirror like this because when you focus solely on being beautiful nothing seems like it’s enough. This image is very beautiful and tells not only a great story but an important one.
This reminds me of my friend and her struggle with personal image. Her room used to look exactly like the one in the image and she had a vanity that was more of the top and extravagant than this one. She had a very hard time with doing anything because she had 5-8 mirrors in her room and she hated to look at herself. She would only leave the house if she had a full face of makeup on. This took a serious toll on her mental health, she began to look at herself with that exact same look that the girl has in the image. She luckily got out of this but a lot of people don’t, and that’s why this image is so important.
I really really like this image because of the powerful message that it tells. The photograph is very successful in portraying the story that it wants to tell. Everything from the cracks in the wall to the darkness creeping in from the edges, it perfectly shows what it’s like to live with the constant struggle of personal image problems. The way that the mirrors so the reflections and different angles of her face and body show so well the difficulties that people go through. The calm colors also deeply contrast with the darkness on the edges showing that even the happiest of people can go through this.

Matthew Sutherland

11/15/2018 08:43:45 am

This image is of a girl holding up a hand mirror next to two other mirrors. The girl is wearing a white shirt, blue jeans, and a red towel on her head. The hand mirror has roses on its back. The two other mirrors have dark brown borders on the outside of them. The girl can be seen in both of them. In one of the mirrors, a brown bunk bed with blue sheets can be seen. On the left in the foreground, there is a turquoise-colored table with many pink hair and beauty products. The ceiling is also turquoise. There are two paintings of flowers on one of the two pink walls in the room. In the middle of the other pink wall, there is a window with turquoise drapes and a turquoise border.

The image is using a lot of turquoise and pink. The lighting is artificial light with dark shadows. The rule of thirds is being used in this image. The girl is on the right side of the image. The photograph has a deep depth of field.

The image is pleasing to look at. The point of view is from the photographer. The focal point is the girl. There are lines that separate the wall and the ceiling. There are also lines on the table, on the window, and on the bed in the largest mirror. These lines direct the viewer’s eye towards the girl. The photograph is asymmetrical.

The story in this image is that a girl is looking at herself in a hand mirror. The towel on the girl’s head seems to show that she just got out of the shower and got dresses and is now getting ready for the day. She has a lot of products on her table, which shows that she’s currently doing her hair. The girl has extra mirrors which seem to be used to get a better look at herself while she does her hair and gets ready for the day. The artist made this image to describe something about one of her siblings.

I like the photograph. I like it because of the multiple mirrors. The mirrors give off a cool and interesting effect because the girl can be seen four times in this one image. I think the image is successful. I think this because it does seem to describe an aspect of the photographer’s sibling’s life.

Clara Blume

11/15/2018 08:43:59 am

In this image there is a girl in a white patterned shirt and jeans with a pink towel on her head. She is holding a small mirror in her left hand. There is a window on the right side of the frame that has frilly, translucent fringing. There is a turquoise dresser in the left of the frame in the foreground that is covered with accessories such as bottles for multiple products such as lotion and nail polish remover. Most of the items on the dresser are pink. There are two additional mirrors, one on the dresser, the other standing in the corner. In the mirror in the corner of the room, you can see the reflection of her face through the hand-held mirror as well as a set of bunk beds on the opposite wall. In the mirror on the dresser, you can see her profile.

The colors are mostly pinks and blues. There are accent colors in the photo such as the white of her shirt. The lighting appears to cme from the flash of the camera. While the photo is made to look like the bedroom of this girl, it appears to be a studio set-up. The shadows on the wall behind her indicate not just studio set-up, but multiple light sources. There are sharp shadows in this image.

I think this image is pleasing to look at because of the colors and the highlights and shadow areas of the image. The rule of thirds is being used. While the girl is standing on the right side of the frame, the mirror in the corner of the room is centered in the frame, and the mirror on the dresser is to the left of the frame. There is a deep depth of field being used. The girl is in focus as well as her reflections in the corner mirror, the dresser mirror, and the hand held mirror. I think the image is balanced due to the distribution of the mirrors across the room.

I think the portraying the idea of self-criticism. The fact that she is looking at herself from more than one angle shows her awareness with herself and the way she looks and dresses. I think the intention of the image is to shed light onto the reality of other people. The idea that you may not think of yourself that way, but she does, whether positive or negative. I think this image helps others to gain sympathy for those around them. It also helps others to accept other people’s reality may be different from your own.

I really like this photo because of its color theme and complexity. I also like it because it may depict the life of someone close to you. I think this photo is successful in that it shows something in the daily routine of some. This part of a daily routine that people may not think about. I like that this photo has many different perspectives in all.

EmmaKate

11/15/2018 08:45:16 am

This is a picture of a girl who is looking in a hand-held mirror with a mirror behind her and a mirror to the side of her. The lighting is studio light. Its studio light because the photograph was taken indoors and there is a window that looks like it was taken at night. The objects in the image are three mirrors and a messy dresser with many beauty products spread out across the vanity. There are pictures of flowers hanging on the wall behind her. The girl has a towel on her head and looks to be getting ready to go somewhere because she is fully dressed. The colors that are in the image are pink for the walls, blue for the ceiling, blue for the windows shutters and blue for the vanity or dresser. The room looks like it’s in an older house because of the cracks in the walls and the colors of the objects in the image.
The image is pleasing to look at because of the interesting colors for the walls and objects in the room. It’s also pleasing to look at because of the idea to use several different mirrors of different shapes and sizes. The rule of thirds is being used because the there is equal amount of space in each section of the frame. The lines are going to the center mirror and they direct your eyes to the girl. The focal point is the girl and she is framed by the bigger mirror and the window. The image is symmetrical because there is equal sections of the girl in each of the thirds. The frame crops off the rest of the dresser and window. There is a deep depth of field because you can see more of the surroundings.
The ideas that are in this image are to see yourself from different points of view. The girl is looking at herself through three different mirrors. Each different mirror shows a different angle and positioning. The theme that is in this image is to look at yourself from different perspectives. I think the artist made this image to give us a look into what life was like in the past and to show us different points of view and perspectives of things and people.
This photograph reminds me of a movie that I saw a couple of months ago called 13 going on 30. The girl gets a different point of view because she wishes that she could be 30 on her 13 birthday and is 30 the next morning. She takes people for granite and sees what her life is like without them in it. It does not challenge any beliefs or assumptions because it’s one persons perspective. This image is intersting because of the way the photographer took it. She took it using three different mirrors and placed them at angles to where you can see your self from three different angles.
I like this photograph because I think its taken in a cool way. I have never thought to use more than one mirror and more than one angle to get a different perspective. I think that this photograph is successful because of the location that its taken in. I also think that it’s successful because of the different things that the photographer used and did to take the photograph and make it a unique image.

Hasan Ehsan

11/15/2018 08:45:58 am

This image shows a female looking at a mirror, with multiple mirrors in the frame showing different points of view of the same person from different angles. There’s a lot of differing shades of pink objects, to include the cosmetics on the vanity, the towel on her head, and the background on the wall. There’s not many conventional colors, in that the majority of this image is green or pink. There’s portraits of flowers on the wall, and you can see the woman’s bed in the reflection of the biggest mirror. It appears to be dark outside through the given window, so artificial light is probably being implemented to capture this exposure. From what I can tell, she’s looking straight at the camera in the very smallest mirror showing her reflection.

The rule of thirds is being used, but not necessarily in the usual sense. The woman is on the right, but she’s not the only focal point. Her reflections are also included in the other two thirds of the image. There’s a deep depth of field because everything if in focus. All the mirrors are fully in frame, and there’s not much extra, open space except in the background. The image isn’t necessarily symmetrical in that there’s something different going on in every aspect of the image that isn’t a reflection of the other half (which is ironic because this whole image is full of reflections). The only geometric lines used are to indicate the corner of the wall and the outlines of certain features like the windows.

The artist is definitely trying to reveal something about this person’s identity in this picture. The image is interesting because of all the different mirrors and angles, which all culminates into her actually looking right at the viewer. The location of the house and the surrounding objects are very telling of who this person is. She’s obviously very concerned about her physical appearance, maybe even a little too much. The unique colors indicate this alternate reality that makeup and cosmetics are this girl’s entire world and passion. The multiple use of mirrors could indicate the way everybody in the world looks at her, and she’s using them to make sure every aspect of her is visually perfect.

In the author’s statement, she explicitly states that this collection of photographs is to depict those based on her own siblings. Thus, the subject of this photograph is implied to be someone resembling her sister. When Holly Andres talks about “identity through space,” I think what she’s referring to specifically in this image is the mirrors. The fact that we can see the front, back, and side of this individual may indicate that she feels like she’s being watched at all times. When the idea of a psychological portrait is mentioned, I feel that the author thinks that we spend too much time on how we look, so much so that it is unhealthy. The facial expression in the very smallest, circular mirror indicates some kind of weariness of so much aesthetic focus on herself.

Overall, I find this image to be successful. The initial glance at it really makes the audience ponder as to what’s going on. Anybody viewing this image could construct some sort of story or narrative that would bring insight as to the purpose of what was captured here. The author’s statement, though helpful, is not obligatory to create your own valid perception of the photograph. I like it, and I can’t even begin to think about how much emphasis and time was placed on the exact orientation of every single object in this image, especially the mirrors.

Henry Cool link

11/15/2018 08:48:32 am

The image shows what looks to be a teenager in her room who is wearing jeans, a sweater, and a pink towel on her head. Her room is filled with beauty supplies and mirrors, and you can see her bunk bed in the background which may show youth. The photographer uses many shades of pink, making the photo a little nor “girl”, and she uses aqua blue which works well with the pink. The picture seems to be taken at night which creates a darker tone like there is a hidden meaning. The girl looks to be looking at herself in a mirror to make sure she looks perfect.

The photographer obviously made this in a house to create all the aspects of her siblings, and is trying to show what seems to be the youngest, maybe herself. The lighting in the picture is created from a fluorescent detached light which can allow for a higher shutter speed. The ISO seems pretty low because there is no grain in the image. I feel the photographer made everything in her room dull accept the pink and her sweater to draw the viewer to those spots. The photographer probably had to look for a perfect fit to be her subject which shows her investment into this project and photography.

I believe the photo is pleasing to look at. This is because the photographer uses very moody colors to make it pleasing to the eye and it is a very interesting perspective she uses. The photographer took the picture from her point of view. The focal points of the image would have to be the girl because girl is the first thing to catch the attention of the viewer. The frame of the mirror would have to be the frame. The photographer uses a deeper depth of field to capture everything in the picture and not just the subject.

Next I believe an idea of this image is to show the life of a teenager trying to be like everyone else. The story in the image would be this girl is insecure of her real self and feels judged, so she uses beauty products to make herself pretty. The artist made this image to portray what it feels like to live in rural Montana. Her intention was to show the different sides of the girl showing that she had maybe an uglier side too. I believe this image is interesting because the photographer had to use many mirrors which catch different sides of the girl making it almost like she has multiple personalities.

I like the picture. The reason I like it is because it gives you a different side of photography which is very deep and can lead the viewer in many different directions. The photo was successful. It had success because I believe she portrayed that life very well and created a beautiful picture. Overall I believe everything went well together and created a really nice image that will probably be seen for a while.

claire rollwitz

11/15/2018 08:48:42 am

The image by Holly Andres is a portrait of a teenage girl. The girl in the photo is in an older, worn-down house with pink and blue walls and a bright blue dresser with many beauty items on it. She is holding a mirror up to her face that reflects onto other mirrors in the room. The colors in the photo include mainly blues and pinks. There is nice lighting and contrast in this photo.

The image follows the rule of thirds because the girl is framed in the right third of the image. The point of view from which this photograph was taken is that of a person standing in front of the girl and looking at her. The image has a deep depth of field because everything in the photograph is in focus. I like how the photographer used a deep depth of field in this image because it allows you to see all of the details in the room she is in. I think the image is pleasing to look at because of all of the details in the photo-- from the girl to all of her reflections in the mirrors and the items in the house.

The focal point of this image is the girl. Her face is framed by all three of the mirrors that reflect her image. The picture is not asymmetrical. The subject only takes up the right third, but she has a reflection from a mirror in the other two thirds. I think all of the positive space in this image is the girl and all of her reflections.

Holly Andres created this photo and the photos in her collection to depict specific moments from her childhood. As the youngest of ten siblings, the house was probably full of chaos all the time. This image captures her busy life as she gets ready for her day. The makeup and hair products spread all across the vanity also suggest the amount of products ten children need and what it is like having so many siblings. With ten children in the family, it might be hard to get attention from your parents. I think the artist might have made this photo to reflect the fact that she was sometimes lonely and that she is still a real person.

I like this photo a lot. I love how you can see the girl’s reflection on the mirrors all throughout the room. I think the artist was successful in creating this photograph. She was able to create an interesting and meaningful image. I love how the artist tied her work into her own life experiences.

Sergio

11/15/2018 08:50:18 am

The image of a girl in her early 20s looking through a mirror that is reflected by a mirror in the back so you can see the girl in 360 degrees, the photograph taken by the photographer Holly Andress is using the color pink excessivebly in the photo and the pink is very very noticeable and in the photo there are a lot of pink soapps, mirror, hair straightener,polishes for nails of different tones of pink and a pink towel hat thingy.

The image is composed of a girl seen in 360 degrees through various mirrors in a very pink room, the Image is slightly pleasing to look at because of the extremely neon pink colors and the mirrors which are always fun to look at.The rule of two thirds is in use but at the same time not in use becuae the area of focus is dispersed in the various mirrors. The point of view of the photograph would probably be of what is seen from a fourth mirror if it were there. The depth of field ids shallow. The image is well balanced by having various reflections of the girl in the photograph.

The theme of the photograph is probably reflexcions and how there are few things you don’t see when you can only be looking in 180 degrees. There is no story to this image except for there being a girl who is getting ready to go outside but it is quite a very interesting image taken by Holly Andress. The only thing that this image could remind me of is mirror maze I once went to. The image is noteworthy

I did not really like the photograph because of the excessive use of one color of which is pink but I did not dislike the photograph because of the fun way the mirrors in photo graph are used. I think the photograph was very successfull in the eyes of someone who doesn't mind the excessive use of one color.

Troy Githinji

11/15/2018 08:58:48 am

In this photo, we are introduced to a young lady staring into a mirror that she is holding, which is then mirrored by two other mirrors in the room. On a desk nearby, we can see many beauty products, including nail polish, hair products, and lotions. The lighting in this photo is definitely in a artificial of some kind, seeing that most of the light is directly on her. Looking at the young lady, we can make an educated guess that she is in her early to mid teens and the background implies she is in her room. The colors used in the photo, like on the walls, seem to almost clash in their contrast, adding a sort of pop to the image.

In regards to the rule of thirds, this image both follows and breaks it, seeing that there are 3 depictions of her across the canvas. But this reflection type effect makes both sides of the canvas interesting to look at and leaves no part of the picture boring or blank. Both this and the deep depth of field make the image pleasing to look at. Although the lines in this image are somewhat subtle, the many beauty products on the table draw my eyes right to them; a sharp contrast from the bland room. The walls in this image, although white boring, add a touch of realism to the photo and make the image more relatable.

Tracing the image back to its roots, we find out that this image is one of eight in a collection entitled Stories from a Short Street by a lady named Holly Andres. On her comments about the photo, she said that this body of word was inspired by her unique experiences growing up in Montana, as the youngest of ten children. Although this photo was not of her, the actors in these photos are subtle references to her childhood and family. Looking at this photo from this viewpoint gives us a little bit more insight into what this photo might mean. Using context given to us from across the room, we may begin to piece the puzzle together.

An educated guess would tell us that this young lady is in her early to mid teens, and that all these makeup products on her table belong to her. What I believe the image is trying introduce to the viewer is the idea presented by our society of beauty. The image tells the story of a teenage girl trying to live up to these standards, and using the makeup products displayed on her table to do so. What I think the mirrors portray is the social standard of beauty, and the teenager is staring into society for approval, not herself. The image tells the story of someone who wants approval, but searches in the wrong places.

I think the image tells a profound story of something that happens everyday to some of us, and we don't even know or acknowledge it. The society we live in today paints a picture of perfection, and many of us strive for that, only to fail and accuse ourselves for no being good enough. The image paints the picture that many of us live in and ot even realize it: the mask of perfection. And I like this image because it goes against this social idea of perfection and encourages us to be honest with ourselves and others. Holly Andres had the brilliance to photograph a phenomenon so common in our daily lives that it is now the norm, and I applaud her for it.

Farouk Ramzan ?

11/15/2018 10:00:04 am

The image's subject is a teenage girl. She has a pink towel wrapped around her head. There are many pink beauty products on the left of her. The shades of pink in the image vary. The flowers in the frame have a peach-pink shade. The towel is bright pink, her undershirt is light pastel pink, and some of the beauty products have a softer tone of pink. The subject's nose has a red shade to it. As the subject stares into her hand mirror, the image reflects from the larger mirror causing it to look like the subject is staring at you. The mirror on the left is reflecting her left side. The lighting is unnatural as an external source of light was used.
The image is using the rule of thirds as the subject is on the right side of the photo. The image has a relatively deep depth of field. The focal point is the towel on top of the subject. The soft and crisp blue on the subject's jeans creates an excellent contrast with the bright and rich pink towel. The teal blue drawer also creates a pleasant contrast with the various pink/red accessories on top of the drawer. The theme of contrast continues as the ceiling, and the wall has excellent contrast and so does the bed behind the subject. The lighting in the image brings the colors to life.
The lines are significant in this image as they are carefully arranged. The lines on the teal drawer lead to the primary mirror. The slight crack in the wall and ceiling behind the big mirror lead to the big mirror. In the big mirror, the subject's two eyes can be seen and traced back to the subject her self. The wooden railings in the window lead to the main subject. The lines in the bed behind the subject also leads to her.
The image is exploring the identity of self-identity and how this girl feels conflicted about herself thus explaining the idea of multiple reflections. The various reflections symbolize different perspectives as she is juggling her judgment about herself. We can also assume that she doesn't feel happy with herself for how her physical appearance is. The insecurity of her appearance can explain all the different beauty supplies on the counter. The colors blue and pink are a constant theme in the image as the two colors compete to contrast. Pink can easily represent beauty, and this girl's idea of beauty as blue represents her soul and mind. Throughout the image, the two philosophies of physical and spiritual self-exist and contradict.
I love the image, as it is pleasing to look at and thought-provoking at the same time. The image's intrinsic details are very charming to stare at and examine. The colors are gorgeous and very well placed. The photograph is very successful. I am interested in seeing other works of the photographer.

Teresa lei

11/15/2018 03:29:32 pm

A lot are going on in the image. A girl is holding a mirror and standing in the middle of the room. The tone of the image is fairly neutral. There is a pink wall, a green dresser and green ceiling. In total there are three mirrors in the room. Besides the one the girl held in her hand, the largest one lands in the middle of the room, and it depicts the back of the girl. The other one, which is on the dresser, shows the side of the subject. There are various bottles of lotions and makeups’ on the dresser, which makes the scene seems pretty messy.

The rules of the third is used in the image. The main subject is depicted at the one third of the image. The image uses complementary colors, the pink and the green, which create a good contrast and is visually pleasing. The towel that she uses to dry her hair has a saturated color which drags the attention of the audiences. The way the mirrors are placed is also interesting, where they reflect several times and show different aspects of the girl’s face. The framing of an image is good cause three mirrors each dominate one third of the image and create a sense of space.

In this specific picture, a girl is being reflected in the mirror several times in her own room. She is looking at herself in the mirror. Due to her expression, she is judging herself. I think the author wants to depict a girl that is questioning her identity at this point in her life. The multiple mirrors made the image fascinating, in a way it shows that the girl wants to view herself differently.

The name of the series is called stories from a short street which directly connects to author’s own family and the street she grew up on. The whole series is more like a reflection of herself, her family and her life. They tell stories about who the family is, their relationship and interaction between each other. Unlike many photographs, the images are documentary. Her intention for the series is clear and determined.

I think this is a successful picture because it is visually pleasing. The author uses the contrast well and the composition creates a sense of space. To think about the content, I think it is also an interesting picture. She has an idea of depicting the story in the first place. The multiple aspects of girl definite bring a story into the image.

Sofia Galindo

11/16/2018 07:10:49 pm

In this photograph by Holly Andres from her body of work titles Stories From A Short Street. Holly Andres says that her collection is inspired by her growing up as the youngest of ten children in rural Montana. The siblings photographed in her collection are based off of her own family. In this particular picture, there is a teenage girl standing facing the camera holding a mirror while inspecting her face. There is a full-body mirror behind her that shows the reflection of the hand-held mirror, which is also showing the girls eyes and nose. In the left part of the photograph, there is a turquoise dresser with another mirror on it. Through this mirror, we can see the girl holding her mirror.
The teenage girl is wearing a cream colored sweater with simple patterns on it paired with baggy blue jeans. She has a bright pink towel wrapped around her hair that has light pink floral patterns on it. The mirror she is holding is circular with an intricate handle that has a flower bush printed in the middle of the circle. The turquoise dresser is extremely messy with many of it’s drawers partly open and many products clustered on top of the dresser. Every product on the dresser is a shade of pink. Above the dresser there are two paintings of flowers, the bigger one with a black cat and the smaller one with just flowers. Through the full-body mirror, the viewer is able to see part of the bunk bed with turquoise sheets.
The reflections of all the mirrors keeps the image very interesting and pleasing to look at. The rule of thirds is being used because the girl is standing at the right side of the image. The photographer had to set up the scene perfectly and make sure all the mirrors were hitting the right angles to be able to see everything we do in this image. The photograph has a large depth of field because there is no blurry spots in the entire image, even the bunk bed in the reflection of the full-body mirror. The focal point is the girl, however she is not framed by anything. The image is extremely asymmetrical because everything is very cluttered, cramped, and disorganized.
I believe the theme behind this photograph is that life can be viewed through many different perspectives. In every mirror in the image, you always see a different view of the girl or the room. The girl is seeing herself through many different perspectives and angles, which almost makes it seem like by looking in all the mirrors and having so many beauty products laying around, she is criticizing herself.
I have mixed feeling about this photograph. I like the use of all the reflections and different angles you can see of the girl. The time it must have taken to set up and arrange all the mirrors and angles must have taken a lot of time, which shows dedication to the image. However, the room was extremely clustered and very messy. I didn’t like the color scheme of the pink and turquoise because it seems very kiddish and clownish, which could have been the vibe that she was going for, but I don’t like it very much.

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Period 3 -- Critical Analysis #8

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