Period 4 -- Critical Analysis #4

11/15/2019

Today you will be writing about this self-portrait image by Japanese artist Natsumi Hayashi.

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.

If you do not complete your analysis in class, you must finish it by midnight tonight.

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

Some things to consider:

What steps might the artist have had to take to make this photograph happen? Do you think this would be a simple or difficult image to create?
What does the perspective that this was taken from suggest about the artist?
A self-portrait tells us something about the person being photographed. What do you think this artist wants us to take away from her photograph?

11 Comments

Diego

11/15/2019 09:29:00 am

Critical analysis

In this picture you can see what looks to be a cloth fabric, somewhere in the world, the name of the artist sounds chinesse so, the picture could have been taken somewhere in Asia.
You can see a girl floating in the middle of two workstations with people doing their jobs,
She looks like if she were inspecting something in the cloths.

The background of the picture, shows the same thing, people working on their workstations,
All the women in the picture are all wearing the same clothing, and most of them are quiet.
I like the exposure and the lighting of the image because it is bright and somewhat colorful.
The image centers mostly in the girl floating, and it starts to blur on the people in the background.

In the beginning of the year we talked about that most pictures have lines that direct the attention of the image, in this image, I think the lines are the edge of both tables that are beside the floating girl, and stops right on the back set of tables.

I think the image took some time to arrange all of the people and the props they used for the background and in the front, the effect that the girl is floating, they used wires and strapped her to them, they raised her up with the wires and took the picture, that could’ve taken some time to take.

I like this image because it is different from what we have seen and made analysis of, the tone of the image is bright and colorful, in comparison to the one with the girl in the cafe, that image was sad but this one, the colors are bright and doesn’t have much fade in the corners to make it seem like a dark picture.

Zac Isaac

11/15/2019 09:31:40 am

In this photo, there is a woman that looks like she is jumping in the air. It looks like she is in a sewing factory. The colors are like a light bluish color. She looks like she is watching the people working. She looks like she floats in the air watching everyone.

In the photo, the rule of thirds is being used. She is in the middle of the photo. The photo has a small depth of field. It blurs the background so the people looking at the photo can concentrate at the main person in the photo. What direct my eye are the lines on the top of the image.

The image is very interesting in its own way. It is something that stands out while looking at photos. This photo can challenge the belief that you can't float on earth. It reminds me of when people float in outer space. It is a very interesting photo.

I like is. It really makes you think and wonder how she took the photo. I think that the photo is successful. It is very different than other photos. It makes the person looking at the photo.

Some steps the author might take to make the photo is to use a tripod. The tripod can help stabilize the photo. The author might need to get a remote to take the photo as well. The artist might have taken the photo to make people think about how she could’ve taken the photo. It really makes people think.

George Welch

11/15/2019 09:34:59 am

This photo says a lot to me. Right off the bat, it looks like she is in a factory in Japan. She has a very sharp focus on herself and looks like she is looking over a worker’s shoulder. The lighting in the photo is very bright and uses a lot of colors in the image too. If I had to guess, it looks like this is in a factory that makes clothes.
Onto the composition of the image. The rule of thirds doesn’t seem to be used because she is floating in the middle of the picture. It also looks to have a very shallow depth of field because the focus is on Natsumi Hayashi and a lot of the background is blurred out. In the image, it doesn’t seem to be blocking anything out on the sides. Also, the subject doesn’t seem to be filling up all the space in the image.
I think that the lines of the image are where you look at the subject and then work your way around her. The clothes the people around her are wearing also show that they all work for a big company. Natsumi Hayashi looks like she is also wearing that uniform. She herself doesn’t work for that company. Also, in the background (he’s blurred out), there looks to be a man who is supervising everyone and making sure the workers are on task. He is staring at her, probably because she isn’t working like everyone around her. Another thing I noticed is that everyone around her is wearing a mask except her.
To make this photo, I think it might have taken a while to get it right. They way she is positioned and how sharp she is in the image looks like it took a few tries to get down correctly. As for the artist, I think it expresses that she is different from the world as she is the only one who isn’t working or is on task. I think this photo also expresses herself in the sense that she’s trying to reach out to a worker on her left. She also doesn’t seem to care that she is probably being looked at strangely for making this picture.
Overall, I like this picture. I think it looks very pleasing to look at. It has a very sharp focus and looks very unique. I think it does a very good job in expressing the artist. Also, I think it did very well in looking how the artist wanted it to look.

Kurt

11/15/2019 09:36:01 am

The image is of a woman who is levitating nd appears to be checking out the workers who are making clothing. The colors are bright using blue and pink and white. It plays on an irony which is that these workers, who are sweating and working hard, and are enduring hardships, are placed in this bright environment. The lighting is bright using studio lights and overhead lights to illuminate the subject. There are sewing kits, tables, lights, and workers, all of whom are women.

The composition is pleasing to look at using a combination of bright colors, and colors that generally fit well together to produce something that’s easy on the eyes. The rule of thirds is really not being used as the subject is centered in the middle of the frame. The depth of field is shallow with the subject being focused and the rest of the objects behind her left blurry. The focal point is framed through the use of objects in the photograph that provide natural lines or barriers around the subject. The edge of the tables act as the frame in this photo. The image itself is very balanced and symmetrical. The subject or subjects do fill the frame.

The image seems to draw attention to the labor system in Asian countries that require workers to sit down and work for hours on end with no breaks or proper treatment. The girl in the photo seems to be outside the workers plain of existence and is just observing these people in a time and space outside their own. The image reminds me of the movie Blade Runner in the beginning with all the cubicle.

I do like the photograph. It think it shows most western viewers a world they are not familiar with and brings light to the labor system in most Asian countries. I also like the blend of colors an irony in the happy colors portraying something rather gloomy and depressing. It think for what the artist was trying to do the photograph was very successful.

The artists to create this image probably took a picture of herself like she was in this photo and then of the sweatshop. She then composited the image together. This would be a rather hard image to create. I think the artists wants us to be aware of the labor system in China or some other Asian country.

M.J. Ervin

11/15/2019 09:46:02 am

This image is of a girl the is floating and giving help to somebody that is working. The colors are light and their arent a lot of darks in the image. The lighting is bright and not a lot of darkness is in the image. The image includes a girl that is floating and a bunch of kids that are sewing in the background. In the image the girl is floating in the center while everybody is working around her.

The image is pleasing to look at, it's very chill and calm. The rule of thirds isn't being used in this image she is in the center of the frame. The image seems to be shot around eye level from where the person is standing if not higher and facing the people in the image. Depth of field is being used, the front of the image is nice and clear then the further you go back the more blurry it gets. This image is very balanced its symmetrical. The subject doesn't fill the frame but it is filled by others that are apart of the image. The image only really cuts of more people working but it would get really weird if you were to make the subject smaller by letting others in. their isn't like any negative space in this image. The image has a lot of bright colors then dark colors.

In this image idk if there is much of a theme but I mean I guess their could be one. The image doesn't seem to have a story but their could possibly be one, all i see is the teacher i assume floating while helping somebody. I'm not sure why she made this image but i don't get the reasoning. This image doesn't really remind me of anything it just makes me kinda confused but it doesn't remind me of anything. Um I don't think this image shows any type of belief or assumption but it's a nice photo. The image is beautiful and really cool to look at.

So this image not saying that I hate it I just don't understand it. It's a very cool and nice image im just confused when I look at it. This image looks successful but the story behind it I believe is kinda unsuccessful because its a very weird stories to add together. So overall the image is cool but the story on why they did this I don't get.

The steps it probably took to create this image were probably first taking the image of the whole room working without the girl in the shot. Then they might have taken the same picture with the girl in the air. Then they put the picture of the girl and mask it and put it on top of the other layer. The image was probably taken from the angle because who would want to see the back of people's heads and probably because it looked the most pleasing if it was symmetrical then if it isn't symmetrical. I honestly don't know what they were trying to get across with this image, im very confused about this image but maybe because she is above everybody like she watching over them to guide them but i'm not sure.

Anaya Zachery

11/15/2019 09:46:53 am

This self portrait by Natsumi Hayashi depicts a factory of some sort, with women at stations sewing. They all are wearing a company uniform, and are heavily engrossed in their work. In fact, the only thing out of place in the image is the lady in front that appears to be floating, with her hand outstretched toward another woman sitting at a station. The lighting of the photo is a mixture of natural light and the fluorescent lighting from the factory. The colors are all pretty soft, with the whites, pinks, and occasional green. This allows the skirt that the lady is wearing to really stand out against the softer background.

I think that this image is very pleasing to look at, particularly because of the color scheme being used. I find the soft colors appealing, and the contrast between these colors and the black and white pattern of the woman’s skirt draws the viewer's attention to her. The frame of the image is almost completely filled by the other women working. The depth of field is quite shallow, as the only things in focus are the levitating lady and the two workers next to her. The focal point is definitely the lady in front, as it is her self portrait, and she clearly stands out against the other women working in the factory.

As we know, Hayashi created this as a self portrait, so it was intended to be a form of self expression. The photo seems very feminine, with the light colors, the absence of men in the photo, and the delicate positioning of the subject. Even the company that they are working for is a manufacturer of women's clothing. As far as the story being told in the image, I think that Hayashi is trying to convey the monotony of everyday life, and how distracting this can be from the wonders of life. In this photo everyone is dressed the same, and is doing the same task. We can imagine that this is the way it is everyday. The other workers are so distracted by their task, that they don’t even notice when someone is literally flying right in front of them. It seems as though Hayashi is reaching out toward the other worker, hoping to burst the bubble that separates her from experiencing more than just her daily routine, but the worker remains oblivious to this and continues to be engrossed in her work.

I do enjoy this image. The colors make it visually appealing and nice to look at. I think that it is very creative, and draws the audience to ask questions about what is going on. I think that it is a successful photograph, and as a self portrait, did a good job of revealing a deeper part of Hayashi than would probably be shown in her day to day life. I would definitely like to see more of her work.

It seems like this image would have been kind of difficult to make, judging from the many elements going on it. First of all, she would have needed to get everyone working to ignore her. Then she would have needed to either jump, or edit the photo in such a way that it looks as though she is floating. The photo is very intentional; you can see that even her hand placement was carefully thought out. I think this photograph required great attention to detail, which, while difficult, helped to make it that much better.

Garrett Greiner

11/15/2019 09:47:02 am

This image is taken in what appears to be a factory that produces a product made out of cloth. There is a big room that is filled with tables equipped with sewing machines and different shades of pink things. At each table, there is someone sitting and working. Most of them seem to be women. In the first row seen in the image, there is a woman levitating in the air, watching one of the workers do their job. There is a grid hanging from the ceiling that supplies the power for the worker’s machines. There is a lot of white, pink, and blue in this image.

I think the image is pleasing to look at, as having the main subject of the image levitate is pretty cool. It isn’t something you see all of the time, and when done right, it looks amazing. I like the use of shallow depth of field here, as it makes the subject stand out more, and the viewer already knows what it would look like further in the back, since it is a factory and that means more stations. I think that having the main subject centered in the frame is better than using the rule of thirds in this case, as there is so much going on in the photo, and having the main subject in the middle makes it easier to see what it is. Also, the photographer can use the subject’s surroundings to draw the viewer’s attention towards the center. The grid that supplies power serves as a line to direct your attention across the image. I feel like the work stations themselves make lines that sort of draw your attention to one side of the screen, to the next line, and then back to the other side. The image is very balanced and symmetrical, because they designed the plans to maximize the number of stations they could fit into the building. The number of stations and people on her left is equal to the number of stations and people on her right. Since all the stations are standardized, the color balance is balanced as well.

I think the main theme of this image is uniformity, and how it can be dull. The workers at the factory all wear the same clothes, do the same tasks, and everything about this factory is very uniform. I think the image shows how monotonous these workers’ lives truly are. I think the reason why the artist used the technique of levitation in this image was to contrast this dullness with something very different and unusual. Making her levitating in the air as everyone else around her is just doing the same thing was a very good choice, and it helps get the message out. I think the artist wanted to show the world what goes on in the factories that produce the things we buy, wear, or use on a daily basis.

I really like this image. The colors used are pleasing to the eye. I like how they used shallow depth of field and the technique to make a person appear to be levitating. I really like images that have symmetry in both color and substance, which is another reason why I like this image. As discussed in the previous paragraph, I think the artist’s choice of making the main subject appear to levitate was integral to the image’s success. It is a really clean photo and it is very nice.

I think that this image was harder to take than your typical image. Since this is a factory, and they want to maximize their production, there was probably another workstation in real life where the main subject levitates. This means that they would have had to edit that out in this image. They would have also had to take a photo of themselves separately, and then superimpose that image onto the image of the factory. Having to take multiple photos at different locations, and use all of them to make one photo takes more work than being able to do everything at once in one location. I think that this is the only way that the artist would be able to produce this photo, as other methods I thought about would not be able to be carried out since the setting of the photo was in a factory. The artist could have possibly been doing that same job as all of the other workers before she was able to make a living as a photographer, or maybe she does photography on the side, but the latter is unlikely. I think that the artist wants us to know that even though we may see ourselves as “above” literally and figuratively in this case, these workers are still humans, and we are no different from them (which is why she appears in this room as well). I think that she wants us to see what’s behind the scenes, and acknowledge the fact that these people work hard, for low wages, to make the things we use daily, and we should think about that more and what we could do to change that. To help these workers break out of the monotonous lives they live and levitate like the artist.

Ryan Shields

11/15/2019 09:48:48 am

In this image the artist is floating above factory workers in a sewing shop. All the workers appear to be sewing some sort of pink clothing and a couple of them have masks on. Some colors that it’s using are a mint green color, light pink, and lots of white. The image is very bright with lots of light, and almost no shadows. Some objects included in the image are desks, sewing machines, lights, a white board, and all sorts of wires. There are lots of people in this image and they appear to be in a huge room. Some things that are happening in this image are, workers making some sort of pink clothing, a guy in the background next to a white board looking at a clipboard, and the artist floating looking down on one of the workers.

The image is pleasing to look at because it’s cool to see someone floating. The rule of thirds is being used, and the photographer took the image looking to the side of her. A shallow depth of field is being used and the focal point is on the floating lady. The image isn’t framed and there are lines in the picture. The lines are the edge lines of the front tables and they direct your eye from side to side. The image is balanced and mostly symmetrical expect for the white board that’s on the right side of the image. The subject does not fill the frame, but there isn’t a whole lot of empty or extra space because the rest of the image is filled with factory workers sewing pink stuff. At the top edges of the image there are windows letting in sunlight, on the sides there are people and desks, and at the bottom there is the mint green floor. The image does leave some things cropped out like part of the white board, some desks, and some people. Almost everything is positive space because everything is so light and bright, the only negative space I can see are some shadows and people’s dark hair.

A theme in the image would definitely be bright and light colors. I don’t think a story is being told. The image doesn't really remind me of anything. The image also doesn’t question any of my beliefs or assumptions. The image is interesting because there’s someone floating in it.

I like the image because I think it’s interesting, it’s not everyday you see a picture of a person floating. I think the photographer was successful in their image because it attracts people's attention, and it looks good.

Some steps the photographer could have taken to make this image could have been setting a high shutter speed to get a good picture of her in mid jump, making it look like she is floating. I think that because she needs such a high shutter speed to do this she needed to make the room very bright to have a good exposure and that’s why the image is so bright. I think the image was relatively hard to make. The perspective of the image makes it look like she’s looking down on the workers and I think that it suggests that she cares for the workers in the building. I think the artist wants us to care for people.

Nathan Bond

11/15/2019 09:50:21 am

There is a skinny Japanese woman levitating in what looks like a lab. The woman has black long hair, pale skin, a white button-up shirt on, a striped skirt that is black and white like a zebra, and blue tennis shoes on. There are people all around her making clothes in what first looked like a lab but is actually a clothing company’s workshop. They all have fabric making machines with pink fabric coming out of them or on their desks. Some of the people have masks on to prevent sickness.

All the people we can see look Japanese. They are all wearing button-up white t-shirts like the girl floating. By there desks, the all have little trays with what looks like string. Above them are horizontal poles in the air that have string or a wire coming off them going to every desk. The background is blurred but there looks like a ton of people in the warehouse.

The girl that is levitating is looking at a worker to her right. The girl seems like she is about to reach her hand out to touch her. It seems none of the people can see her and she is like a ghost. She probably took this photo because this was a dream that she had. She is wearing the same clothes as them so maybe she is a worker there.

I have had a dream about being a ghost like this, where no one could see me and I tried to talk or touch someone to get there attention. Dreams have meaning, for her since she is probably a worker there maybe she doesn’t feel like she is noticed while being surrounded by all those people and being a ghost symbolizes that. She is probably trying to get their attention but she can’t because she is invisible to them in the dream and in real life. This picture is pleasing to look at because it’s interesting and I can come up with a story for it. This image is noteworthy.

The rule of thirds is not used because the subject is in the middle. The things that direct my eye are first the levitating girl, then the people beside her, then to the others behind them and then to the blurred part of the picture which looks like there are tons of people behind them also working. The whole picture is pretty bright more the top half than the bottom half. The subject doesn’t fill the frame there is extra space. The positive space is in the top half and negative in the bottom. This image is successful because it makes me think.

Elise Miles

11/15/2019 12:27:02 pm

The image is of Natsumi Hayashi floating in a clothing factory with many Korean seamstresses. There are many pinks, whites, and mint greens in the image. The lighting is very bright. The objects in the image are many tables, pink cloths, seamstresses, and sewing machines. Natsumi Hayashi is floating near one seamstress looking over her like she is about to touch her.

The rule of thirds is not being used in this photograph as in the subject is in the center of the image. The point of view is a little higher than eye level of the seamstresses. The depth of view is sort of shallow because you can see the subject and everyone close to her but you can’t see the people in the background. The focal point of the image is the woman floating in the middle of the factory. The lines in the photo are the tables all lined up seeming to lead the subject. The image is balanced because it all seeming be very proportional. There is extra space around the subject as she is in only a small part of the image. At the edge of the image is all the tables of seamstresses in the factory.

The theme in this photo is factory workers and how focused they are. I assume the story behind this image is that photographer is concerned about the factory workers and how much they are working. The reason why the photographer made the image is to show everybody how unsafe and bad factories are for people. This image reminds me of a picture of child factory workers and how depressed they were. This image challenges the belief of if factories are good or not. The image is interesting in that it looks as if the artist is a spirit trying to get one of the factory worker’s attention, definitely good if you wanted to shoot pictures against factories.

I like and hate the picture in that it makes me feel a mix of emotions. I don’t like it showing all the women working and not noticing anything at all. I think it’s pretty cool in that Natsumi Hayashi was able to float like that. It looks as if she is a spirit looking at all the women worriedly in that she’s concerned about them. Especially the one she’s about to touch as if she knows that woman is worried about her.

The photo is successful in that it really displays the message I assume the photographer is trying to display. This photo would be really successful for a report or news article against factories. One way the photo might not be successful is if the factory workers actually like their work. But it is in modern times so many people don’t work at factories, it’s mostly just machines nowadays. The photo is also successful because it is very clear and crisp and the viewers can clearly see the subject and people around her.

dana s

12/13/2019 09:45:32 am

The image portrayed in Natsumi Hayashi’s photograph is a very unique type of picture. These types of pictures aren’t common, or I just haven’t seen many of them like this. There is a woman floating on what looks like a factory. While the women work, the main subject is floating and seeing what everyone else is doing. The colors that are being used in this photograph make the theme of the overall image be futuristic.
There are many women surrounding the main subject. However, the artist made sure to take the picture with the subject in the center and in the front. Since she is floating, it is interesting how the artist put the main subject in the center instead of putting her to the side or even more above off the ground than she is now. The colors in the image are very neon-like and although there is a variety of them, I still feel like they contrast together. They all are either white, green, yellow or different shades of pink. The image is very consistent in how the people and colors are placed.
There is a lot of extra space surrounding the main subject but I believe that the artist did this on purpose, to say something about the background or the people surrounding the main subject. I believe that the image is balanced and well contrasted due to the different shades in color and how bright it is. It is very eye catching and makes you wonder a lot. Especially how the subject is placed in between the two desks that are separated from one another. All the rows behind her are straight and do not break.
I believe that the artist tried to make the subject stand out in the workplace and maybe even mean that we all have different ideas and that sometimes we feel out of place. Maybe the floating woman feels out place and thinks that she does not belong. Or maybe she was placed there to supervise or advise the others. If this is a factory, it doesn’t look like a normal one due to the different colors and advancements that it has. Most factories that we look at don’t look as bright or colorful.
I do not like this photograph just because I don’t see a good story behind it. I prefer images that have more dark shades and less bright colors. I also do not like the way that she is floating. We could say many things about how she feels but she looks happy or at least content, therefore she would not be feeling out of place. The colors in this image throw me off and it’s an image that’s not as pleasant to look at.

Period 4 -- Critical Analysis #4

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