Period 4 -- Critical Analysis #5

10/16/2017

Today you will be writing about this image by artist Sian Davey. The photograph is from her body of work titled Looking For Alice. We will look at some images from this series and discuss it in class before you write.

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.

If you do not complete your analysis in class, you must finish it for homework before your next class on Wednesday, 10/18/17.

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

Andi Feik

10/16/2017 09:39:02 am

This is an image of a little girl sitting on a bed. On one half of the image there is a lot of shadows. On the other side there is a window and it is very bright. This image is using a lot of reds in the pillows, blankets, and curtains. The image bright on one side and dark on the other. In the image it’s a little girl sitting on a bed like she just woke up. She’s looking right into the camera and is not smiling. Her hair is messy like she just woke up and she is holding a blanket.
I think this image is pleasing to look at because it includes a lot of elements such as the bed, the girl, pillows, blankets, shadows, and highlights. The image was taken right in front of the girl at eye level. I would say that this image is using a medium depth of field because it’s a little blurred out but to where you can still see some of the details. The focal point is the girl sitting on the bed. The image is not really framed but to where it still looks even and to where it looks nice. This image has lines like the top of the bed and the window frame lines. On the edge of the image is the window, bed, and curtain. I don’t think that there is any negative space because it is still filled with details in the blankets and pillows.
The theme of the image is the little girl sitting on the bed. There is a really great story being told about Sian Davey’s daughter. Her daughter has down syndrome and was sick on that day. It looks like she just woke up from a nap. I think that the artist made this image because she wants to show that down syndrome is sad. I think this is a very nice image because this set of images shows this little girl’s life over time.
I like this image very much. I think that this whole set of image is really great because it shows the little girl’s life over time. This group of images also has a lot of meaning to Sian Davey because this is her life not just pictures that she took. I think this is a successful group of images because when you first look at it you just see a little girl but Sian Davey has a story behind this set of images.

Dylan Pegg link

10/16/2017 09:40:04 am

The picture shows a young child sitting on a couch, tangles in blankets, with a window behind her. It uses dark colors such as orange, brown, and tan. There are many shadows, with the only light coming through the window and hitting the subject directly. In the photo is a flower pot, a window shade, and a bunch of pillows and blankets. It looks like the girl is just getting up, not necessarily from sleep, but from laying down.
The photo seems like it clips in both the bright areas and some of the dark areas, but it is in focus and has a nice exposure. The girl is in the center of the image, and the picture is shot at her eye level. It has a shallow depth of field, with the flower pot on the window seal being out of focus. The picture is asymmetric, with one side being far darker than the other. You can’t see the entire couch, nor can you see the entire window or shade, but the girl is in it entirely.
The photo was shot while the subject was sick. The girl has down syndrome, but it shows she still deals with sickness, making her no different from anyone else. This challenges the belief that special needs children are extremely different. On a different note, I, along with many others, have been in the same circumstance before; chilling on the couch, covered in blankets when we’re sick. The photo is not only relatable, but also unique since it doesn’t have professional studio lighting and has such extreme contrast between the bright light and dark shadows.
I like the picture because it has a look to it that reminds me of family photos. It doesn’t seem artificial, which is quite nice. I think that it's successful because it is both relatable and tells an interesting story. I also like the colors in it, but it does seem a bit bleak and slightly depressing. Overall, I think the photo is nice, but it doesn’t have a professional tone, and instead seems like a family photo.

Catherine Clausewitz

10/16/2017 09:41:05 am

This image is of a little girl sitting on a couch. She looks like she just woke up because she has the lines on her legs from the sheets and her hair is very messy. She is wearing PJs that are white with little pink roses with leaves coming off some of the flowers. The PJs are long sleeves and look to have little pearl buttons or snaps as well as lace around the collar and the sleeves. Her face looks very tired and she has redness in her cheeks and nose. The little girl is the main focus in this image and the rest of the image besides the pillow has a little bit of a blur to it.
The main colors of this photo are very warm tones. The couch looks like a tribal print, the pillow has deep red roses on it, and the curtain is a burnt orange with gold trimming almost at the bottom. The plant that is also in the background looks to be rust color because it has died or is frozen. The sheets and blanket are very cool tones, the one blanket is more of an olive green with a black pattern on it white one pillow is a sea foam green and the other pillow is white with a pattern on it. The little girl also has a blanket with her that has the same pattern matches her PJs. When you look out the window it looks to be white with some tree branches so I assume it is winter time in this photo.
The lighting of this image is coming from the window behind the little girl. She isn’t facing the window so the light is reflecting off of something so it hits her face. You can see the light coming in through the curtains and it almost washes out part of her hair that isn’t around her face because her hair is reflecting the light. You can’t see anything to the left of the little girl besides the window because the shadow is so dark. I assume it’s the rest of the couch because there is a pillow. The main point f the image is the little girl because besides the window she is the only thing with light colors. She is also in the very middle of the image and it looks like the photographer the level with her when taking this image.
The main theme of the image is very warm and darker tones while the little girl is in white with bright pink roses. There is a story being told I just don’t exactly know what that story is. She looks like she has just woken up and is in that time period right after little kids wake up where they are kind of groggy and sleepy. The light in the photo is coming in from the window on the little girls right side and sort of behind her. I think the artist made this image because it is hard to capture a little kid just waking up and to have them looking at you. The image reminds me of when my sister first wakes up in the morning and her hair is a mess. I like this image a lot. I think there is something very innocent and kind about the image that you can only find in little kids.

Leon Toursarkissian link

10/16/2017 09:41:48 am

This image is of a young girl, around one year old, sitting on a couch while tangled in blankets, in front of a window and some curtains. The image is using very dull, dark, and almost depressing colors, such as crimson, yellow, white, and gray. The lighting in the image is very bright on the right side due to window light but it is very dark on the left because there are curtains that are blocking out the light. The objects in the image include a young girl that has crazy hair and a red face and may have a fever, blankets, a floral pillow, a couch with a tribal design, windows, pink flowers, and a curtain. In this image the young girl is staring at the camera directly with a semi-shocked look on her face, while sitting on a couch with a window behind her, and she appears to be tangled up in multiple blankets.
The composition of the image works well together because of the way the colors work well together, and the semi-dull lighting of it that blends in well with the colors, making it very pleasing to look at. The rule of thirds is not being used because the girl is situated in the middle of the image and not on one of the imaginary thirds lines. The image was taken from a point of view that was directly in front of the girl, at a very straight angle. A shallow depth of field is being used since some of the objects, like the flowers, in the background are very blurry while everything in the foreground is very sharp. The focal point of the image is the little girl because it is the focus of attention. The focal point is framed by blankets, the edge of the sofa and the curtains. The lines in the image are scattered all over the place and lead your eyes in random directions that don’t seem to attract attention to any given object. The image is not balanced nor symmetrical because the lighting on each side of the image is not the same as the other and on one side of the image there is a window and on the other side there are curtains. There is a lot of extra space in the image because the subject only takes up a bit of the frame. At the edge of the image there are blankets, a pillow, a window and curtains. In the image the girl is the positive space and everything around her is the negative space.
The theme and or idea of the image is that there is a girl that was unfortunately born with down syndrome and is having trouble being loved by her family and her mother is wanting to make her part of them through photography. The story in it is of the little girl and her journey so far in life with her family. The artist’s intention when making this image was to help herself accept her daughter into the family because she thought that she was different from the rest of them. The image does not remind me or someone or something that I know and or remember. The image does not question any beliefs in any form. I think that the image is interesting because of the story it is telling and the way it is being told through photography.
I personally don’t really like this image mainly because the colors it is using give it a very dull and depressing feeling despite all of the light coming in. I also do not like how one side of the image is very dull yet one side it bright, which also causes clipping in the window. To add to that I don’t like how the top portion of the image seems very empty while the bottom seems very busy, almost chaotic. I think the photo is successful because it tells a very broad story in it, and actually has meaning. I also think that since it tells that story about the girl it has gained a better reputation.

Chase Blackwell

10/16/2017 09:42:01 am

The image is of a baby girl with down-syndrome named Alice who is the center of the photograph. The image has a very warm color palette, and the image overall has a very warm temperature. She is sitting in the middle of a bed, and the sheets are ruffled around her. The main lighting source is the window in the background, which casts a shadow across her face ever so slightly. The Window is in the upper-righthand corner, and the light of the window is shining on the right half of the photo, but is blocked by a curtain on the left half of the photo.
In the image, the photographer ignores the Rule of thirds in favor of placing Alice in the middle of the frame. The rule of thirds is designed to produce more pleasing images, but this image set is designed to make the viewer uncomfortable. The depth of field is relatively shallow with Alice being in focus, but everything even a few feet behind her is fuzzy. Photo is filled with lines, from the back of the sofa that your eye follow from left to right, to the edge of the curtain that draws the light vs. dark line down the middle of the photograph. Alice, for the most part, fills the frame, but there are a few other things in it like pillows and a flowerpot.
The theme of this photo is “comfort and discomfort”.The Photographer took this photo in a series that was designed to draw attention to the fact that most babies with genetic defects are terminated early. By ignoring the rule of thirds, she forces the viewer to be discomforted, popping their bubble of ignorance. She then counters this by making the rest of the image beutiful with strong contrast between the dark and light half of the photo and the warm temperature of the photo. This allows sympathy to be created in the viewer so that the unsettledness of the image doesn’t translate into unsettledness at Alice.
Personally, I believe the image is very successful at making the viewer think. By presenting Alice in this way, she is bringing attention to all of the other down-syndrome babies that were terminated early and how they never received a chance at life. Personally, I don’t like the image due not to subject matter, but rather the composition choices. I’m personally not a fan of the dull colors in the photo, and I think it falls into the “slightly too warm” category. I also think that the back-lighting from the window causes her face to be too dark to the point you can't distinguish her pupils from iris, causing the disturbing factor to rise.

Kaitlyn Evans

10/16/2017 09:46:06 am

Kaitlyn Evans

10/16/17

Critical analysis #5

In this photograph there is young girl maybe around 4 or 5. She is sitting on a bed surrounded by pillows and blankets. There is a curtain and a window behind her that has flowers sitting on the window sill. The colors in this image are red, grey and white, they are being used because it is a dark room and it creates shadows but when the sunlight comes in, it makes a light on the girl so we can see her. The lighting in this image are dark shadows and bright sunlight. The objects in this photo is a girl named alice who looks like she just woke up and she is still in her pajamas, and her hair is messy. In this image, alice is just waking up.
Yes the composition is pleasing to look at because you have a mixture of bright light and dark shadows. In this image the rule of thirds is being used because the girl is right in the middle. The point of view is from straight ahead because the photographer is standing right in front of alice. The photographer took this from a deep depth of field. The lines in this image are from the curtain and the window which direct our eyes on alice. The subject does not fill the frame there is still extra room in the background. At the edge of this image that is not shown there is probably more bed. The positive space is of alice and the negative space is the background.
The story in this image is of a young girl named Alice who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Her mom was very worried with having a child with down syndrome, it was hard for her to love her but as she started photographing pictures of alice, she grew to love her. The artist wanted to show that it’s okay to be different because in the end we are all the same. I think this image is beautiful because there’s a nice story about it and some parents are scared to show off pictures of their kids when there is something different about them. So it was nice that her mom decided to go public with the photos and show off her daughter alice.
I really like this image because it’s kind of sad but amazing at the same time. It’s beautiful how alice and her mom grew closer through photography. It really makes people have feelings and other parents who are going through the same thing should be happy that someone is showing pictures of how people with down syndrome are the same and normal just like everyone else. This image is successful because the photographer showed us how people with down syndrome act just like everyone else and that they don’t look different in photographs. They look the same just like how any other kid would look in an image.

melody umsted

10/16/2017 09:46:59 am

This image is a portrait of a young girl with down syndrome. She is wearing her pajamas, which are white with little pink flowers. The girl is on a couch with pillows and blankets; it looks like she has been sleeping there. Behind the couch is a window with a curtain pulled in front of half of it. There is a small flower box on the windowsill. The blanket is grey, and the curtain, couch pillow, and couch design all have red and orange colors. The lights are off inside and the light in the photo is coming from the early morning or evening sun outside.
The portrait is pleasing to look at because the blankets on the couch look very comfy and the sunlight is inviting. The child is centered in the image and she is looking into the camera. The depth of field is shallow because only the girl is in focus. She does not fill the frame. In the image, part of the couch and window are cut off. The point of view is even with the girl on the couch.
Sian Davey took on this project because she wanted to fall in love with her child. She published this series because she wanted other people to realize that it is not differences, but similarities between humans that bring people together; her daughter is a human and equal to every other human. My second grade teacher has a daughter with down syndrome, and I have known the girl since I met my teacher in second grade. This image reminds me of the girl I know and the memories I have with her. The portrait is beautiful not only because of the nice photography, but also the story behind it.
I like this image because in a way, I can relate to it; I can feel it. Because I am close to a girl with down syndrome, I understand why Sian Davey would do this series. People with down syndrome are not dumb. They are not mean, or ugly, or anything else people might call them. These people are human beings just as much as any other human, and just because they might look or act differently than a “normal” person doesn't mean they are less. Alice is a beautiful person. I like that the artist did this project.

Pedro Mejido link

10/16/2017 09:47:52 am

The picture is of a little girl with white and pink pajamas sitting on what looks like a bed with grey blankets in around 11 to 12 o'clock, the light from outside the window is the only light source the image uses. The image uses really dark shadows and really bright light, probably clipping, the photo uses a shallow depth of field to focus on the little girl and the girl is in the center of the image. The photo does leave out the rest of the bed and the couch next to it. The story of the image is that the little girl called Alice who has down syndrome and the mother/photographer, Sian Davey, uses photography to cope with the anxiety of raising a child with down syndrome. The photo mainly focuses on the Alice and the image is noteworthy because of how the picture is taken with really dark shadows and really bright light and the context behind the image. I like the photo I think it looks pleasant and it gets you thinking about Alice and how raising her must be like. The photograph is successful because it catches my attention to the Alice and it gets me thinking.

Adriana Vazquez

10/16/2017 09:49:02 am

The image is of Alice, the daughter of Sia Davey the photographer that has down syndrome.
She's sitting on a couch with her sleeping clothes on and some blankets. There is a curtain, some flowers, a pillow and what looks like the frame of the couch as a background. It looks like if the little girl is sick. There are very dark colors and very dark shadows also. They are using this colors to give us a weird and sad feeling about the picture.

The rule of thirds is being used, the little girl is in the center and is the main object of the picture. The photographer took the picture from a low point, it might have happened that the photographer was on her knees when she took the picture. There is not a deep depth of field being used, the background is not focused, only the little girl and the blankets are. I would say that this picture is Symmetrical, there really isn't any space in the image that is not filled out by an object. The upper corners of the image crop off the window and the curtain that make the background. The lower corners are cropping off the blankets that the girl is using to cover herself. The negative space is the dark shadow at the left side, the positive space is the light coming by the window, which is the only light in the picture.
The photographer’s intention is to show the society that any girl or boy that has down syndrome or any kind of syndrome. She did a series of photographies of her daughter so she can show that she is accepting her as how she is no matter what, she is family and she should love her. This image reminds me of a little boy that I consider my brother. He is 8 years old and has down syndrome, he is part of a family that my family knows over 11 years now. He is always full of happiness,smiling and sometimes causing trouble. But his family gives him love and accepts him no matter what.
I really like the intention of the image, but I don't really like the colors that they are using. I think they should have used brighter colors because it will show that the little girl is happy. The photograph is successful.

Julieta Vazquez Martinez

10/16/2017 09:53:59 am

Sian’s daughter, Alice, is the subject of this image, the image itself is a portrait of her. Alice is looking straight up to the camera with her mouth open, she is in the center of the image, sitting on a big blanket (with which her hands are busy), that is laying on a couch probably. Her hair is short and dark blonde, she is wearing white pajamas with little pink roses all over it. Her PJs patch with a pillow in the back left side of the image, and the couch matches with the dark orange curtain that is right behind Alice on the left side. In the right side, we see white old-style windows and a little flower pot. Davey is using the light coming from the window for the image.

I do not believe that the composition is pleasing to look at because of the contrast that is uses. The rule of thirds is not being used since the image is as already said, a portrait of the subject. The point of view from which the image was taken is the same as the girl’s view, it is an eye-level point of view. The focal point of view is the girl and is not being framed by anything. A shallow depth of field is being used and the lines from the curtain and the couch direct the eye to the subject. The image is asymmetrical and the subject fills in the space enough.

Like all the images from this series of photos from this photographer, the theme is the daughter and how she used to reject her because she was different, but then through taking these photos she realized that there is beauty in her too. I do not feel like there is a story being told in the image, since Alice is looking straight up and her hands are busy with something else, and this gives it an effect of that Alice was doing whatever and then her mom simply called her up to take the picture, but nothing deeper than that. This image, and Alice herself reminds me of my little cousin, Ivan, he was also born with down syndrome. I dp npt think the image is beautiful because of the contrast. However, I do believe that we are able to appreciate more Alice’s beautiful face in it.

I do not like it. As I already said, the composition and arrangement of the colors could have been done better. Since children, especially those with down syndrome symbolize purity and happiness. The colors that are being used are too dark for the theme I believe. When I look at Alice gives me a feeling of peace and innocence, but when I look at the color it gives me a feeling of oldness, of seriousness, of something that does not match with Alice.

Mikaela Mumme

10/16/2017 11:50:23 am

This image is of a young girl standing on a fence looking out to a open field. The way the trees around her are shaped look like they are almost consuming her. The image uses warm colors on the subject and cooler colors around the subject. The photo is well lit and uses all natural lighting from outside. This image looks like it could have been staged but it might have not been.

This image is pleasing to look at the lighting is set with a natural neutral tone making the image appealing. The photo has a deep depth of field allowing you to see all the foreground and far into the background of the field and little girl. The photographer took this image flat footed letting us see exactly what she saw from her view. The focus of the image is the girl on the fence and all the trees surrounding her. This frames the focus of the picture and also helps tell the narrative perspective of this photo.

The photo can be viewed unclear and vague by having a simple setting but tells a deeper story. The image can tell a story of being held back in barriers and not really being let go. By not being able to have your own freedom to leave this boundary you are stuck in maybe it rises a conflict in takes a toll on your emotions. When I look at this image I see a girl standing on a fence who wants to get out and be free but can not due to this boundary she is being held back by. Maybe the reason she does not have the courage to cross the boundary is because of all the problems and emotions that consume her which the leaves and plants can represent.

I think this image is successful. I love the story it tells and how it really makes you think and ponder on your emotion towards the photo. The image is also good quality with a perfect exposure and clear view of everything. The image does a good job with using its frames to tell the story which I also find neat and adds to the success of this image. I personally really do like the photograph and like it’s uniqueness.

Estefan link

10/17/2017 04:41:20 pm

The image is of a girl looking into the camera in a messy room. There is a window shining light on her. She is sitting on a bed that is a bit messy. The photograph is using very neutral colors like white and sandy colors and light grey. The middle of the photo is getting lit by the window and everything else is dark. There is a small girl in the middle and a window. A bed, Some flowers and a bed. The girl is looking at the camera.
The picture is pleasing looks pleasing because the middle is focused and is pleasing because everything else is on the side and is eye pleasing. The rule of thirds is being used because there is a potted plant in the back which alines with the subject. The photographer took this picture as if a person would see the baby eye to eye. There is a shallow depth of field being used. The image is balanced because everything is symmetrical. There is a bit of extra space at both ends of the photo. The image crops out a bit off the window. The positive space is the baby in the middle of the photo. The negative space is the stuff at the ends of the photo.
I think some of the themes in this photo are loneliness and being abandoned. I think what the photo is saying is the parent is leaving the girl and the girl looks in sadness. I think the artist intention was to show that emotion can be expressed through facial expression. This reminds me of the original texas chainsaw massacre. This image is interesting.
I do not like this photo because it a sad vibe to it. This photo is successful because i think it portrays what the photographer was trying to convey in this image.

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Period 4 -- Critical Analysis #5

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