Period 5 -- Critical Analysis #18

4/13/2018

Today you will be writing about an image from artist McNair Evans' series Confessions For A Son.

Write 4 paragraphs, 5 sentences minimum per paragraph. Remember, refer to your "How to See" handout for analyzing a photograph--Your analyses will be graded on:

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

Read the Project Statement before you write:

Summary
Confessions for a Son juxtaposes photographs I made in 2010 and 2011 concerning the lasting psychological landscape of my fathers legacy with images taken by him roughly 40 years ago to explore a complex relationship between father and son and the disappearance of an American, agrarian way of life.

Statement
There was no man that my father admired more than his father, and no one his father admired more than the man who raised him. With tenderness of heart and warm humor my father met everyone as his equal.

Upon his death in November 2000, I was exposed to our family businesses insolvency. Dad faced a series of devastating fires, bad crops, perpetual over-extension and high-interest loans. Five generations of familial and financial stability fractured. While the economic effects were immediately obvious, the emotional implications lingered beneath the surface for nine years.

In 2010 I returned home to photograph the lasting psychological landscape of Dad’s legacy. Retracing my father’s life, I used photography to comprehend its events. Visiting the farms where we hunted, his college dorm rooms, and his oldest friends, I photographed his family members and businesses while researching his character and actions. I could not equate these.

These photographs narrate my journey between isolation and acceptance. Initially confused and angry, I grew to know him as a teenager, college student, co-worker, life-long friend, and father who lovingly withheld business realities. I witnessed shortcomings and successes and found empathy with a man who faced so much in his life. His sacrifices cost the ultimate price, and accepting that some questions may never be answered, I grew to love him again.

These works share my emotions after his death, my search to learn more abut him in recent years, and a journey of acceptance and forgiveness. These pictures are my way of saying its OK. Everything that happened is done and it’s OK. They are my way of taking ownership of everything that I felt, and all the anger and all the shame, and saying, “Yes, I felt that, and it’s OK to feel that, and I still love you.”

Dylan Pegg

4/13/2018 09:27:11 am

In this image by McNair Evans, there is a dashboard of the passenger's seat of a car. The windshield is shattered in various places and has a hole straight through. Laying on the dash is the “Church of God General Assembly.” Sunlight shines through the window, but shadows encompass the edges of the photograph. Dark colors such as brown and gray are predominant, though the blue book stands out.

The image is taken even with the dashboard, around shoulder height when sitting in the car. The depth of field is shallow, but everything important is close to the camera and the background is hard to view through the windshield anyway. At the edge of the photo, a car radio is cropped off. The dash itself is mainly negative space, as it only feature some AC vents. The book is in the exact center and appears to be the subject, though it takes up little space.

The image seems vintage, since the car is dusty and features old technology. The windshield reminds me of movies where people break car windows with sledgehammers. McNair Evans had taken this photo while retracing his father's footsteps, and likely meant it as a memorial for him. The appearance of the bible and devastation of the windshield create an interesting narrative. Perhaps the drivers like has crashed and he turns to religion to fix it, or maybe the opposite; religion ruined the author's life. Either way, it can challenge the beliefs of many, yet it can be interpreted many different ways.

Altogether, the image is interesting. The setting seems old and nostalgic, yet very familiar. It also allows for different interpretations and uncertainty of what had happened. The absence of humans in frame but the obvious presence of humans create an interesting idea and give the viewer something to think about. While the author’s purpose is likely different, the viewer can create their own narrative and take many different themes from this single image, making it very successful.

Ryan Kyle

4/13/2018 11:27:50 am

The image is of a broken front windshield in front of the dashboard of a very old looking car. The image uses a lot of blue and brown. The image is very bright. The only object in the image is a book on the dash that says church of god general assembly. Nothing is really happening in the image. Everything is very still as if there was a crash and everybody is dead.

The composition makes the image pleasing to look at because of the relaxing colors. There really isn’t a point of view. The image could be in 1st person from somebody’s point of view who was in the car and is the only survivor of the accident. There is a fairly shallow depth of field in this image. The focal point is really the windshield and dashboard.

There is a story being told in the image. We don’t know exactly what this story is, but we do know that something or someone broke the windshield. The image reminds me of some of the car accidents I’ve been in although they were not really this bad. The reason it reminds me of the car wrecks I’ve been in even though I’ve never had a windshield broken is because I freak out a lot whenever I get into a car wreck because it is kind of like a fear that I have. The image is interesting because of the possibilities of what could have happened.

I don’t like the image very much. This image is a little bit too eerie. To think about if there are dead people in there or what must’ve happened to the car is a little bit creepy. The photograph is successful because I think that it is meaning to give off those emotions. It is supposed to be creepy and eerie and it does a good job of that.

Pato Wray link

4/13/2018 11:40:24 am

The image by McNair Evans shows a car being smashed through the window with a small substance. This shows a book on the dashboard of the vehicle that reads “Church of God General Assembly. The vehicle is in critical condition due to this substance and looking like thousands of dollars will have to be payed to fix. This car looks in very old versions but still looking like it could work. She did a great job with this photo
This image doesn’t look pleasing to the eye because of all the shards of glass and damage. The point of view is in the first person looking like someone was literally in the car and the view looks like the viewer is in the car. The depth of field is shallow by focusing at the car. This image is not framed and the focal point is the glove compartment of the car. Nothing really directs me to the damage in the window it just is there. This image is balanced by having everything looking like a crime scene. No extra space is in the image and nothing cuts the image off. There is a negative space in the image by having a “crime scene” in here like someone stole a belonging.
The idea in the image is that tragedies can strike at any given moment. There is no story being told in the photo. There is no intention in the image or anything, just a good photo. One moment comes to mind when my dad got robbed of his stereo system he installed while I was playing baseball. This image is not beautiful is any way in my opinion.
I do like the image because the thought of how the photographist could shoot this. At the same time this image is not cool because people should not steal if they did. The photo is very successful by the photographer. This image should make the photographer very famous. I think this image is amazing in it’s own way.

Troy Rollwitz

4/13/2018 11:45:29 am

In this photo we see a car from inside. The camera is facing the windshield. The glass is broken, and there is a hole in the center and one on the upper left. It looks like a rock hit the glass while driving. There is a book on the dash that looks like it is supporting the glass. The break in the glass is in a spiral.

It is using a deep depth of field because everything is in focus. The hole is in the center of the frame. The other hole is in the upper left corner of the screen. I do not think it is pleasing to look at. There are shadows that cover the lower part of the screen.

The theme of the image is destruction. The image depicts the aftermath of two rocks colliding with the windshield. It shows the devastating effects they have because the glass is completely destroyed. I do not know the intention of this artist but I think it is to show what destruction can occur in everyday life.

I do not like this image. I don’t think it tells a very good story. I also think that is is not very pleasing to look at because of the ugly colors being used because they do not blend well.. The shadows do not look very good. They are on the lower part of the screen.

Marissa Elizondo

4/13/2018 12:33:07 pm

This picture is of a car. The car's windshield is shattered. Some big pieces of glass are also missing. There is a blue book in the car that says “Children of God General Assembly” as well. Even though this picture was taken inside of a car lighting is natural light from the sun. This picture also seem to be taken in front of a brick wall. The colors mainly used in this image are pinks, blues, and browns.

I am not really sure what the subject of this image is. I think maybe it’s the broken windshield because it is the first thing my eyes tend to look at when I look at this image. It could also be the book because it is at the very center of the image. There are many leading lines in this picture. There are all the lines from the shattered windshield and the line in the middle of the car where the book is on top of. I think this image is very pleasing to look at.

This image is part of a collection of pictures the photographer made about his late father. He followed in the footsteps of his father to learn more about his life as a teenager, friend, and father. The photographer was very upset about losing his father that he felt a lot of anger and confusion. I think the photographer shows his emotions really well. This photograph especially, gives off some kind of vibe of anger because of the broken windshield. The photographer said this collection of pictures also show his acceptance of his father’s death. He’s saying it’s also ok that his father is gone and that its ok to feel angry and sad when you lose a loved one.

I personally really like this image. I think it is a beautiful image. I like that the colors in the image go really well together and his good use of lights and shadows. I also like that this picture really means something to the photographer. The theme is very personal to him. The photographer has allowed the viewers to have a good look at his emotions and feelings about when he lost his father making his image very successful.

Maria Tirado

4/13/2018 12:35:33 pm

This image is a photograph shot by McNair Evans of a broken windshield. It looks like it was inside of a car and the glass on the windshield is all shattered. This image is using very cool colors and a good quality of light. The light looks very natural and is hitting the dashboard where there happens to be a blue book.The title of the blue book is “Children of God General Assembly” and it made
Evans understand his father a little bit more.

Personally I think the composition of this image is very nice and it is very pleasing to look at. It has a sharp focus and it was shot in a deep depth of field. It also has a really nice quality of light that makes the image very pleasing to look at because the colors are vibrant. The blue book complements the light brown/orange dashboard and it makes a nice contrast. The bottom part of this image has very symmetrical and straight lines because it’s the dashboard part. The top part of the card is all over the place, but somehow the two parts go together perfectly and make a beautiful image.

The theme of this image is very personal to the photographer and you can see that in the images. The audience can see the emotion the photographer is most likely trying to express and capture. Evans learned to understand his father’s past and way of living a lot better through this project. The project itself is beautiful but this image in specific makes me think of a scene in a movie where maybe there is a car crash. The movie I am imagining is capturing the car crash in slow motion and this is the photograph you can take right before the glass pieces go flying everywhere. Somehow there is a serenity in all of the chaos, and that is exactly what McNair Evans was able to find through his journey of discovering his dad and his death, peace and love.

I absolutely love this image and project. The color palette is right up my alley. The story and purpose of taking these images is also very inspiring and brave. It gives a really beautiful message while being able to learn and look at beautiful but simple images. I would definitely have to say this project is a big success.

Zach Burgos

4/13/2018 01:04:22 pm

The image is of a car windshield cracked and shattered. The colors the image is using are blue, black, brown, and red. The image’s lighting is bright sunlight. The image includes objects such as a broken windshield, a book with the title of “Church of God General Assembly”, and the dashboard of a car. The image is a car crash into a pole.

The image is not using the rule of thirds because the book is in the center of the image. The point of view is 1st person, and the photographer is taking it at the same level as the book. The image is a large depth of field because almost all of the image is in focus. The focal point of the image is the “Church of God General Assembly” book, and it is framed by the broken windshield and the car dashboard. There are lines in the image and they all point towards the book, such as the cracks in the windshield and the lines of the dashboard.

The themes of this image are showing McNair Evan’s journey to retrace his father’s steps with photography. The story told in this image is that his father went into a crash but the book shows that God was with him. I think that the image doesn’t challenge any beliefs. I think the image is beautiful because of McNair’s effort to go through his father’s life with photography.

I really like the photo because of its simpleness that tells a story. The background of the image makes the image 10x better because of McNair’s journey. The lighting in the image is also really good. I think this photograph is successful because of the story of McNair’s Father. I also think that the imagery of the photograph showing that God is with us even in the darkest times.

Mikaela Mumme

4/13/2018 09:49:20 pm

This image is of a car with a broken window. There are books and other objects in the photo. The photo was taken from the inside of the car giving it a different view. The image has many focuses. It uses warm tones and it is pretty bright over all.

This image has a deep depth of field. All thing in this image are clearly visible. This allows the image to have the many focuses. The shadows in this image add to the feel and give it a dark sense. The whole in the windshield is in the middle of the frame. This image utilizes it’s space leaving most of it positive.

This image tells a narrative. I think it tells a story of loneliness. The image also looks very broken but clean. It’s a neat mess. The image itself has a feeling of abandones and has a simplicity to it. I think the photographer wanted to take an image of a still life. Then see how people would react to this image that deals with distraught.

I really like this photograph because it looks like it is telling a story that can be interpreted many different ways. The overall composition is nice and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The colors give the photograph a warm feeling which I really like. The photo in my eyes is successful because of all the ways it can be interpreted and the composition of it. I don't think this image is prize worthy but it is still very good and deserves recognition.

Larissa Esparza

4/15/2018 07:59:00 pm

This image is of a car's broken windshield. On top of the dashboard is a book of God. In photography everything is in its place for a reason and I believe that the book of God is there for a reason. The book of God being there says to me that why do things like that happen if we believe in God and why he punishes us when we put faith in him. The car has hit a brick wall and there is no sign of a person in the car.

The image has natural lighting that is making the glass have a blue tint that gives the image a cool lighting effect. The image uses the colors, burgundy, red, blue, black and brown. This image is pleasing to look at because of the colors it is using and the lighting that is being put on the car and glass. The rule of thirds is not being used in this image. The image is taken in the photographer's point of view at a normal stance.

The image is using a shallow deep of field. The lines are the broken glass in the windshield which lead to the circle around the book of God. I find it interesting and cool how the photographer uses the lines to direct our eyes to the book of God. The subject fills the frame. The edge of the image is the rest of the inside of the car and the drivers seat.

The theme of this image is that why does God do bad things to us when we try to have faith in him. There is a story being told in this image. This image reminds me of car crash scenes in movies when they show the car being crashed and the damage on the inside and outside. This image question the beliefs in God and what he’s doing to us. I like this image because of the story and theme in it and the colors it uses.

Marynez Cantu Cardenas

4/16/2018 11:47:19 am

This photograph by McNair Evans was shot in the middle of the day in an old Buick with a crashed window. On the top of the car there is also a a bible. I believe that this photograph has a lot of message. McNair Evans did a collection of photographs about his father’s passing. He did these for his father, and I believe that this is a representation of his anger.
The windows in this photograph show how McNair Evans was shattered by his father’s death. I believe that the bible that is also shown in this photograph represents how McNair was confused by everything that happened and how he doesn’t understand that how could God be so loving but take his father away.

Although McNair Evans was shattered by his father’s passing something good came out of it because I even feel that he was inspired to take these photographs. In this image there is many feelings which he clearly transmits.

I feel like this photograph has been very successful in the photo industry because it transmits a message to the viewers. The story mentioned about the artist definitely helped because it gave an explanation of why McNair Evans took these photographs and what the meaning was behind all of this art

Jessica Mims

4/16/2018 08:38:53 pm

This is a photo by McNair Evans. In the photo, we see a dashboard area of a car. The window is shattered and there is a religious book on the dashboard. The book is called “Church of God General Assembly”. The image contains lots of blue and brown, and nothing is really happening in the image.

The image is kind of pleasing to look at, but it is also nerve-wracking at the same time. I like how the shattered window was captured in the photo, but I do not like the thought that it could break everywhere in an instant. The lines of the dashboard can be used as leading lines in the photo. The lines draw my eye to the shattered window immediately. This image is not symmetrical, there are different things on each side of the image.

There is definitely a story being told in this image. The project that this image is a part of retells events from the life of McNair Evans’ father. We do not know for sure, but maybe he was involved in some type of car accident. Maybe it wasn’t a car accident, but instead, just a hard time in life where it seemed like everything was shattered (symbolized by the car window). This image could also symbolize that even in dangerous times (the car accident), God is with us in some way (the religious book).

I like this image, I think it is really cool. Also, the collection that it is a part of adds so much more meaning to the image. It shows that each image is meaningful to McNair Evans, even if it seems meaningless to the viewer. I think that this image is successful. It not only has a sharp focus and proper exposure, but it is also part of a story.

Josh Salehi

4/17/2018 12:49:59 pm

This is a picture was taken by a photographer named Mcnair evans. of a car the windshield of the car is all shattered. I think this picture is successful because the lighting that goes through the window is really good at the main focus is on the window.There is also a book on the dash but the viewer can barely see the title of the book.

This image looks like it can tell alot of stories. But in my opinion i feel like the car is a crime scene and someone got shot and died. The window has a small hole and the hole looks like it could have been from someone shooting and the bullets killed a driver. The car also looks very outdated because you can tell because of the air conditioning is very old.

This image looks like it could be from the first person point of view. Because it comes from the driving seat. The image also has a lot of shadows. The shutter speed is slow because of all the light and the lines point to the book.

Even though i think the image is successful itsn personally not of my liking because of how to glass is broken because i think alot about sad car accidents and its not a happy picture.
I would think that Mcnair Evans put this picture because maybe she lost a loved on in a car accident and wanted to put a tribute.

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Period 5 -- Critical Analysis #18

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