Period 6 -- 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.”

Payton Down

4/13/2018 12:18:15 pm

This is a picture of a room with a desk, cards and a cold frozen window in the back. This uses the color of the wood to really stand out. Also the background white frost is very nice. There are many dark shadows in this piece of work. There are no faces or buildings just a nice wood table. Nothing is happening in the image, there are cards laying out so maybe someone was playing cards but in this still photo it's just objects.

It is very pleasing to look at because the colors symbolize warmth on the inside of the house but on the outside it looks cold and bitter. The rule of thirds is not being used. The angle is a normal human eye level, it basically shows you what you would be looking at if you were there yourself. The focal point is the table and window. The viewers eyes go to those two things first. The lines of the table and the trees really shape this photo. The photo is asymmetrical, not balanced at all. There is extra space in this photo and ride range of things to look at. The image crops off the rest of the table ad house.

This reminds me of a time of warmth and snuggling throughout the cold winter. There is always a story being told in a photo. The artist would've thought about how memorizing it is to look at this view and table and want to share it with others. This reminds me of whenever i go skiing with my family. Good times in the harsh weather conditions. This image is beautiful and the frost on the window really makes a statement on what nature is capable of.

Yes i did really like this image because it reminded me of the good time i have had with my family in the cold weather. This photograph is very successful; it is a mysterious lovely photo and has amazing potential to have a deeper meaning to many people. The colors of it all really made the photo unique and add more beauty to the overall picture. I liked this photo very much.

Jordan Bell

4/13/2018 12:24:01 pm

This is a photograph by photographer McNair Evans. The photo captures a thin wooden table with a wooden deck that overlooks mountains and a forest. Brown is the main color in this photo. Evans used natural lighting to take this photograph. Also, the sky is overexposed and the area under the table and near the chairs is underexposed. This image gives off a very peaceful and nostalgic vibe. The only sign of action are the cards sprawled out on the table.

The photograph is very pleasing to look at because it reminds me of my childhood. I believe that the rule of thirds is being used because the focus of the image is shifted slightly more to the left. The photographer took the photo from an eye level point of view with a very shallow depth of field. The first line that catches my attention is that of the closest edge of the table. From there my eyes follow it to the top of the chair and then left to the corner of the windows. My eyes then move up the pole to the top of the hill. The image crops off part of the table and chairs as well as a bit of the mountains.

A theme conveyed in this image is tranquility and relaxation. This image could tell the story of a peaceful vacation or retirement. The artist made this image in a series that conveyed his journey with isolation and acceptance. This photograph reminds me of my childhood. I lived in Massachusetts and during the winter the mornings would always be cold and there would be frost on the windows and on the grass.

I love this photograph so much and it is probably one of my favorites that we have do a critical analysis on. The first thing that captures my eye when I look at the photograph is the pleasant contrast between dark and light. Also the image is so peaceful. Just looking at it makes me relaxed and at ease. Another reason why this photograph is so pretty to me is because I feel a connection with it. The picture is very similar to what I could see at my old house in Massachusetts during the winter time.

Parker Brown

4/13/2018 12:24:32 pm

The image is a picture of a card game. The game looks like it is being played almost at night. The colors in the picture are darker colors to make it seem like it is nigh time. The cards look very old, which makes me think that the people playing the game were old. It looks like the game has been put on hold because there is no one at the table.

The image is very pleasing to look at. I like the calm sunset or maybe sunrise because it makes the image peaceful. The rule of thirds is being used because the cards are in the lower left corner. The point of view looks like it is from someone who who is watching the game from behind someone’s shoulder. The image is not symmetrical because it the table is not centered, and the cards are all in different places.

I think an idea that is trying to be put out in the image is that it is cold outside. The window behind the table looks like it has ice on it from freezing over night maybe. I think a story that could be told in the image is that there was a family playing a card game all together, but it got too late, so they decided to resume the game in the morning. I think the artist made the image for the sole purpose of making something beautiful, so that people would think happy thoughts while looking at it. The image makes me think that the house is on a lake or in the mountains, and I’m not quite sure why.

I do like the photo. One reason why I like it is because it brings back good memories for me because it looks like it is in the mountains. I used to go to Utah every Spring break where I would ski, and those were some of my best memories. I do think the photograph is successful because it makes me feel something. I feel like any photograph is successful as long as it makes the person looking at it feel an emotion.

Brandon Collins

4/13/2018 12:25:08 pm

The image of A table near a window that is covered in condensation, and a card game on the table. It is using moderately neutral colors. The lighting seems to be morning but the image was taken inside of a building. There are more dark shadows and the only place where is it bright sunlight is past the hills on the top of the image. The thing happening in the image is that a card game was left on the table and now it is morning.
The image is very pleasing to look at because of the colors it is using and what is in focus. The rule of thirds is being used because the cards are on the middle left of the image. The point of view is in third person at a forty five degree-ish angle from the cards. A shallow depth of field is being used. There is extra space in the background away from the table and chairs. There is negative space on the table other than the cards.
I feel like a theme for this image could be to never leave things unfinished. The story behind it is that there was possible a solitaire like game being played last night then was left on the table tell morning. When I see this image I think of a casino scene in a movie for some reason its could just be the cards. Also i feel like this could have been in a movie where someone probably drop what they were doing and leave their house only carrying essentials.
I like this image because of the colors its uses and the theme that i think it means. I find it a bit strange however that i look at the image and the first thing i see is not the subject but its the condensation on the window. It is hard to tell if it rained. Which leads me to another thought that the condensation is from the snow. I get this theory because if you look at the trees you can see that there are no leaves on them for me to conclude it is probably winter. That means that the condensation could be from snow.

Matthew Weiss

4/13/2018 12:28:30 pm

The image is of a table with cards on it, in an ongoing game. Besides the cards, the table is empty, and there is nobody sitting at it. The window behind the table is fogged up, and the light coming through is a bright, yellowish light. The image is extremely still. In the series that this came from, Evans takes photos to encapsulate the past of his father. Given this, this house is likely where his father grew up.
The photo was taken at the angle of someone sitting at the table, looking out. As far as negative space in the image, the negative space exists everywhere outside, past the window. I think that everything inside is thus the positive space. Outside, the focus that was used makes everything past the window blurry and combined with the lighting from the sun, this creates a blurry sort of haze outside, given the way that the light blurs out the trees.
The image was meant to display the artist’s father’s past. It does this by showing a place where his father was, in a still, and peaceful state. The light and the blur makes this image almost surreal. In this, the whole image almost looks like a memory, or a flashback.
I like this image a lot. It was meant to reflect the past, and it did this very well. Evans gave this image an unreal look. This ‘unreal’ look makes the image feel like it was taken in a dream, or a memory. This was the goal, and it was met very well.

Kylie Bruehler

4/15/2018 05:00:46 pm

This is an image by McNair Evans. The composition of the image is rather dark with an element of light incorporated as well. At first glance it is obvious that this image tells a story. The story that is being told by this image might be a darker story due to its usage of light. The way in which the light is brought into the image depicts a clear feeling of drama.

The colors used in this image are all very neutral. The color scheme in this image is very bland, but the use of lighting is what truly causes the composition of this image to stand out. The condensation on the back window pictured in this image brings a dream like or mysterious feeling. The view behind the window is blown out which also depicts creates a feeling of mystery. Another unknown object in this image are the things on the table which appear to be cards meant for card games. The light illuminates the objects on the table which causes the viewer to question.

The composition of this image causes the audience to question many things. The photographer has left a lot of room for curiosity as many of parts of the image are not fully understandable or clear. There is not a single obvious subject in this image which causes someone viewing the image to question what the image really means or what its main focus is. I think that the unknown substances in this image is what the image is truly supposed to be about. The photographer of this image might have wanted for this image to not be fully understood, leaving room for imagination or curiousity.

I do think that this image is successful at telling a story, as well as it is visually pleasing. The soft lighting in this image is pleasing to the eye. The colors in this image also follow a specific scheme which easily make it visually pleasing. I personally like the mystery of this image. The intent of the photographer might have been to create question and this image is very successful in doing that.

Claire Williams

4/16/2018 11:38:08 am

This photograph was made by McNair Evans in his series called “Confessions for a Son”. The image depicts a table outside with a cloud of fog behind it. On the table, there is a deck of playing cards. The main colors in this image are pink, brown, green, and white. There are some shadows at the close end of the table, but I think it's from the sun shining down from the trees. Up at the top of the photo there is a bright spot of light.

This is pleasing to look at. I especially think that the fog and bright spot make the image calming to admire. The lightness of the fog is almost majestic. The rule of thirds is not being used in this image. It does not have one specific subject, rather, it is a landscape photograph.

I think the main theme is supposed to be serenity. However, the name of the series that this image is a part of is about things for a son. This makes me think the images could be favorite memories with a son, or something that he never got to do with him. I might just be reading too far into the image, but the way that I see it is that this father is wishing that he could have come up to the cabin with his son on these beautiful days and played cards with him outside. The fog and lighting almost portrays a heavenly look, so maybe the story is that the man’s son passed away and he is showing what he wished he could have done with him.

I love this photograph. Before I even took time to think about the specifics and possible story behind it, I liked it a lot. The composition is very pleasing to look at and the fog makes it very calming. I think that this photograph was successful. It depends what the photographer wanted to come out of it, but for me, I got calmness and a beautiful composition to admire.

Lucas Prado

4/18/2018 10:47:46 am

This is an image of an empty wooden table inside of a house. On top of the table lies a deck of cards dealt out as if some people were playing a card game but left. Also on the table is what appears to be either a circular drink coaster or an ashtray. There is a significant amount of condensation on the windows behind the table, indicating that it must be cold outside. The outdoors behind the windows is a hill dotted with barren trees.

The main lines are the borders of the windows, which lead the eyes to the table. The rule of threes is used somewhat, with the border of the window dividing the rest of the outside into different parts. There is a fairly shallow depth of field, as everything outside of the window is subject to blurring. The subject, the table with cards, only takes up about a third of the photo; the rest is mostly the outdoors. The point of view is first person, as though the viewer is sitting at the table. The edges of the image are mostly where the windows are, with the other edges housing a bit of the roof or the floor.

The main story behind this image is of a photographer and his father. The story, as the photographer describes, is to remember his dad and the places that he was with him. While the photographer may have been frustrated or angry that he perhaps didn’t get to spend as much time with his dad as he would have liked to, these photos help him remember the good person that his dad was. The legacy of his father reminds me a bit of my dad, and how his father had to work two jobs to afford his housing and education. It does bring into question our society, and how anyone can be a father, but not everyone can be a dad. Dads are integral people to society, and this photo reflects it a bit.

I do like this photo quite a bit. I like that it makes people realize the importance of having a dad who does so much for his kids. The artist seems to have made this photo to recognize the good person that his dad was, even though he was angry. The image is successful in that it helped the artist deal with his anger towards his dad and see him as a person. I also think that it is successful in bringing into question how much people really appreciate their fathers, and makes people consider it upon reading the artist’s motive.

naty orquin

4/18/2018 11:59:19 am

Critical Analysis #18
The colors in the image are very neutral such as brown tones and nature greens. There is a mixer of lights and dark shadows in the image. The edges of the image are darker than the middle of the image. This image has a table with chairs and a deck of cards scattered across the table. There is a also a frosty glass separating the table from the outside trees.

The composure of the image is very pleasing to look at because it is simple yet very well placed.The rule of thirds is used in the image with the table’s unique pose. The image was taken from a third person point of view… outside perspective to show how the sons and fathers relationship was. The image was taken in a shallow depth of field. The lines of the image direct my eye to the middle of the table where the deck of cards reside.

The image is asymmetrical, but it works with the image and the focal point being the deck of cards. The table does not fill in the entire image and is cut off. There is a lot of positive space in the image. The artist made this photography to try and show the relationship between him and his father. Yes, there is a story being told in this image.

I loved this image because it has so much mean, yet it is so simple. I believe it was successful in delivering the message of once your gone the memories will remain. How it may have been a sudden death showing what he lost. This image reminds me of when I use to play cards with my grandma in our vacation house. We use to sit outside on a table and play all day till the sun went down.

Gilly Thompson

4/18/2018 12:06:44 pm

This image contains a table with cards set out and empty chairs. It's as if there were people playing cards and then all the people just got up and left. There are cool colors like blue, and brown mainly used in this photograph. The photograph is directed towards a window , the window has frost on it, indicating that its cold. The lighting is natural and the light is directed towards the table. There are no people in this image.

This image is pleasing to look at and gives a nice chill feeling. It appears to be calm and relaxing. The point of view seems like someone looking over the empty table and cards. The focal point of this image could be the cards because the light draws you to it. The cards could be symbolic in this image because its representing the relationship he had with his father.

The theme of this image was to describe the relationship of him and his father. It could also show the loneliness and emptiness he feels now that no one is there to “play cards” or really do anything. A story being told may be that the fathers death was unexpected because the cards appear to have just been left in a hurry. The artist made this image to show his emotions and struggles with death and grieving

I think this image was beautiful and pleasing to look at. I like that it had a deeper meaning than what you would originally think. I liked this image a lot. I like that colors were “cool” or “colder” colors because it could represent how he feels “cold” without his father. I think it was successful because the artist was able to portray what he wanted to.

Annie Mosis

4/19/2018 06:43:07 am

This is an image of a room with a desk, cards and a cold frozen window in the back, with woods outside the window. This use of the color of the wood to really stands out to me because the background uses colder tones. Also the background white frost looks very calming. There are many shadows in this photo. There are no people in this image, but a table in a house. Nothing is happening in the image, there are cards laying out so maybe someone was playing cards.

I think this image is very pleasing to look at due to the warmth of the colors on the inside of the house but on the outside it looks cold. The rule of thirds is not being used. The angle is a normal human eye level, it basically shows you what you would be looking at if you were there yourself. The focal point is the table and window. The person who's looking at this images eyes go to those two things first. The lines of the table and the trees really shape this photo. The photo is asymmetrical. There is extra space in this photo and there is a wide range of things to look at. The image crops off the rest of the table and house.

This reminds me of the winter, when its cold and bitter, and you would rather stay inside the house.I think the artists point in this image is to remind you of a warm time in your life. This reminds me of whenever i go skiing with my family. Good times in the cold weather. This image is beautiful and the frost on the window really stands out and adds another layer to the image

Yes i do like this image because it reminded me of the good times i had with my family when going skiing. This photograph is very successful; it is a lovely photo and has amazing potential to have a deeper meaning depending on the person. The colors of it all really made the photo unique and add more beauty to the overall picture. I liked this photo very much.

Elizabeth Wray

4/19/2018 09:00:21 am

This image looks as if it was taken at someones lakehouse. The time of day is probably morning. I know this because of the morning dew, or fog on the window. There are some cards on the table. They are probably left over from the night before, or maybe the owners played cards that morning.

The sun looks like it is about to rise or in the process of rising. I know this is taken at a lake house or a ranch because of the trees and hills in the background. The whole image looks soothing and calm. The landscape is serene. The picture was probably taken on the second floor of the house because I see a balcony outside the window.

The colors in this image are mostly cool with a touch of warm. The trees, chair, and other background objects are in a bluish tint. The sun makes some of the image looks a warm, yellow color. I like the colors in this image a lot because I like images that are calm and really destress the mind.

In all, I really like this image because it gives that warm and cozy vibe. My favorite place is my lakehouse and this really reminds me of mine. I think the lighting is really nicely thought out and the time of day was perfect for that cozy early morning image. I like this alot because it has a pleasant contrast of warm and cool, or dark and light. I think this is my favorite image we have done a critical analysis on.

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Period 6 -- Critical Analysis #18

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