Period 6 -- Critical Analysis #4

10/6/2017

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

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

Your analysis must be 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.

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

Elizabeth Wray

10/6/2017 09:35:01 am

This photograph is by Holly Andres. This is an image of a young girl; around 12 years old. She is laying on a bed that doesn't seem to have any sheets on them. Aside her is a calico cat. The cat is orange. The girl has religious pictures hung on her wall towards the right of the image. Her bed frame is an off white color and is sort of a vintage tone. Her room is very antique, like the image was taken a long time ago. Her wall has a wallpaper of pink flowers. Her curtains are also pink and sort of transparent. The time of the day seems like the morning because the light that is coming in on the left looks like an orangey color.
The image is pleasing to look at especially since the colors are subtle and calm. There is not much action in the image because she is laying in bed with her eyes open. The cat is asleep next to her very calmly. The point of view is third person as the photographer is looking straight at the girl. The focus is on the whole picture; nothing blurred out.
There is a story being told in the image. It seems like the girl is either tired or sad. She is looking of into the distance probably wondering or thinking about something. We don't know what she is thinking about but we know that it is very intense. Personally, i think this is a great image, mainly because i like images that are focus all throughout the image.
I do like the image because it is subtle and sweet. The colors are very feminine. The lighting is good with the natural dawn light from the morning. I like the way the point of view is because it would look weird or awkward any other way. Like bird's eye would probably not look good unless you are a professional photographer, like Holly Andres.

Payton Down

10/6/2017 09:36:32 am

The photo is of a girl in her bedroom with her cat. It uses a lot of pinks and blues, i think they use these colors because of the style of a young girl and how she loves pink. The lighting is a little dark but light is coming out of the window so i think it's just about to be morning. There is one girl included into the photo but alongside of her she has a cat. There are some dolls and lamp to show the homeyness of the photo. She is looking off to the side, maybe thinking about her day.
It doesn't look pleasing to the eye. The subject is over the the right a bit. Its taken from regular eye sight nothing above or below. Every thing in the frame is in focus. The focal point is the girl and she is framed by the bed and room. The bed backboard thing has lines on it going up and down that help direct your eyes to the subject. It is not symmetrical because the sides are different. There is extra space. The image is cropped off, you know that there is another part of the room behind the camera.
The theme is to go back in time and remember the moments of this childhood the photographer had. The girl might be there just hanging out and thinking about something that has happened to her. The look on her face doesn't look very happy. The image reminds me of everyone that goes on there bed and starts thinking about something. No it doesn't question any beliefs. The image is interesting because you're curious in what she is thinking about maybe.
I do like the photo, its very interesting to look at and reminds me of every girl's childhood including mine which is cool. I think it a successful photo because it shows a true story behind the photo.

boyd meltzer link

10/6/2017 09:40:59 am

This photo shows a young girl idly lying in a bed alongside her cat. This room’s decor looks to be from another past time period. The colors are warm due to the sunset happening through the window. The lighting in this image is entirely provided by the sunlight. Objects included in this image are objects that one would commonly see in a child’s room. The bed, nightstand, lamp, photos on the wall, and the dolls are all present. The image features a girl and a cat lying next to each other. While the cat is sleeping, the girl seems to be staring off into space. The bed features no sheets, just a mattress and a pillow on what looks to be a thin and feeble frame.
The composition is pleasing to look at, in my opinion, due to the lighting. The lighting adds an extra effect to the image. The rule of thirds is being used with the cat, but not the child. The cat is featured on the right side of the grid. The point of view is that of an observer. Everything is in focus. The focal point is the girl in this image. She is framed by the bed, both the bedposts and the mattress. The lines on the back of the bed direct one’s eyes towards the subject, the girl. The image is not balanced, however. All of the lines point in different directions, and the girl and her cat are situated at an odd angle. There is additional space in the frame for the extra decor of the bedroom, like the nightstand, dolls, and lamp. The frame crops off the rest of the room. There could be additional items to pay attention to.
The artist created this image in order to relive her childhood past. The artist attempts to create scenes that she herself had experienced. This image reminds me of some nights I had during my childhood. I lied awake with my cat beside me because of my inability to sleep on a particular night. This image is interesting to me because it reminds me of those times.
I like this image because of the lighting and the resemblance to personal experiences. I am sure that the artist enjoyed this image more than I did because this image was particularly catered to her experiences. The artist, I think, would think that this image was noteworthy and successful.

Annie Mosis

10/6/2017 09:42:04 am

In this image I see a girl laying on a green mattress. The walls have pink flowers on the and it contains a picture of Jesus and Mary on the wall. There is also a green nightstand next to the girl. On the nightstand their ae 2 dolls and a white lamp. Behind the nightstand their is a window with a pink curtain. The girl has blonde hair and is wearing a light blue nightgown. Next to her is a cat. She looks to be daydreaming or thinking about something. She doesn't look too happy either. It looks as if the sun is rising looking at the sun coming from the window.

I enjoy this image I think it's pleasing to look at. It is using the rule of thirds by the lamp being off centered. The point of view looks like if her parent walked in and saw her on her bed. A deep depth of field is used in this pictures because the whole picture is in focus. The girl in this photo is framed by the white headboard. The lighting and lines lead your eyes to the girl laying on the bed. The image does crop out the rest of the window and cuts off her legs where you can’t see below the calf. In this picture the artist uses warm colors in this pictures.

In this image the artist is telling the story about her childhood. Sp maybe in this image she's showing when she woke up before school. I think she also wanted to show what is was like being the youngest of being 10 children. She probably wanted to show how she wore hand me downs. I find this picture very interesting by the way it looks and what message she's givings.

I do enjoy this photo. I think it is pleasing to look at. And this image makes me want to learn more about the author and see more from this collection. I like the warm tones she used in the picture and I think she was successful in this image. This image is very interesting and I like this photographer's message in this photo.

Claire Williams

10/6/2017 09:42:19 am

This image is of a young girl laying on her bed and staring up at the ceiling or wall with her cat asleep next to her. The main color being used is pink but the other colors in the image are are dark green color on the mattress, white on the backboard of the bed, and an orange light coming out from the window. The image is highly exposed on the left side because of the orange light coming from the window. The rest of the image is well exposed, with the darkest areas along the bottom and the top right corner. There is also a strip of light shining right down on the girl’s face and down her arm to the side of the mattress. I think that this girl is waking up in the morning and contemplating getting up and out of bed.

The image is pleasing to look at because of the use of warm colors and a nice, comfortable looking room as the setting. I don’t think that the rule of thirds is being used because of how the girl’s face is centered, and she is most likely the main thing that the artist wants her viewers to see. It looks like the photographer was standing to the side of the bed but towards the end. A deep depth of field is being used because of how the whole image is in focus. The subject, who is the girl, is not filling the whole frame. However, I do not think that there is any blank space because of it. The photographer did a good job at making sure there were plenty of other aspects of the image to look at besides the girl. It appears that the frame cut off the edge of the bed along with the rest of the girl’s legs.

I think that the main theme is either sadness or just overall tiredness because of the body language and facial expression being showed by the girl. I think that the story being told here is that this girl is going through something in her life that makes her need to force herself to get out of bed in the morning and get through the day. She may just be tired, or it could be more than that. The image kind of reminds me of myself on a Saturday or Sunday morning, with the light pouring in from the window, and not wanting to get out of my cozy bed. I think that this image is interesting because I have a desire to know what the girl is thinking.

I enjoy this photograph. It depicts the girlyness and innocence of a young girl. Even though I don’t really know the story, what I can infer from the image is that she is tired and doesn’t want to get out of her bed. This makes me intrigued and drawn into the image to know more about what is going on. Although I like this image, I personally do not think that the photographer was successful because of how I am sitting here, confused about what is going on. Although many people would consider that success because of how they got their viewer to wonder, I consider it more as a loss because of how I am not left with satisfaction.

Parker Brown

10/6/2017 09:44:57 am

The image is a picture of a girl and her cat laying on her bed. For some reason there aren’t any sheets on the bed. I think the image is more bright than dark. The light coming from the window, and the pink wallpaper make the image seem bright. It is also somewhat dark too because there are lot of shadows on the walls.

I don’t think the image is very pleasing to look at. I am not a big fan of the colors that are used together in the image. I do think the rule of thirds is being used. It looks like the girl is on the bottom right intersecting lines. At the edge of the image the girls feet gets cropped off.

I think one idea in the image is that the girl is in deep thought. Maybe the girl is sleeping with her eyes open. Like most weird images, I think the artist was trying to get us thinking. The image remind me of someone in a movie who silently kills someone, and leaves them somewhere, but makes them seem like they are still alive. The most interesting thing in the image for me is that the sheets are for some reason off of her bed.

I am not a giant fan of this photo. It just doesn’t make any sense. It looks like the girl is in her pajamas ready to go to bed, but you can see in the window that is still sunny outside. The think image is successful in making me wonder what is happening in the photo. The image is also unsuccessful to me because it doesn’t make any sense to me.

Will Mauldin

10/6/2017 09:45:53 am

This image was taken by Holly Andres. This photo is very interesting looking because it looks like an old painting. I think this is caused by the array of antique objects and the old-fashioned wallpaper. I see the girl laying in bed staring off into space and she seems like she has a lot on her mind and is upset about something. The image is using warm colors such as the pink on the walls and the orange coming from the sun outside, and then contrasting the warm with a cool blue bed. The quality of this image is very impressive and clear. The objects in this image include various antiquities, a cat, a girl, a bed, and some classical curtains and wallpaper.
The composition of this image is very functional and pleasing to look at because the image is so clear and possesses a good mixture of warm and cool colors, and the lighting of this image enhances that composition. I don’t see much of the rule of thirds being used in this pic, but the point of view that the photographer chose is very crucial because from the angle that they chose to shoot this image allows the lighting to hit the subject just right. The focal point is the subject’s face almost in the center of the pic, and the lighting on her face emphasizes her emotions by highlighting her face. I think this frame is very balanced because the subject is in the center, the window isn’t too far into the frame to the point where the subject is overexposed, and the color of the bed and wallpaper fill the space as a background very well.
I think the theme and story of this image is that the girl just wants to be alone in her room with her cat and lay down and contemplate. The neutral expression on her face shows almost no emotion, showing that she is staring off in deep thought. The image reminds me of myself because I, like anyone, enjoy just laying down and thinking about my life, so seeing that depicted in a photograph appeals to me a lot. I think this image is beautiful because of the way the warm and cool colors and the dark and light spaces mix so well together.
Overall I like this image because it is very high quality and tells a story that I can relate to, thus making it a successful photograph in my book.

Jordan Bell

10/6/2017 09:50:06 am

This is an image of a girl and a cat lying on her bed. The colors being used in this photo are whites, pinks, yellows and blues. Most of the light in the photo seems to be coming through the window indicating that it is early in the morning. Besides the girl and the cat, there are two dolls on her nightstand in dresses. There are also two photos on the wall that appear to be of some spiritual woman. There is not much happening in this image because the subjects are lying still. The only hint of previous action is the open nightstand drawer.

The photograph is pleasing to look at because of the melding of the yellow sunlight and the pink and white curtain and wall paper. The rule of thirds is not being used because the main subjects body is in the middle of the photograph. The photograph was taken from an eye level point of view that was slightly angled away from the bed. The photograph is not being framed and the subject does not fill the frame. The edge of the photograph crops off part of the window, the girls legs, the floor and the walls.

A theme or idea of this image is that of a young girl’s life in the early morning. In this image the girl looks sad and lonely. The artist made this image to convey to an audience what it was like growing up in Montana. This image does not remind me of anything nor does it challenge any assumptions or beliefs that I have. This image is interesting because it makes you think about what the girl is thinking about or why she is sad.

I like this photo because it makes me want to ask questions about it without having to be asked to think about what is going on in the image or if there is a deeper meaning to it. Also, the colors in the image give off a calm vibe that makes you feel relaxed. I do not think that this image was successful because it does not convey anything about growing up with ten siblings on living in Montana. If I had know nothing about the artist’s intentions, i would think that this little girl, who could be an only child, just woke up or was trying to fall asleep anywhere in the world. This is a beautiful image but without knowing any background information the viewers cannot truly understand the artist’s intention.

Kylie Bruehler

10/6/2017 09:55:34 am

This is an image done by Holly Andres. The photo pictures a small girl laying on a bed next to her cat. The room does not appear to be very modern and looks like it might be set to look like it was taken back in the 20th century. The little girl is wearing a sort of gown and is laying on the bed peacefully. She has a look on her face that looks as if she might be thinking or contemplating. She looking almost in a trance. She could have been looking out a window or maybe trying to fall asleep. One thing that I notice about the bed she is laying on is that it does not have any sheets. No blankets or sheets on the bed, only a bare mattress. She is laying next to cat who might is also laying peacefully, but asleep.

The colors used in the image are mostly dull but all work together to make the image interesting. The curtain and the wall both shows colors pink, but the mattress and the table show blue. The little girl is wearing a baby blue gown and this may say something about how she is feeling. There is light coming through the window but it appears golden instead of just regular light. This photo may have been taken when light was coming through the window at sunset or sunrise. There are two little dolls sitting on the night stand. One of the dolls faces toward the little girl and it might sort of “watching over her”. There are some framed images on the wall that look religious, showing some sort of religious figure possibly the Virgin Mary, who could also be “watching over her”.

The little girl, laying on the bed, has a contemplating look on her face. She looks like she is frozen and holds an inanimate look. She looked stunned. She might be sad or worried about something, or possibly just thinking. She might also feel alone besides having the cat laying near her. Because the dolls and framed figures on the wall, she might be in need of something to watch over her. The blue gown she is wearing might also indicate how she feel. She might feel dull or gloomy.

This image makes me wonder how the girl is feeling. She looks very alone besides having the cat. Something about this image makes it look very plastic or hyperreal, like it has been perfected or laminated. I like the fact that the image looks so perfect and fake looking almost. I think this is a successful image. This image looks like it has been staged because of how everything is set up in the image and how the image looks overall. The image plays with different light and expressions with colors and is overall very well done.

Matthew Weiss

10/10/2017 08:58:08 pm

The image is of a young girl, lying in bed, next to a cat. The bedroom she is in has wall paper with pink flowers. The mattress, and nightstand with the lamp on it seem very worn down. The image is furniture and wall paper in the image are worn down and it is intentionally made to seem old. In the image, the window on the side of her room, has no view and is blocked out by plants and vegetation, as well as a yellow light that shines through the window.
The obvious focal point in the image is the girl and the image is made around her and the bedframe is around the girl, framing her in the photo. Another thing that guides attention to the girl is the contrast of colors between the walls of the room and the mattress she is laying on. The walls are light pink and the mattress is a greenish blue color. This sudden contrast of color causes the area of the photo outside of the mattress to be negative space and the mattress to form positive space. The image is cropped in a way that makes cuts off the ground, and the edge of the window, and zooms in on the girl in the photo.
The artist made this photo to depict memories from her childhood when she was young and lived in rural montana. This image was meant to reflect the artist's memories, and so I think that this was supposed to show a time where she felt restless. I think this because the whole image is still, the cat lying next to her is asleep, and yet her eyes are still wide open. The image can’t really tell an entire story, as it was created to just retell one memory and sort of snapshot feelings at a certain time.
I like the image. I think it does a sharing the feelings that the girl is having. It does a good job sharing the restlessness with the viewer. But it also leaves so much emotion to be determined by the interpreter. It says enough about what is happening, and how she is feeling, but also allows the interpreter to decide what they think is going on in the image.

Lucas Prado

10/16/2017 10:42:40 am

This photo includes a girl in her bedroom on a blue bed with an orange and white cat on it. The vast majority of the background is the pink wallpaper and matching curtains by the window with it. Outside the window, there are plants that go above the top of the window from beneath it. There is also a blue nightstand with two dolls and a lamp on it. There are two photos of Jesus and Mary in the back, on the girl's bed. The image appears to be taken around sunrise or sunset, as there is a yellowish light coming in from the window illuminating the bedroom.

The main subject of this image is the girl, with the lines on the bed frame directing view towards her. Yet the girl does not fill most of the image, and the majority of the space is the rest of the bedroom. The edges of almost all sides of the image is only the wallpaper, with the window being at the upper left edge of the image. There is a deep depth of field, as one is able to see the whole room and the outside of the window. The photo was taken from third person, at eye level.
This image reminds me a bit of the way my sister was as a little kid. She would always play with her cat and dolls and had a similar room with the way it was decorated. The main theme seems to be of a little girl growing up in a rural place, like the photographer, and what kind of person she is. The artist probably made it with the intention of retelling her story of growing up, with the people in these images depicting how she saw her siblings.

I neither like nor dislike the photo much, as it doesn’t stand out to me. While the photographer is still successful in depicting an archetype for child in a family, this image, unlike the last few, doesn’t have too much of a narrative to it. Certainly, some photos without narratives can still be appealing, but I find them to be less appealing if they don’t say much. Since it also reminds me of my sister as a kid, it feels as though I’m looking through old family photos. Family photos have some value to me, but I’ve seen my fair share of them.

natalia orquin

10/16/2017 10:56:47 am

Critical Analysis #4

Specifics:
The image consists of a girl laying on a bed staring off into something far beyond the frames view. The picture seems to be taken during sunrise or sunset because the sun’s golden glow glistens in the photograph. The mattress and the drawer are a bright turquoise color that contrasts with the pinkish wallpaper and the golden sun. The shadow spreads across the drawer and parts of the mattress. The Sun shines on the young girl’s face as she sits still staring off into the distance. There’s also a bed frame that is very antique looking from the early 90’s.

Form: The image is somewhat pleasing to look at. The image is very careful presented but has no action to explain. The rule of thirds is presented in this photograph as the girl sits on the ⅔ and 3/3 of the image. THe photographer shot this image from a 3rd person’s point of view meaning he is knowing what is going on but is not omniscient. The lines of the mattress direct you towards the girl and so does the bed frame. This image is in a shallow depth of field. The image is not symmetrical perhaps, but the mattress and the girl are symmetrical to each other. The young girl takes up ⅔ of the image as she is the main focus of the photograph.

Content: The photographer constructed these images to enact a specific moment, communicate identity through space, and depict a psychological portrait. As being the youngest sibling she depicts her memory of waking up early to look at the sunrise/sunset to contemplate life. I see a young girl who maybe got into trouble at school and got sent to bed early without being able to eat dinner or a girl who can not seem to sleep because she has too much going on in her life.

Evaluate: I do not like the image very much. It is ok, but I don't think the image is very relatable to everyone it seems vague and preposterous. The image is unsuccessful because it does not seem to tell it’s own story.. I had to make up something I believed could fit the criteria of the image, but does not show me the story through the photograph.

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Period 6 -- Critical Analysis #4

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