Period 7 -- Critical Analysis #8

11/15/2018

Today you will be writing about this photograph by artist Holly Andres. The image 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 5 paragraphs, 5 sentences minimum per paragraph. Remember to post your analysis as a comment to the blog post that corresponds to your class. If you post your analysis to the wrong class's post, it will not be graded. This is due by 4PM today.

When you are writing, be sure to pay close attention to all of the details in the image—the artist loaded the photograph with many visual details to cue you into the subject's identity. Remember, in the statement it says the images are meant to depict a psychological portrait. How can the details of the photograph—the objects, lighting, background, color palette—help you make educated guesses about the identity of the subject and possible meaning of the image?

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 and organization
evaluation of the content
grammar/punctuation

Campbell Streak-Jensen

11/15/2018 01:00:20 pm

There is a blond girl kneeling in the middle of the photograph. She is in front of a couch but she has many cutouts of women in front of her. There is a black piano in the corner of the room. The girl is wearing a light blue dress with a white shirt under her dress. There is a birdcage above the piano.

The women in front of the girl look like they are organized by color. The flooring is a hardwood floor and the couch looks like it is made of suede. There is a photograph above the couch and there is also a window next to the couch.

The focal point is the girl in the middle. The photograph is framed by a room that the girl is kneeling in. The point of view that this photograph is being taken from is someone looking in at this photograph. This is supposed to represent her memories and she is taking a photograph of one of her memories. It is a very interesting point of view.

There is a story being told in the image. The story being told is the photographers memories. She is re-visiting her younger self. The photograph reminds me a bit of the Shining. The girl reminds me of the twins that chase the child down the hallway.

I do not like the photograph. There are not any vibrant colors which makes me not as interested in the photograph as one with vibrant colors would. There is a story being told which is nice but the lack of colors degrades the quality of the photograph. I do believe the photographer is successful. She made a good job of what I think her childhood would have been.

Reagan

11/15/2018 01:07:11 pm

This photo has a girl with a scared plastered look on her face. She has pale skin and blue eyes. Her hair is a red and orange tone and traces her shoulder blades. She is wearing a blue dress with a white blouse under it. Her hands are bright red with a white undertone.

This photo has a deep depth of field and focus on all of the surroundings. In the picture you see a bird cage and a ugly green couch. You also see a group of paper people evenly spreaded out. The rule of thirds is being used. The girl is in the right ride of the frame.

I think this photo represents the authors inaccence. The author photographed this to take the lookers back to a younger age, when it was all about paper people and ugly green couches. I think the piano is the negative space in the photo. The positive places are the girl and the couch and anything illuminated by the sunlight. The photo has a very positive look to it, but the girls face says otherwise.

The image is very symmetrical and the colors are balanced. The materials used in this photo fill the photo almost to much. The picture in the background gives the whole photo a calm feeling. The girls face makes you worry. Every glance i take at this photo always takes me back to her face. I wonder what she is thinking or looking at that would give her such an uncomfortable feeling.

Photograph is a way of telling your story through and a way of therapy. You can tell your story or struggles without letting everyone know your personal business. I really like this photo. I think this photo tells a lot of truth about how even when life is peaceful it can be awkwards. I think the author made her point.

Eduardo Saucedo

11/15/2018 01:07:30 pm

The image is about a little girl that is playing with dolls in the living room of her house. This image is using dark colors to make it more mysterious and dramatic. The image has a lot of dark shadows in the bottom, and also bright lighting in the middle. The objects that are included in the image are dolls, a piano, a couch, and the little girl. The little girl is playing with dolls and it looks very creepy.

This image is very pleasing to look at because it makes me have this mysterious thoughts of the little girl playing with dolls, because I have seen many scary movies that involves a girl playing with dolls. The rule of thirds is being used, because the subject which is the girl icon the right of the image. The photographer probably took this photograph from a first person view, because it might be one of her parents. A deep depth of field is being used to put more objects in the image. The focal point Is the little girl, it is framed because we can see detail around her and on the edges. The dolls are the lines that connect to the girl and the couch connects with the scissors. The image is wet balanced, symmetrically and asymmetrically. The subject fills in the extra space because all the extra space is full of detail like the dolls, the couch, the piano, etc. The negative space is on the bottom where all the dolls and the scissors are, and the positive space is on the top where the window is.

The idea that I keep having about this girl is that she is evil, because her face looks really scary and creepy. The story that is bing told is probably that she got possessed by a evil spirit. The artist made this image in order to satisfy us and to make us believe that the image is from a scary movie. This image reminds me of a dream I once had about a little girl with black hair in a white dress playing with dolls. This image does not question or challenge beliefs or assumptions. The image is very interesting, because the girl has a weird expression that makes you want to her the full story of what happened or simply why is she sad?

I really like this image because its unique and its a piece of art that is well drawn and created. The artist was successful when he made this image because he wanted to trick your mind by thinking that his image has different opinions about what is happening in the image.

Anson Adamek

11/15/2018 01:11:57 pm

The image is of a girl sitting on her knees in a living room that's cutting out people in a magazine. The colors are not very vibrant, the dark piano the light wall, the dark couch. There is bright light coming from the window and light coming from behind the camera. The girl is in a blue dress and she is sitting on a wooden floor in front of a dark beige couch, there is a piano to the left of her and a bird inside of a cage above the piano. The girl is cutting out pictures of people in a magazine with scissors.

The composition is good because the girl is easy to see and is in an easy to find environment. The rule of thirds is being used because the girl is right in the right quadrant line. This is from a second person point of view, the angle is a flat angle and isn't doing anything too special. This image is a deep view because there is not only the girl in focus but everything around her is also. The focal point is for sure the girl or the cut out people on the ground.

The lines are the couch to the piano and everything below and above that. The image is not symmetrical because there is not a mirroring girl or anything else of that sort.The subject isn't taking up the whole frame. The image crops off the piano and the couch. There is a lot of negative space in this image because the girl isn't taking up the whole background.

I think the theme of the image is of childhood, a young girls creative and artsy childhood.I think the story being told here is that back then when the photographer’s childhood, they didn't have electronics or computers to keep them entertained, they just had fun using other methods.The artists intention for this image is to capture her childhood. This image reminds me of my aunts house in kerrville because it has a very old style to it and she has a bird cage. I don't think it challenges any beliefs or ethics, maybe something about how the olden days were different than todays.I think this image is interesting because it gives an insight on the photographer’s view of their own childhood. People could say something like “yeah i was the coolest kid in the school back in my day” but they could have just had a mediocre social status. It shows her true honesty.

I do like this image because it shows someones true childhood. It shows that a little girl could also do things that others cant.I believe this image is successful because it's in focus and has all of those elements, it doesn't have any distracting objects or lights. It also tells an interesting story and has interesting thought provoking subjects in the image. In conclusion i believe this image is successful and it did a good job on capturing the brief moment of childhood.

Hannah Barrow

11/15/2018 01:13:32 pm

This image is of a girl. She looks about 9 or 10 years old. She has red hair and a blue dress. She Has a lot of cutouts of girls on the ground and they seem to be color coordinated. There are some vintage looking colors in the image like the brown-green sofa and the curtains. The light looks like stage lighting. There is a piano in the back of the image and a magazine and skizzors next to the cutouts. The girl is just kneeling on the ground and she looks like she is looking at someone in the room.

The rule of thirds is being used. The girl is a little to the right. The point of view is from a person. Probably a kid because the view looks low to the ground. The focal point of the image is the girl. All of she is in the frame but you cannot see her legs because she is kneeling. Some lines made to attract your eye could be the sofa and how it is curved around the girl. The images also attract my eye because they are all laid out on the ground in rows.

The depth of field looks deep. Not much of the image is blurred except for thinks in the back like the piano. The image is balanced. Some of the cutouts on the ground are cut out of the frame. There seems to be a person that the girl is talking to that you can not see. There really isn’t any negative space in the image besides some places on the floor and wall.

The image was made by an artist who cast people to be in her images to recreated memorize that she has of she childhood. The girl in the image is the artist, Holly Andres. She was the youngest of ten children and she grew up in Montana. This image reminds me of nowadays and how people compare themselves to people in magazines. She has all of the cutouts of people on the ground and she probably didn’t cut them out because they are not pretty. This image is interesting and makes me wonder what she is looking at and what she's really doing.

I don’t like this image. It is kind of weird. I don’t like the colors and the design. The artist was successful thought. They were trying to capture a moment from their like and they did that well.

Shayna Bolton

11/15/2018 01:14:37 pm

The image shows a little girl surrounded by cutouts of people. She is kneeling on the ground and has a pair of scissors next to her. Behind her there is a window, a grand piano, and a beige couch. The little girl wears a bright blue dress and a white long sleeve shirt underneath. These colors contrast well against the muted brown colors of the background.

The main lighting is made from natural light coming in through the window. It seems that off camera there might be another LED light shining on the girl. There is a magazine sitting by the girl’s feet, this is probably the source of the cutouts she has on the floor. There is a calming beach painting behind her on the wall. It, along with the cutouts, also have blue colors to make them stand out.

I don’t find it pleasing to look at because the girl has an angry look on her face. Usually when characters in a photo are unhappy it can make the viewer feel those same emotions. The rule of thirds is being used with the girl and the photos on the floor. The girls sits more on the right side of the photo while the things on the ground are more on the left side. The point of view is probably bird’s eye, the photo is taken from a higher angle than where the girl is sitting.

A deep depth of field is being used in this photograph. The background as well as the foreground are very sharp and in focus in this picture. The focal point of the photo is the little girl kneeling on the wooden floor. She is being framed by the things around her, specifically the things in the background. The curve of the line of the couch directs the viewer’s eye to the girl.

The theme of the photo is this little girl who is being entertained by cutting things out of a magazine. She might be doing this because a school project or just because she wants to. She looks off into the distance, maybe at nothing and she is just thinking. Or maybe she is looking at a person or family member that is off camera. The artist made this photo to show about children, the little girl represents the artist when she was young.

Paolo Hernandez

11/15/2018 01:15:00 pm

This is image is about a girl who is meant to represent the photographer when she was young. It shows a young girl, probably around the age of 10. The girl is holding a book. There is also many books that are being shown in the image. There is also images of people on the ground. There is a sofa in the background. It probably represents a cozy home that most people would like to stay in.

It is interesting to look at because it shows how young girls used to become about 20 or 30 years ago. In modern days, girls will probably be watching TV, but back then they would probably be reading books, looking through magazines and playing with dolls. The girl is the focus point of this image. The image is perfectly centered and there is nothing cut out that needs to be in the image. This image is not using the rule of thirds.

This image reminds me of classic movies. For example, this image reminds me of Little House on the Prairie. It includes a young girl who is in a house. The author made this image to represent herself when she was young. She had a young girl take her place and act like the young girl was her. This image is interesting to look at, because it is different from things today. Usually kids like that will not be reading books and magazines at that age.

I like this image because it takes me back to when I was younger. It shows childlike actions. I like the coach and the piano in the background. It reminds me of entertainment and fun. It is fun to look at because it takes your mind of the real world.

The meaning of this image is to show what a child would be like in the 1900s. It shows the girl looking away from the camera. The painting in the back is very interesting. It shows thee mountains, water, oceans, and trees. It is very suave, relaxing, and peaceful. It makes me happy and calm.

Andrea Gonzalez

11/15/2018 01:16:30 pm

Critical Analysis #8

In this photograph I see a young girl in a living room. She is kneeling, and in front of her are cutouts of people from magazines. She is wearing a victorian styled blue and white dress and is looking away from the camera. There is a high contrast of light and shadow in this image as if the artist was trying to make the scene more dramatic. Also, colors used include earthy tones as well as light blue and white seen on the girl.
The girl, or the subject, of the image is not filling the space and instead she seems small next to everything around her. The rule of thirds is being used because the girl is not centered in the image. As most of the picture is in focus, it is easy to say that there is a deep depth of field being used. This may be to have the viewer search for small details scattered around the room that is being portrayed. The point of view is from someone standing and looking at the girl while she stares off into space.
The girl in the picture seems to be creative. The reason that I say this is because she is crafty enough to be cutting out people from magazines. It is unclear what she wants to do with these cutouts, but maybe she plans on making a collage out of them. Not only this, but it is common for people that are inclined to the arts to be “dreamers.” She seems to be off staring at nothing in particular, while she lets her imagination run.
In the description of the image it says that the girl in the scene is actually supposed to be someone that is roleplaying as the artist when she was little. Maybe the artist wanted to commemorate the act of sinking into your imagination. It is important for people to dream, and never let go of their creativity. The picture actually reminds me of myself. I am always thinking, and sometimes to pass the time I think about anything that can keep me entertained in the moment.
I do like this image. I like the idea of an artist trying to capture childhood into one picture. This photograph will be seen by many people, all of which hopefully have not let go of their desire to dream. Without imagination, it is difficult to enjoy life. Life is full of things to experience and goals to meet, all of which one cannot do if they always settle for what they have. This picture helps me remind me of this, and I hope that I will always remember it.

Hannah Growney

11/15/2018 01:20:02 pm

This appears to be an image of a little girl surrounded by pictures of other people. The artist made this image to recreate her life through others. I think she is surrounded by pictures of people she maybe looks up to or admires. I believe this could show that she really likes celebrities or whoever the pictures are of. I believe this image shows what the photographer did of who she was as a child.

This image uses all the colors of the rainbow. It looks like it was taken in the living room of a house. I think the lighting comes from a lamp. It has a very deep depth of field, so you can see everything in the background. This image includes one girl in a dress. Another thing it includes is a bunch of multicolored photos.

A theme in this photograph is bright colors. The photographer wanted to show what she did as a child. Strangely enough this image reminds me of something I used to do as a child. I used to cut images out of the newspaper and put them in my “journal.” This was fun to me because I thought I was being creative and resourceful.

Personally I really don’t like this image. I believe that this is a strong image. I also think that it looks kinda creepy. This is because only cutting pictures of women in colorful dresses is strange. Especially taking the time to carefully cut that many out.

I believe that this has a good story. I think that it’s smart and creative. I think the fact that this photographer took the time to make this set of images shows how much she loved her childhood. I like how she used her life to make these. I mean the fact she took time out of her life to show her childhood is great.

Sarah Guerra

11/15/2018 01:20:50 pm

This image depicts a young girl looking off while in front is several cut out magazine photos of people are organized on the ground in what seems to be a living room. The main colors being used are red, blue, green, and brown. The lighting is fairly bright. The objects in this photo is the young girl, the magazine cut outs, and the couch in the back. The image seems to show that the girl cut out the magazine photos.

The composition is balanced and pleasing to look at. The rule of thirds in being used by placing the young girl in the center-right of the photo. The point of view could be of someone in the house walking past the young girl. The depth of view is fairly deep. The focal point of the photo is the the young girl.

The lines of the magazine cut outs lead you to the young girl. I believe the image is more asymmetrical because there is negative space that is not even throughout the photo. There is some extra space in the photo. At the edge of the image is the magazine photos and a piano in the back, cutting off some of both. The negative space is in the lower right and some at the top.

The theme of the image is to depict the personality of the young girl. The story I believe shows how this young girl is very proper and organized. The artist’s intention was to depicts herself as a little girl. The image reminds me of and older house. I find the image interesting.

I like the photo because of how interesting it is. That is because I find it very creative how she represented herself. I believe the photo is successful because it does what it is intended to do. The image successfully captures the artist’s personality in a very intricate way. I personally find this photo creative, interesting, and beautiful.

Paul Borrego

11/15/2018 01:22:53 pm

The picture is of a little girl in front of pictures of people and a couch. The photo has mostly warmer colors except for the girl’s dress. The photo is taken in a well lit room. There is also a piano and a bird cage in the back of the room. A girl on her knees with her back straight.

The composition is pleasing to look at because the colors look nice together. The rule of thirds isn’t being used as the subject is in the middle. The photo has a deep depth of field. The girl is the focal point. The image is asymmetrical.

The image looks like it was made in a set. I think this because the colors blend together very well. And also the cutouts were cut very well and laid out precisely. I don’t think that a kid would be so patient with it. I am not saying that because it was staged that makes it any worse or better.

The theme in the image is memory. The story might be a kid being called. I think it might be this way by how they are on their knees. I also think that she might be in trouble. The girl cut out people in magazines which she might not have been allowed to do. She also look guilty.

I like the image. The colors together look very nice. And the background looks very nice also. The photo is successful as it is pretty. And it shows someone’s memory.

David Scott

11/15/2018 01:24:12 pm

This is an image of a little girl in a blue dress with red hair. This girl seems to be 9-10 years of age. There seems to be 45 cut out models on the floor. There is a bird in a cage in the background. There seems to be quirky stool for the piano in the background.

The left side of the image is lit by the window. But the right side of the image is darker in comparison. There are scissors next to her which heavily implies that she cut out all 45 of these models. The rule of thirds is being used in the picture. She is slightly to the right side of the frame.

This image is pleasing to look at. I like all the models that look almost color coordinated on the floor. This might be the point of view of a sibling or a parent that is watching over the child. The focal point of the image would be the girl because she is in a bright blue dress that seems to draw your eye to her.

This would be a very deep depth of field. Most things in the photo are in focus. There is not much negative space in this image. The subject takes up about 2/3rds of the image. This image is not symmetrical.

I do like this image. I think that it has a political message. I believe the political message is not to idolize models and people you see in magazines because no one looks that way in real life. The girl in the picture seems to be obsessed with these models and we should look at this image as a stand against beauty standards

Joey

11/15/2018 01:30:00 pm

This is a picture of a girl kneeling on the floor. In front of her are characters that are cut out from the magazine. This picture is colorful because the magazine characters are wearing clothe with different colors. The room she is knelling is quite bright. The girl in the center of the image is starring at the another side if the wall.

This picture is pleasing to look at because the picture itself is peaceful. The picture doesn’t contain striking colors. Main character is centered, tule of third is not being used. The photographer took this picture at the same hight of this girl. The picture is using deep depth of field because the background in not blurry.

This picture is all about a girl and the room. As we can see, the room is decorated in an old fashion. This implies that the author wants to reflect her childhood through this image. The bird cage and piano in this room can tell us children’s interests back the time she was born. This picture looks interesting because it tells us the girl’s usual interest. Not everyone likes cutting figures from magazines.

This picture is from the body of work created by Andres. Stories From A Short Street is the name of the work. Andres displays her unique experiences as a child growing up in rural Montana. This picture is probably what Andres did when she was a child. May be she had no accesses to fancy clothes. So, that is the reason why she collected these magazines.

I like this picture because it is colorful. Everyone likes colorful pictures. The photograph is successful because of the setting. The old fashioned decorations impressed me. The room settings precisely reflect what the life look like many years ago.

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Period 7 -- Critical Analysis #8

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