Period 7 -- Practice Critical Analysis

8/31/2018

Each week in class, you will write a critical analysis on a work of photographic art. An image will be published weekly on our class blog. Spend time studying the image and then write a detailed analysis of the photograph. Publish your analysis as a comment to the blog post; this comment should show the student’s name and time posted. your analysis must be posted to the original blog post in order to be graded.

All analyses must be 4 paragraphs minimum, 5 sentences minimum per paragraph unless otherwise noted.

Students will write eleven critical analyses per semester, and the lowest grade per semester will be dropped.

On the class blog, if you look to the right you will see the word Analyze. There is a link to a handout you may download or print called your "How to See" handout. This will help you learn to write about art. 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

mariah podwika

9/1/2018 12:20:58 pm

There’s a house burning in the background and a firefighter is buying a pumpkin from the farmers market in the foreground. The primary color of orange is used throughout the picture. There are pumpkins, a fire truck, a fire, a lawn chair, a cinder block. There is a cloudy natural lighting because the photographer is outside. What’s happening is there is a controlled fire that they are training firefighters to put out and the guy in the front of the image is just taking a break.

The picture is taken from the photographer's point of view. There are a lot of lines that draw your attention. There are strong fall vibes from the pumpkins and the orange of the fire. The photographer took the image from a straight, balanced, and horizontal place. There is some extra space to the left of the farm market and to the back-right of it.

There is a story being told because you don’t know the full story and that’s somewhat concerning. It’s very interesting. The image makes you question if the firefighter is doing his job and if you can trust them to put out fires when you need them to. The artist made this image to point out some irony in what was happening. If we didn’t know that it was a practice fire we would be more concerned and the irony is that it is a controlled fire that doesn’t really call for any alarm.

I like it a lot. The way that the natural clouds make the colors look gives me a vintage and worn out feel to the picture. The image was very successful in portraying what the artist wanted it to, and that was the irony of the fire in the back and the firefighter picking out a pumpkin in the front. I also really like the photograph because of the way that the colors and the natural lighting work together to give it a really worn and aged. I also liked the picture because the irony of it all gives me a good laugh.

Farouk

9/3/2018 07:56:01 am

There is a blazing fire in the background the the house. The texture of the fire seems smooth. The orange hue of the fire seems similar to the pumpkins near the ‘Farm Market.’ The smoke at the end of the fire seems to blend in with the smoky grey branches of the trees and fits the atmosphere of the dark sky. There is a firefighter standing at the market while a fire is going on in the background. The green pine tree appears as black or dark green because of the dark sky, i would imagine the green in the letters of ‘Farm Market” to be the color of the tree on a sunny day. I like the shape and color of the apple on the right side of the farm market. The red seems faded dark just like all the other colors. The pumpkins on the ground are mostly smashed and the pumpkins left unharmed are in the crate neatly organized in front of the market. Some pumpkins are on the table on the left.
This photograph was taken from Sternfeld’s point of view The fence runs into the middle of the photograph and directs the eye to the center. The focal point seems to be the fire and the apple, plus they are both near the center of the photo. Its pleasing to look at it because the image is straight and balanced.
The image seems to be ironic and humorous since the firefighter is at the market while the house is being burned down. The image reminds me of autumn because of the trees, pumpkins, and apple cider, which are all things I love about autumn. The image is very interesting and seems beautiful and nostalgic.
I definitely do like the image, I just wish Sternfeld used a filter to make the colors look a little more sharp. The natural lighting makes the colors look boring in a sense. Overall it’s very creative and it's something I would hang in my house because of the warmth of memories it brings and how humorous it is.

Sofia Galindo

9/3/2018 11:46:23 am

The first thing seen in this image is a little farmers market that sells pumpkins and other things like oranges. There are many smashed or rotten pumpkins on the ground and some cinder blocks laying around. There is a fireman shopping for pumpkins there and just browsing the market. In the background, there is an old looking house that is on fire with a firetruck next to it. The color that pops in this image is the orange in the pumpkins, oranges, and the fire. The natural lighting used in this photo is very gloomy and dull because the sky seems to be very cloudy with barely any sunlight peeking through. What’s confusing about this photo is, at first, one would think that the fireman browsing the market didn’t care about the burning house behind him, but what’s really happening is the fire going on is just a practice fire for training purposes. He is on a break, which is why he decided to check out the market and buy some pumpkins.
This photo is pleasing to look at because there is a lot to think about when you first look at it, like “what’s going on?” and “how come he’s not doing his job?” The colors also are very pleasing to look at because of the bright orange that is consistent throughout the photo, then everything else looks dark and gloomy, which really sets the mood of the image. The first thing you see in the photo is the market, then the fence next to the market lead your eyes to the line of trees that are seperating the market from the burning house. Once you look past the trees, you see the house. The photo is not symmetrical because there are many more trees on the left side than the right and it’s a little chaotic looking. On the left side of the picture, mostly just trees and some table or stands from the market are cropped out of the picture. On the right side, the rest of the fire truck is cropped out. The photo is taken from the photographer’s view to let the viewer be able to see everything that is happening at the same time.
The photographer’s purpose for capturing this picture was to show that not everything is what it seems and that there is a story behind every picture. A house is burning in the background and we see a firefighter not caring and just buying some pumpkins. However, it’s nothing like what seems to be happening, which is what the photographer wanted. He wants the viewer to dig deeper and understand/figure out what’s really going on, not only what meets the eye. The image is quite interesting to look at because of the way everything is set up and all the chaos that is going on with the fire, the market, and the firefighter.
I really liked this photo because it made me think and question what was really going on. The irony in this photo also made me laugh, which I think photos should include more of. The layout of the whole photo and how the fence next to the market directs the eye to the burning house is very well done, which makes this photo very successful in my opinion.

Reagan

9/3/2018 04:31:36 pm

Nothing is ever what it seems. You may see a house burning and a field of pumpkins vandalized, but what i see is that only one tree still has it’s green bean leaves and how the sky surrounding the house is a blob of grey. Some people look at this photo and see hate, but I see that every bad thing has a good outcome. As the house is burning and the pumpkins slowly rotting away you see a figure, maybe a neighbor or a firefighter, this person is carrying the last good pumpkin in the field and is about to pay for it. No matter rain, hail, or snow the sun will always come back.
The picture is taken from an outsiders point of view. It is meant to make you feel what anyone who would be looking out onto the field and house’s emotions. I find this picture very pleasing to look at, it has a very destructive look to it realizing all my angry. In this photo the fence draws your eyes to look at the burning house, this is called leading lines. Many photographers use this method to make sure the person viewing the photo is drawn to what the photographer wants you to see.
I think the story being told in this image is how we as americans are very lazy and are always neglecting our responsibilities that are right in front of us. This is shown when the firefighter buys a pumpkin instead of stopping the fire that is right next door. I think the author made this to intentionally confuse you. This photo could of been a disaster, but it was so well put together that all the destruction is quite peaceful. Personally i question the fact that the firefighter isn't doing his job, but trust there’s a reason behind it.
I really enjoy the mixture of colors and how it all balances each other out. What i don't like is that some of the grass has patches of green grass and it bothers me. I also don't like that you cant see more of the houses surroundings. I think if i could see more of the house then i would understand the picture better. I think the author meant to confuse the audience and i think he successful did just that.

Hasan Ehsan

9/3/2018 04:59:48 pm

This image depicts a firefighter picking out a pumpkin while, ironically, there’s a house on fire in the background. The environment is used vastly in this image, with pictures of pumpkins and trees, along with the natural sunlight. It helps make the photo more realistic. There’s also some fence posts, a lawn chair, and a table holding some pumpkins, which helps add to the realism of this moment in life. The picture seems to be in a rural setting, and these objects help make that association. The colors are brighter, like the orange pumpkins, which helps complement the natural sunlight.

This image is pleasing to look at, mainly because it’s intriguing. It leads to a lot of questions and assumptions on the part of the beholder. The fence lines and trees also help establish a perspective so we can see that the market is in the front and the house is in the back. The straight lines of the market and the trees add a geometric sense to this picture, and the frame makes sure that almost nothing is cut out of the picture. This allows the image to try to tell a complete story without any holes. It also comes from the point of view of the photographer, which helps the reader relate to what he’s seeing.

One theme in the image is the seasonal setting of fall. There’s pumpkins to signify Halloween, as well as a mix of grown and barren trees to signify the end of summer and beginning of winter. The author’s intent in this picture is to be humorous through irony, given that a firefighter is looking at pumpkins while there’s a raging fire in the back. Now that I know the fire was a contained one, this image did challenge my assumption that the firefighter wasn’t doing his job. This picture is indeed beautiful because there’s a mix of vibrant and neutral colors that create a very quaint atmosphere.

I like this picture because everything in the picture is there for a reason. This image also creates a whole narrative based on one moment in time. The fences and geometric lines help give perspective, which add a sense of realism. Personally, I prefer realistic images over abstract images because they are much more relatable. I find this image successful because it fulfills the author’s intent: to trick his audience and humor them through the use of irony. I appreciate all the different feelings this picture incited within me before and after I learned the context of the situation.

Xinyu Lei

9/3/2018 05:26:51 pm

The image is located on a barren ground where there is a farmer’s market. At the ⅔ of the ground, a line separates the picture clearly. In the portion above the ground, there is a building which is on fire. Below there is the withered grass. Pumpkins are broken, discarded, scattered in front of the farm market, where the orange, wholesome ones are lining in a queue in the farm market. A firefighter, in his withered coat, staring and picking the one he fancies, while the apricot fire is burning the cloud into ashes. It creates a weird sarcasm in the picture. It’s not a soothing sunny day. The light is greyish, and the atmosphere is very dry. It’s possible winter, cause under the natural light, only the pine trees appear to be in the color of dark green.

It’s a complex photo with a lot going on. The frame is full, different views and objects mash together. The focus is not obvious, and the picture is created at the ground level which makes color, instead of the angle, a decisive element that can emphasize the photo. The composition is not symmetrical, but a certain ratio, for example, the size of the farm market and the burning house, makes it looks like it is well balanced. The fences on the right gradually lead the sight to the farm market. The pumpkins, dried grass and the firefighters’ have the colors that synchronize together. However, the saturation of the photo is low and appear to be greyish.

The photo is taken by photographer Joel Sternfeld, who is famous for the sarcastic content and the story depicted by his photo. In this picture, the firefighter and the burning house intrigue curiosity and give a sense of absurdness. The first impression made me feel like it’s a critique of a social phenomenon in the society. The low saturation and the contrast between the scattered pumpkins and the perfect one also support the idea. However, after listening to the story behind the scene, it occurs to me that the photo might be the reflection of the author’s dark humor.

The photo does not appeal to me visually. The color does not stand out or catches my eyes, at the same time, The angle and focus are not unique. Though it’s somehow humorous, but it doesn’t strike me, or makes me feel surprised, joy, or fear when I dig deep into. The photo got some interesting perspective. It may be a successful photo for others but personally, I would not choose it as my favourite.

Sarah Guerra link

9/3/2018 08:34:05 pm

When you look at this the image seems very ironic. The image depicts a fire in the background with a firefighter just buying a pumpkin. The colors are very dark and I associate this with negative or sad thoughts. The lighting seems to be natural and on a cloudy day outside.
The image is depicting a house on fire in the background while a firefighter in buying a pumpkin. The image is hectic in my opinion.

I don't find this image pleasing. This is because it has a lot going on making it confusing. This image seems to be from the perspective of a random person walking past. The lines of the fence direct people to see the house. The subject i think fills the space. I don't think the image is balanced because the fire in the background can be seen and crazy while the fire fighter buying the pumpkin is not necessarily calm but normal. The frame crops the rest of the fire truck out.

The image seems to be in the fall. I think the artist is depicting how weird it is for the firefighter to not be helping with the fire. The image just reminds me of the fall for the most part. The image makes me question the job of a firefighter.

I do not like this image and i personally find it somewhat disturbing. I think the coloring and type of day is related to negative thoughts. The picture is overall confusing and unpleasant. I also don't think the photo to be successful or successful. My overall opinion on this picture is that i do not like it.

Hannah Growney

9/4/2018 12:09:16 pm

This is an image of a house on fire, amd smashed pumpkins in the foreground. There are mostly browns and greens, but there is some bright orange in the fire and the pumpkins. Where the photo was taken it is cloudy. There are firemen, pumpkins, and a house on fire. What is happening in this image is a practice fire for the firemen.

The rule of thirds is being used. The two main subjects, the burning house and the farmers market, are both out of the middle. The image is asymmetrical. There are two completely different things on each side. The frame crops off the front of the firetruck.

Color themes in this image are orange, yellow, and green. I think the artists intention from making this image is to capture a moment. Everything in this image seems very random. I also think that this image is kind of ugly. It is also extremely random.

I really do not like this image. I don’t like it because everything in it is negative. The smashed pumpkins and the burning building. I also this that this is not a successful photo. On the top right edge they chopped off the front of the firetruck.

Paolo Hernandez

9/4/2018 12:10:59 pm

In this picture there is a fireman getting pumpkins while there is a house on fire in the background. There is smoke coming from the fire of the house. Also in this picture there is only one tree with leaves while the others don't have trees at all. There is also some fire fighters trying to put out the fire while that one firefighter that is getting pumpkins is not helping at all.

This picture is taken through the photographer's eyes. It shows the perspective and the point of view of the photographer. The photographer is trying to capture the image of the fire and the pumpkins in order for the viewer to focus on the whole image and to think about what is really happening in this image. There is 3 different things the photographer wants you to focus on the fire the pumpkins and the trees. The photographer also wants you to focus on what the firefighter is doing and why he is looking at pumpkins instead of helping out and extinguishing the fire.

There is a farm market and a big house in the background. There are pumpkins scattered all around the ground. But, there is also reasoning behind this picture. There is actually a fire for training in order to test the firefighter in order to see what he will do and how he will react to this situation. The fire was intentionally set off for training for the fire fighters. The house doesn't have anyone in it because the house is also for training purposes. This is all intentionally done.

I like the image because it shows two perspectives. It shows the image of the house burning and the firefighter in the front getting pumpkins. I like how there is enough action in this picture to where you get to analyze the image and think about what is really happening in the image. I don't like pictures that are plain and don't have much on them. If people were to look at a picture with not much happening then no one would look at them. But on the other hand, if there is things happening in the picture then people will look at them and enjoy them.

Campbell Streak-Jensen

9/4/2018 02:39:18 pm

This image is of firefighters trying to stop a house fire. There is a firefighter possibly on break getting some pumpkins at the front of the picture. The colors of the fire and the smashed pumpkins go well together. There are three firefighters and one is buying pumpkins. There are smashed pumpkins on the ground in front of the scene.

It is pleasing to look at because of the composition of the colors. The colors used work very well together. The image is not balanced at all. The pumpkins are smashed on one side and a fire is going on on another. There is a fire truck that is fighting a fire at the edge of the photo.

The story being told is that there is a controlled fire in the background and an off-duty firefighter is buying pumpkins. It does not question any beliefs or assumptions, but if you do not know the story behind it you could be worried that a firefighter is buying pumpkins and not worrying about the fire. The image is very beautiful. The colors and the themes work well together. It is very noteworthy because of the different points of view this can have.

I do like it. It is very pleasing to look at. The story it tells is very interesting and the amount of stories it can tell is amazing. The photograph is successful because it is pleasing to look at. I also hate it because I am just not one to think deeply into artwork.

Sergio Sanchez link

9/4/2018 03:53:33 pm

The photograph of the seemingly ironic and lazy fireman going pumpkin shopping with a blazing fire burning a house in the background makes you question what is happening in the photograph. Though there are no bright colors in the photograph the lighting is good and it is pleasing to see because it is very ironic.
The photograph is composed with the rule of thirds, the point of view is from a person that is going to shop for pumpkins and somehow encounters the firefighter. The image is balanced while being asymmetrical with positive space.
I really like the photograph because of how ironic it is, so in my opinion the image is very successful.

Paul Borrego

9/4/2018 06:51:06 pm

This is a image of a firefighter picking pumpkins in autumn while a fire is raging behind him. The photo is mostly warm colors because of the season but some evergreen trees are dark green. The photo is mostly dark being outside on a cloudy day. In the image there is a building on fire in the back and a farmers market in front, both surrounded by grass and some trees in between them. In the back a building is burning with firefighters trying to takedown the fire while a firefighter in the front is picking pumpkins like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
This composition is based off of irony that a firefighter doesn’t care at the fire at all. The photographer took advantage of the rule of threes by placing the burning house on the top right intersection while putting the farmers market on the left vertical line.I believe that the image is in the perspective of a confused civilian passing by. The lines in the photo are fence posts and point to the house that is on fire. The image is asymmetrical as the two buildings on each side are meant to be different images not the same.
The photographer made this image is to show the irony of the fact that a firefighter looks like he doesn’t have a care in the world. This picture reminds me of old timey black and white mute comedies that just had a guy running around being silly. It also reminds me of my friend who is always confused and looks out of it. The image is interesting because it isn’t something someone would see often. I feel like you could make a lot of stories out of this image like it was the firefighters in the front’s day off.
I have changed my mind on this image and I now like it. It is weird and makes you think about the story of it because logically it doesn’t make sense. I feel like this photo did it’s purpose of confusing it’s audience and making them take a second look. It is kinda funny because of how different we expect the photo to be vs. what it is. I see a burning house and firemen fighting it and expect all the firemen to be fighting it so it is a surprise when they aren’t.

Andrea Gonzalez

9/5/2018 04:08:07 am

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTeKIzZ2GjUrPNb9D1aNhK--9WT9iSaLLy3FzAkm6mY7WDFj6fNFIQhXb1J1Bi32Upvp4A85Wh1zbes/pub

Jack Waters

9/5/2018 09:40:50 am

This picture shows a very sad scene. As you can see due to there being no leaves, halloween has passed, this means that no one is going to buy pumpkins. The man who owns that house that we can see in the back did not sell enough pumpkins to pay for everything he needed. He sold so little that he will not be able to survive the winter. Knowing this he set his house on fire, smashed a bunch of pumpkins and left, never to be seen again. The firefighter knows this and that the others have the fire under control so he is taking a pumpkin.

This photo makes me very uncomfortable. The fence is used as a line to lead your eyes towards the house on fire. The fire trucks ladder also leads your eyes to the house. The road leads your eyes to the pumpkin stand which then causes you to see the firefighter. The focal point is the house on fire and the firefighter by the pumpkin.

The image is interesting because it makes you confused and questioning. The story being told is the one I talked about in the first paragraph. I feel like the artist to this photo to make the viewer uncomfortable and confused. This image reminds me of my old home because of all the leafless trees and pumpkins.

I do not like this picture. It makes me feel uncomfortable. If that was the artist's intention then they were successful. There are so many things that are confusing and wrong in this image I can’t even begin to describe them.

Yiheng Zhou link

9/5/2018 11:35:51 am

In the picture there is a firefighter in the farm market picking up pumpkins. In the background there is a house on fire. The picture is took on a cloudy day because the entire sky is white. Tree leaves are gone indicates the time period the photo is taken—winter, which make sense because everything is dry and easily catch on fire in winter. The color of the image is bright such as orange pumpkins, fire and a bright winter sky. There are a bunch of details in this image, especially the farm market. We can know the owner of this market might be McLean and besides pumpkins it probably sells apple cider also.

I have to say this picture is intriguing. Because you know, firefighters should do their job. More importantly, everything in this picture serves different purposes. The fence right next to the camera leads our sight to the market and the firefighter. These trees behind the market creates a feeling of distant, so that we could know how far between the market and the house. Lastly, this picture is well balanced and pleasing looking.

This picture seems to be ironic. House is burning down but the firefighter is picking pumpkins. This leads to a social problem: If my possessions are well preserved, I don’t need to care about others. Sometimes it could cause serious problems or even death. It’s an interesting picture because it lets people think a lot. Most of people will get confused when first sees this but they will understand after closer examine.

Honestly, I don’t like this picture although it’s good. Sadness occupies the entire scene. If your house get burned down in a cold cloudy winter day, you are going to suffer apparently. I’m not saying that this photo is not successful enough. It’s just too sad for me. This picture is surely a successful one because its perfect settings with a lot of details. Also a thoughtful picture.

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Period 7 -- Practice Critical Analysis

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