Seminars

Week 2

Answer the questions on the given image:

What time period, decade or year do you think this photograph was created in? What visual cues support your choice?

I think the image was taken around the early 200s, at first I thought it might be later such as the 1990s. After looking into the fashion for the early 2000s, she fits this category with the high shirt and pink polo shirt. The stereo threw me off as this style of radio wouldn’t have been particularly popular in the 2000s as iPods and more handy music devices were being used. Looking at her face, she isn’t wearing much make-up which makes me think of the late 1990s to early 2000s. Het hair also makes me think of the 2000s with the straight fringed look which is very popular with celebrities. Also, this look reflects early 2000s chick flicks or any film with teenagers involved.

It’s obviously a Friday when the calendar on the wall but I couldn’t find the month which made me think “is this English, or another language?” which when made me continue to think of where this could be (in the world)

 

Where in the world was this photograph taken? Again, please detail your reasons for asserting your choice.

From the environment she is in, it reminds me of a Chinese takeaway, which could answer the question of the calendar. From the tiles on the wall to the chair having that red and gold look, I remember as a child from Chinese takeaway waiting areas, strange but that’s my theory.

I’ve found it hard to pinpoint where she could be. Because I grew up in the early 2000s I instantly think of this being in England because of the takeaway look, but the style of American films in her dress code makes me think America.

 

In a short paragraph, how would you describe the key visual elements of the photograph? What is contained within the frame?

The woman is very much the key visual element due to her being the only thing in the direct frame of the camera. She is also looking directly into the camera meaning the photographer wants her to look in that direction making her the main point of the image being taken.

 

How is/are the human subject(s) of the photograph engaging with the camera/photographer?

Even though her legs are off to the right and her head tilted to the left, her frontal body position is straightforward as is her eyes.  the contact is with someone in front of the woman (possibly someone standing) the starie eye look makes me continue to think of lush/love towards an encounter with someone linking to her face being quite sexual.

What, if any directions do you think the photographer may have given to the subject(s) of the photograph?

As mentioned previously, the woman is looking directly into the camera meaning she would have been given this direction, which also means this is what the photographer wanted from the image. I believe they have asked her to sit sideways on with her head tilted to capture the light and shadowing of the window which would have created the shadowing.

 

What do you believe the photographer wants, you, the viewer to take from the image?

Her body language suggests she’s a reserved person with her legs and arms folded over, but her face looks happy and could even be suggesting lust by her direct eye contact with the viewer. I think the purpose of the photo/ what the photographer wants the viewer to feel is this could be a first encounter with meeting someone in an everyday place. Looking over a room to a new person (the viewer)