Critical Lenses -Looking Closely at Photographs

The Iran Elections

By Ben Curtis

1. This photograph gives me a feeling of hope because of what it represents.
2. It tell the story of the people in Iran who are finally being given a chance at democracy.  It would be difficult to get the same effect through words because this photograph gives a face to the people of Iran.
3. The woman's hand and the markings on it are the subject of the photograph.
4. The lighting is natural.  By the shadow on the woman's face, it looks like it is sometime towards the middle of the day.
5. The colors on the woman's hand and the green and red of her head scarf stand out. 
6. The woman's face is somewhat out of focus in order to make her hand the primary subject.
7. The camera is probably about two feet away from the woman but closer to her hand, taking out all of the unnecessary clutter of the area around her and focusing only on her.
8. The rule of thirds is followed.  Both the woman's eyes and her hand are off center.
9. The photo is slightly impersonal.  By not really showing the woman's face, it generalizes the experience and makes her one of the many Iranian people who voted instead of one particular person.  
10. The colors strike me most because they are so bright in contrast to the darkness surrounding the woman in the picture.  It is very symbolic of her actual surroundings.
11. Her face can be considered the background and, behind her, everything has been darkened out.
12. I think this photograph was taken to give meaning to the elections in Iran and bring the unsteady situation in that country to people's attention.
13. This does qualify as photojournalism because it tells this woman's story and her country's story.  I think this qualifies as art photography because of its simple beauty and abundance of detail.
14. This photo is relatively recent.  It probably will not be timeless because it focuses so much on a current issue.  It may become iconic for its political and democratic symbolism.
15. I also notice the woman's face.  While her stance is proud, her expression almost looks anxious.  It shows that, although she was able to vote, there is still an element of danger in her country.

Displaced people line up as they wait for their daily food ration during a sand storm at the Chota Lahore refugee camp, at Swabi, in northwest Pakistan, Wednesday, June 3, 2009.
By Emilio Morenatti

1. This picture evokes a feeling of sadness and hopelessness in its viewer.
2. This tells the story of an abundance of refugees in Pakistan and the circumstances that they are facing due to the war in their country.  I think it could be conveyed in words, but would not have as much of an impact.
3. The line as a whole is the subject of the photograph.
4. The lighting is natural.  It looks like dawn because of the light behind them, but it could be distorted because of the sand storm.
5. The beige of the people's clothing and the landscape is almost the only color in the picture, which makes it seem even more depressing and lonely.
6. The part of the line towards the right of the photo is out of focus, making it seem like the line goes on forever.
7. The camera looks like it is pretty close to the subjects, but far enough away to show more of the line instead of focusing on the individuals' faces.  
8. The picture shows repetition, but does not follow the rule of thirds.
9. This photo is personal in that it shows the struggle that these refugees are going through but impersonal in that the elements of the photo (the clothing and setting) are not familiar at all.
10. The lighting strikes me most because it seems so gloomy and isolated, which is mostly because of the effect of the sand storm.
11. Both the background and foreground are completely plain.  All that shows is the sand that is surrounding them.
12. I think this photograph was taken to bring awareness to the other side of the wars in the Middle East.  These people are being affected by it far more than we are.
13. This definitely qualifies as photojournalism because it is concerned with current events.
14. The photo is recent and doesn't really have a timeless quality because it only makes sense in the context of today's issues.  I also don't think it could become iconic because it isn't striking or personal enough.
15. I also notice that almost none of the people in the picture are even acknowledging the photographer, which adds to the sense of distance and isolation. 



By Michael Appleton

1. This photo sparks the viewer's interest more than anything else.
2. It tells the story of one side of life in New York and the atmosphere of the city.
3. The skateboarder is the subject of the photograph.
4. The lighting looks natural, but since there is no sun or sky in the picture, it is hard to tell what time of day it is.
5. The photo is very colorful, with all the colors of the artwork on the wall drawing the most attention.
6. Everything in the picture is in focus, which might imply that the wall behind the skateboarder is just as much a part of the story as the skateboarder himself.
7. The camera is pretty far away from the subject, which allows room for a better picture of the background.
8. Although the subject isn't exactly centered, the photo does not show the rule of thirds.  It is taken at eye level and without any real composition techniques except possibly for leading lines.
9. The photo is impersonal because it doesn't show the skateboarder's face or expression.  He is just another person in another street in New York.
10. The position of the skateboarder strikes me most because he looks like he could almost be a part of the scene behind him.
11. The background of the picture is the wall behind the subject.
12. I think this photo was taken because it was a good action shot with an interesting background.
13. This could qualify as photojournalism although it is difficult to determine the actual story behind the photo.  I also think it could qualify as a commercial photo because of the action.
14. This photo is recent and probably could not be considered timeless because the landscape of the U.S. is always changing and, for that same reason, I don't think it could become iconic.
15. What I mostly notice about this photograph is the artwork behind the subject.  Adding him into the picture just made the background more interesting instead of vice versa.