My Notes for the Presentation
Fire on Marlborough Street 1975
On 22nd July 1975 the police scanner picked up an emergency "Fire on Marlborough Street!". Stanley Forman who was working for the Boston Herald American news papers managed to capture this tragic moment with his still camera using a 35mm lens.
Stanley Forman climbed on to a fire truck and photographed a young women named Diana Bryant and her 2-year-old goddaughter Tiare Jones. Both of them were standing near the fire escape, shouting for help. Before the turntable ladder could reach them, the fire escape had collapsed bringing both the girls down. Only the little girl managed to survive the 50 feet fall.
Stanley got lucky with this white and black photograph as he received the World Press Photo of the Year and Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography in 1976.
What I found really interesting about this picture was the composition as it enhances the dramatic moment. Everything happens to point diagonal lines making the picture more disturbing. There is also a contrast between the dark and light shapes. For example, the body and the window against the darker background making the falling people the main focus.
References
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/4245138.stm
Luara's Research for Presentation
Migrant Mother
Migrant Mother [1936]
Photographed by Dorothea
Lange
Dorothea Lange. Lange
captured the image while visiting a local and dusty California pea-pickers’
camp in February 1936
Thanks to Dorothea Lange
“Migrant Mother” son became the face of the great depression. And by being
spread rapidly across the globe it soon prompted the politicians of California
to send food and supplies for people suffering like Florence Owens Thompson (who
kept her name secret from the world until an interview with a
newspaper in 1976).
In total Lange took 5
exposures of Florence. Lange said that the woman was willing to help because
she “seemed to know that my pictures might help her, and so she helped me.
There was a sort of equality about it”. Which enevitably it did for her and the
workers.
Before action was put into
place her family and the other 2,500 workers survived on stolen vegetables from
a field near by and birds killed with stones.; But when help was sent her
desperate cause to keep her children fed and well she had already moved on.
I was drawn to this photo
because of personal reasons, I recently lost my mum and I instantly felt a
connection. I felt the desperation and
the deep love the children had while burrowing in to this woman’s shoulder,
looking for protection, love and comfort. Which although the children are in
focus in the composition, they are not the primary focus, by using the lighting
sources Lange has the mother high lighted – placing the boys in a shadow of
safety. Where as she is exposed to all the problems they had in the great
depression, and the worry lines on face enhance her desperation. Also although
one interpretation is that the children represent her having the weight of the
world on her shoulders.
In total Lange took 5
exposures of Florence on a Graflex camera on 4x5”film. Unfortunately
I can not find what lens she used, but if it was taken in the rules that Paul
has taught us, I would like to think it would be taken on a 50 mm.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg){kind=link}