Monday, June 4, 2012

Lee, Shin Hye/ Reaction Essay 2/ Thurs 3-4

Most people love to take photographs, and they do not think that taking photographs is not that difficult. Then, what about appreciating photograph? Because a lot of people consider photograph as a kind of art, they think of it as a hard and difficult to understand in detail. However, it is not true. Although we are not experts on photographs, we are able to understand and appreciate photos in our own ways. There are three things to consider when we would like to analyze a photograph: foreground, background and an overall atmosphere.


 Here are two pictures. One photograph is about Golden Bridge, and the other one is about a huge waterfall. First of all, if we have a look at foreground of those two pictures, we can easily find similar and different elements that two photographs contain. On the first picture, there are two people and they look like a couple. There are no other people or elements. And the foreground of the first picture is illustrated as black, so we cannot find more details. On the other hand, we can find a huge cruse with a lot of tourists inside in the foreground of the second picture. Even both of two pictures were taken at riverside or seaside, because of different foreground element, the different atmosphere comes out.


 Next, we need to look up the background of two pictures. One picture has a huge Golden Bridge on its background part, and the other one has a huge waterfall on the background. Even the topics of two pictures are different, they contain a similarity. For example, the background elements-Golden Bridge and waterfall-are fading away. On the right side of both photos, we cannot see the object clearly, which techniques create more dreamlike and mysterious atmosphere. Of course, both pictures have difference in their background; briefly speaking, the trait of Golden Bridge picture can be illustrated as "emptiness", rather that of the picture of waterfall can be said as "solidity." There is no special thing except for sky in the Golden Bridge picture, but in the waterfall picture, we can find no empty room inside of the photograph.


 Lastly, when we want to appreciate or compare two photographs, we need to focus on their overall atmospheres. Because there are few elements including the main object, the Golden Bridge, that photograph creates really calm and silent atmosphere. And a rain-fog around the bridge enhances that peaceful atmosphere. However, in the waterfall photograph, the atmosphere is not calm or peaceful; rather it is really active, powerful and strong. Although the second photograph also contains a water-fog which comes from a huge waterfall, the feeling it gives is totally different from that of the picture of the Golden Bridge. The reason seems to be both two pictures have different foreground and background elements, which finally create the overall atmosphere of each photograph.

 

 To sum up, three parts that we need to consider when we appreciate or compare pictures are mentioned: foreground, background and overall atmosphere. Because we are not experts who professionally criticize or compare photographs, we do not have to afraid from worries from misunderstanding. There is no exact answer in photograph. The photograph, like the photographs we have taken so far, is just a halted moment which captured certain scenery or someone's memory.     

1 comment:

  1. I like that you used expression appreciating the photograph. And also you have well organized. I can see that in your introduction and conclusion. But it would be better if you explain more of atmosphere in the first body paragraph.

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