Catching through Photographs
Photographs are honest and influential about the expressions of the subjects. In fact, we can see various kinds of feelings through them; happiness, sadness, frustrations, satisfaction, and so on. Seeing these emotions expressed in the faces of subjects can bring powerful responses from the viewer. They may touch us deeply or make us happy. Here are two photographs of children. First one is called "Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White and the other one is called "Children's Puppet Theatre" by Alfred Eisenstadt. In both photographs, the body language and facial expressions of the children, who are the subjects, display different moods and emotions.
In "Village School," the group of boys are all seated on benches that look like church pews, staring at something. In fact, they are sitting up straight in four rows, one behind the other. The periphery is dark, and we can't see the object or person they are looking at. In a dark room, the only light we can notice is shining on the faces of the boys. Their hair is short and few of them are wearing light shirts while others are in dark colors. We can barely see their upper torsos except few. The overall mood of this photograph is serious and somber since the boys seem to remain passive without having any emotion on their faces and there are large gaps between them. So there appears to be no communication and they are isolated from each other. The boy in the foreground seem to be especially isolated from his peers, alone in his row. In this picture, it seems as if the children are under pressure and afraid of something.
The children in the "Children's Puppet Theatre" are all gathered together. The five faces in the foreground are easily noticeable that we can see them completely. In the background, only the tops of the children's heads are visible with endless rows of children. The special thing about this picture is that boys and girls are not posed but moving freely and enjoying their happy moment. A boy in the center has his mouth wide open and his right hand raised, pointing at something in front of him. The other boy on the left is covering his ears as if he is disturbed by loud sound. Also, the children are touching each other. In fact, little girls on the right are holding on to each other, one resting her head on the other. Moreover, we can find diverse expressions on the faces of them children. Some of them are screaming and others look surprised. A few are laughing out loud and some put their hands on their faces as though they are shocked.
Both photographs portrays children of about the same age, who are looking at something or someone that the viewer can't see. Therefore, they give us chance to guess what that is. While there are only boys in the "Village School," "Children's Puppet Theater" includes both boys and girls. Having only boys makes the atmosphere more strict and this is emphasized by the way the boys are positioned formally. Unlike them, who are sitting in neat rows with brusque look on the faces, the boys and girls in the second picture are full of motions as well as emotions. They are shouting, leaning, laughing, and moving their hands. In fact, they are revealing their emotions openly and freely, showing exactly how they feel. However, there appears to be signs of hope in the first photograph. The light is shining on the children's faces and the boy in the front row looks like he's smiling slightly. Moreover, in contrast with "Village School," "Children's Puppet Theatre" has many tones from white to black and different textures in the children's clothes.
In conclusion, there are two photographs of children. One depicts the silent and somber mood while the other one shows bright and happy mood. In one, children are positioned stiffly and in the other one, children are free with their motions. Both focuses on the children's faces but one captures no emotion while the other features many diverse expressions. By just looking at these photographs, we can not only see how the children react but also feel their emotions. As the viewer, we are drawn by their gestures and expressions and finally end up drawn into their reality.
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