Hannah Gallagher

I have no idea how Michael Kenna managed to create the effect of the all-white background.   It could be produced by some trick of snow and foggy sky or created by some intentional dark room manipulation. Maybe he simply shot the photo in a snow heavy field in winter – which is possible though if that’s the truth I’m not sure how there’s not a single disturbance in the white surface or one blade of grass.   That background effect alone is stunning, and boggling.   Though, it’s not the main subject of the photograph. Because of the total, complete white behind and around it your attention goes straight for that fence. Then, because there’s nothing to take your notice away from it the eye follows it back as it gets smaller and even further away. The fence twists and turns like a rope ladder whirled around in the air by the breeze.   You might even think that’s what it is for a moment before a second look makes you realize what it really is. This photo see...

While it may not seem like it at first glance, The longer you look at the picture the more it seems to be surrealistic. That’s all because of the play between the girl and the mask. It changes the photo from something that could easily be boring into something out of fantasy.   In fact, Man Ray’s artistry leaves one feeling like they’re looking at a fairytale unfolding. A dark one straight out of the original brothers Grimm collection, where not everyone has a happy ending. The woman lying with her head down on the table, is clearly the main character here. The focus of the shot is literally on her, and she’s where the eye is drawn first in the photo.   Looking at her, you’re not quite sure what to make of her. The woman could easily be simply resting. . .or in a much deeper, longer sleep.   One could easily imagine her as the princess under a curse, though what the curse is or why it was put on her one is only left to guess. It might have something to do wi...

Like most of his photos, this photo by Lee Friedlander makes you feel slightly uneasy and frightened.   Because it is focused on the woman, your eye is automatically drawn to her instead of the slight blurriness of the busy street behind her.   Next, your gaze travels directly to the shadow of the man looming behind her. This shadow immediately sets an uncomfortable tone to the photo and puts the viewer on edge because they instantly start worrying about the situation and feeling for this unsuspecting woman:   Who is he? Is he following her? Why? What is he going to do to her? Anything?   That placement of his shadow gives a very stalkerish effect to the composition and makes it feel like an old-fashioned horror movie or true crime documentary happening right in front of us. One where the photo was taken a second before the girl turns and screams in terror as the monster’s hands reach out to wrap around her throat. Furthermore, this photo instills the vie...

After reading “Photography Changes everything.” By Marvin Heiferman I realized how many uses and meanings photography has. Cameras are everywhere, to the point that we don’t even realize how plentiful they are. What’s more, they’re used thousands of times a day, sometimes for things most people wouldn’t even consider as photography.   From taking a picture of your dinner to post on Instagram, snapping a photo at a family reunion all the way to scientists capturing pictures of atoms and doctors taking x-rays, photography is used in many field and ways in life.   Each of those kinds of photographs have a different meaning. Photography has a different meaning in the way it’s used, but to me it ultimately means capturing the world around us. Through photography we preserve things about nature or our world.   Every kind of photography no matter what type has that in common. It shows how our world is or was and how it works.   Look at photos from the 1800’s (when ph...