Blog # 4 Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Analysis of photography using principles of design:

For this assignment I visited the Library of Congress Prints & Photography Reading Room and selected three photos to analyze from a design perspective.  I chose two contrasting panoramic views, and one photo that includes people.

Photo 1

Panorama Yosemite

• Digital ID: (digital file from intermediary roll film copy) pan 6a16309 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pan.6a16309
• Reproduction Number: 
• Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
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Space and Perspective - This photo is interesting in that the black and white contrast of the mountain range makes the viewer question what is truly positive or negative space.  It seems as though the mountains fill the space while the sky provides the white space on first glance.  However, when looking at this photo more closely, I began to consider the ways in which it is similar to the optical illusion pictures in which the white space holds its own image.  When looking carefully at the white space in the photo, the mountains seem to fade into the background, and the viewer is able to get a sense of perspective by focusing on the sky and the light colored mountain in the background.

Size - On first glance the viewer is clearly drawn in by the use of size in this photograph.  The size of the mountains in the front seem to shout the importance and the grandeur of the experience of viewing the scene.

Balance - What struck me most about this photo is how the photographer was able to use the principle of balance, even when focusing on organic shapes.  When viewing the photo, each side of the mountain is balanced by the piece of sky in the middle.

Photo 2

Panorama of San Jose, Calif.

• Digital ID: (digital file from intermediary roll film copy) pan 6a17616 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pan.6a17616
• Reproduction Number: 
• Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

After viewing the first panoramic image, I decided to look for another panoramic image that caught my eye for both similar and different reasons.  I selected this photo because it introduced man made structures alongside natural elements.

Space and Balance - It took me a few minutes of viewing before I realized how this photo is successful in its use of white space.  Clearly the sky above provides the white space in contrast to the scene below.  As I looked more closely, I noticed the mountain landscape in the back just below the sky and the perfect balance it provides by providing a focal point right in the middle of the photo that mirrors the building in the middle.

Movement and Shape- When first viewing this photo my eye was naturally drawn to the building in the center which introduces inorganic rectangular shapes.  My eye then moved more carefully as I was drawn to the left side of the page where the cluster of trees is in sharp contrast with the buildings further to the right.  I found myself "reading" the picture from left to right again and again as I tried to interpret the details.

Photo 3

Louis Bleriot

• Digital ID: (digital file from b&w film copy neg.) cph 3b16108 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b16108
• Reproduction Number: LC-USZ62-68650 (b&w film copy neg.)
• Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA 
• http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print

After looking at two panoramic scenes, I decided to focus on a photo that uses people rather than scenery as a topic.  I loved this photo right away.

Space and focal point - The photographer clearly draws the viewer in with the use of white space surrounding the children and the plane.  The boy in the middle with his hand pointing at the sky provides a clear focal point which draws the viewer's eye toward the plane.  The photographer makes the message clear by capturing this gesture as a focal point.

Balance and Contrast - The black and white values in this photo offer the viewer clear contrast as the positioning of each child is so crisp against the light background.  The photo also achieves symmetrical balance as the pointing finger of the boy is placed at the center of the photo.

Reflection:

After completing this exercise I have a new appreciation for the role of the photographer.  Prior to this I had always felt that the subject matter was the defining factor of a quality photo.  As a viewer I would simply consider whether or not the image was one that I wanted to view for the sake of the topic.  I now see that whatever the topic may be, it is the design of the photo that truly draws the viewer into the experience.  Although I picked photos that I naturally liked, I found that by the end I had developed a love and appreciation for each experience.  This was an excellent exercise that provided important opportunities for growth in my understanding of visual media.

Sources:

[Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2017, from www.loc.gov/rr/print

Golombisky, K., & Hagen, R. (2010). White space is not your enemy: A beginner’s guide to communicating visually through graphic, web and multimedia design. Amsterdam: Focal Press/Elsevier.