Alexandra Bond
Critiquing Photography Challenge
1. Descriptive: My photograph is descriptive because the purpose of the box is to advertise the brand of popcorn and simply shows what to expect inside the box.
2. Explanatory: The photograph taken by Nicole Hague is explanatory because it is sequence photography, showing the motion of an individual doing a backflip off of a diving board, and how their body is positioned throughout that action.
3. Interpretive: The photograph taken by Loan Nguyen is interpretive because it allows individuals to draw their own conclusions on the meaning behind the photo, with a model and props to make the image subjective to the viewer.
4. Aesthetically Evaluative: My photograph is aesthetically evaluative because it shows a visually appealing photo of the sunset landscape near campus.
5. Ethically Evaluative: The photograph taken by George Grantham Bain is ethically evaluative because it shows the courage and braveness of a woman protesting for women's right to vote while being surrounded by all men, making a judgement on society at the time and bringing awareness to the social cause of women's rights at that time in history.
6. Theoretical: My photograph is theoretical because the shower drain creates an illusion of a smiley face. It makes a commentary about how we are surrounded by art, even in simple things that may not be thought of at first.
Multimodal Presentation
Synopsis
For my presentation, I decided to analyze the work of Lauren Greenfield. Growing up in Los Angeles, Greenfield began her career in photography by highlighting the growth of consumerism, media, and materialistic ideas that are causing children to grow up faster due to societal influences and cultural change. Many of her photographs are shown in monographs and documentaries, as they are ethically evaluative and interpretive, addressing societal impacts, especially on young girls, shown through eating disorders, body image issues, low self-esteem and confidence, and the overall importance of wealth and consumerism. Her work portrays real life scenarios in an authentic way that represent the culture in America, and how that affects young girls. The images I show in my presentation are some of Greenfield's most popular works that address similar topics within girlhood.
Perception
Lauren Greenfield's work is inspiring to me because she uses photography as a way to address large issues in our society surrounding young girls. Her photographs can relate to my own experiences, along with many other girls. I think the way she takes the photographs make it clear they were not set up or staged, as she takes photos of real people showcasing what they experience in their daily lives, which makes her work more personable and significant to what she is trying to address. It is important that Greenfield's work is recognized for its impact on society, as she wants to address the cultural shift of popularity and image that continues to affect generations, starting with young children. Her work changed my perception of photography because I always thought a successful photo had to be intricate and aesthetic, but her photos show that simply being present in a moment highlighting something real and authentic is just as successful due to the meaning behind it.