Before reading “Becoming a Better Photographer” I had a preconceived notation regarding subjective visually pleasing photographs. The majority of the photos that I take are selfies. Usually, it can take up to thirty minutes of editing, critiquing, and adjusting the lighting in my environment before I produce a photo that I am satisfied with. Following reading the article below, I have a newfound understanding of photojournalism. Overall, photojournalism refers to the communication of news through photos. In today’s society, billions of people consume media through photographic expression. The aspect that sets photographs apart from each other is the ambiguity behind them. Experimenting with color contrast, perspective, dimensions, angles, depth, scale, and landscape can produce many different forms of the same photo. These factors behind a single photograph exemplify the complexity of what steps lead to what is being captured and shared.
Dorothea Lange is one of the most prolific photographers in history. During the Great Depression, which jolted the economy of many countries and mangled millions of households, Lange snapped a photo of a migrant farmworker. In 1936, Florence Owens Thompson worked in agriculture and shared seven children with her husband. Thompson’s family had financial struggles and scarce access to food. The photo of Thompson surrounded by three of her children and bleakly staring into the distance represented the grim reality of many people who lived through the Great Depression. Through an analytical lens, the black-and-white color scheme conveys the disparity of the Thompsons’ predicament. The three children lying to their mother, who worked tirelessly to provide for them, symbolized their dependence on their parents during prolonged hardships.
In 2013, the Toledo Museum of Art published a YouTube video titled “What is Visual Literacy?”. This video essay dives into the multifaceted nature of art. The introduction of this video establishes that art is a form of communication. Thus, the term visual literacy refers to the ways that language manifests within images. Visual literacy has its infinite presentations. The force behind ever-evolving images commonly inspires consumers and influences their individualized interpretation of art. Components of comprehending visuals include recognizing symbols, artistic designs, and signifiers. Nevertheless, the creators of this video reiterate the importance of what factors visual artists consider before dispursing images. As I reflected on this video presentation, I gained an appreciation of the dynamic artists have with their art.
