Two pictures from Helen Levitt and reaction
201000955 Hannah Kim
There is a famous American Photographer, Helen Levitt. She focused on only one theme during her all career, American back street and slum. This is very special and unusual for her because there are nearly no photographers who focus on only one theme and subject during their entire picturing career. She pictured many children in that area, playing with each other, eating and laughing. Not only that, she pictured many scenes of those places and adults, worrying about money problem or their sick children. Here, I will describe two different pictures from Helen Levitt and mention my impression.
The first picture that I will introduce is about a scene of tree and a building seemed to be destroyed. The main center of interest is a tree in the middle. There is a man who is leaning on the tree, who is expressed very small and unfocused. For the background, there is a destroyed building, which seems to be a house on the right side. Overall, the scene is not in bright mood, but rather serious and blue. The man near the tree seems to concern about something and worrying about that. The tree also stands in the middle of the photo and all alone. Therefore it makes the people who appreciate that photo feel loneliness and isolation. The photographer seems that she wanted to capture the difficulties the people who lived in the back street in the U.S. had.
The second picture has completely different atmosphere. There are three kids playing on the street. They are laughing with their mouths wide open. The whole air of the picture is very light and delight. Although the environment in the picture seems not to be good, rather poor, all the children in the picture enjoy their time very much. These children is the center of the interest and as the background, there is a house and cars on the road. These children seem to have hope for their future, not frustrated. Helen seems to want to say that the children always do not lose their dream and hope although their environment can be different.
These two pictures were pictured by the same photographer, therefore they have common theme. It is the lives of the people who live in the back street if the United States, who are in difficult money condition. They even seem to have hard time making money for their eating. However, there is also a difference between them. The first picture which is about a tree and a destroyed building has a depressed and serious mood. On the other hand, the children in the second picture make a bright and cheerful air. In addition, in the first picture, the object, tree is the main feature, although people are the main in the second one.
In conclusion, these two picture pictured by Helen Levitt deal with the same theme, the lives in the back street or slum in America. Their environment is unbelievably unclean and destroyed. Therefore, an adult in the picture is very depressed and worried. However, there seems to be also a hope because of the kids living there. They are always bright and know how to enjoy their own time there.
I'm very impressed that because your essay is very well organized. It seems like I'm reading a jounal or something like that. You picked two very interesting pictures and descripted them very vividly.
ReplyDeleteI have some confusing sentences here. Please check to improve your essay.
(1)Helen seems to want to say that the children always do not lose their dream and hope although their environment can be different.
-> the last part is confusing.. so even though those children live in a very difficult situation?? I'm not so sure what you mean here.
(2)It is the lives of the people who live in the back street if the United States, who are in difficult money condition.
-> if the US? what is this mean? Ah,,, Is it type-o? in the US probably? please check ^^
(3)They even seem to have hard time making money for their eating. -> I don't think 'eating' is a proper word. 'living' would be better.
(4)In conclusion, these two picture pictured by Helen Levitt deal with the same theme, the lives in the back street or slum in America.
-> You mentioned about this already. I don't think it is necessary to remind readers anymore. But if you want to, please change some of wording ^^ that would be better.
(5) Their environment is unbelievably unclean and destroyed. -> Unclean? maybe just go with.. "not clean"
I enjoyed reading your essay. ^^
Thank you for your writing. I wish I could see the photos you described, but I guess you described pretty well enough for me to imagine. I understand that you wrote that first photo intended to show difficulties of people who lived in the back street of U.S. had. You mentioned the focus is on tree in the center, and a man leaning on that tree was very small and unfocused, while you said the man looked very concerned and worrying about something. I got some interest in Helen Levitt after reading your writing. So I found some photographs of Helen took. The only thing I found about tree in the center and old building one had two people in the photo. A child leaning on the tree and the other child climbing the tree. Both were too small for me to see their face expression. If this is not the photo you described, I'd like to know more about the photo. Because I think the composition you read from the photo is very beautiful. I think it will be a great contrast to the second picture of three happy children.
ReplyDeleteAlso you said that the first one is rather serious and blue, and the second one is very light and delight. Were these all guessed from the facial expression of subjects? or did the overall color of photo look same way? I guess it would be better if you told us the tone of photos, too.
I think you chose two great pictures to compare. The pictures that have same theme, but different mood were perfect examples to know more about photographer Helen Lavitt. I guess your writing did a good job for readers to have interest in Helen Lavitt.