MinSooLee / Reaction Essay / Tues 11am

          A photograph can explain better about a situation than 1000 words of explanation because we can see exact scene of a situation. So from the past, photographs were taken in a memorable situation that we don't want to forget. Photographs always convey message to us and we can see it through the objects in the photo or through facial expression of people in the photo. We have two photographs in comparison. One is called "Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White and the other one is called "Children's Puppet Theatre" by Alfred Eisenstadt. These two photographs have completely different mood.

           In the "Village School" which was published in 1934, the mood of the photo is gloomy and dark. We can clearly see that the photo lacks in light. We can hardly see and lights in this photo. Also, we can sense the mood of the photo by looking at the facial expressions of boys. Although there are several boys in the photo, we can see that all of them have similar facial expressions. We can't see any smiles in the face of boys. They are sitting upright and their bodies are even stiff in fear of something. In addition, it is certain that they are not having conversation with each other because no one is looking at other person. All of them are looking at the front with their mouth closed. So there may be no communication going on in the scene of first photo.

           In the "Children's Puppet Theatre" which was published in the 1963, we can see children are excited and happy. So the mood of this photo is completely opposite to the mood of the first photo. In this photo, there are several kinds of facial expressions. We can see scared face, amazed face and happy face. Every child in the photo has a facial expression and they seem to be enjoying the moment. Also, we can clearly see that children in this photo are posing whatever suits them. They seem to be free and comfortable unlike the first photo. Moreover, we can see some kind of communication going on. Whether they are shouting or screaming about something, the scene seems to be noisy and children are lively.

           In the both photos, the main focus is on the children. Although those photos have same focus, we can see that those photos have clearly opposite mood. In the "Village School", children have restriction so they seem to be uncomfortable. However, children are free and happy in the "Children's Puppet Theatre". Having a same focus does not mean that photos will also have the same mood.

Yun Jeong Lee/Reaction Essay/Tues 11am

<Reaction Essay>

 

 

201002551 E.I.T

Yun Jeong Lee

 

 

Photographs convey more than mere images; they carry certain feelings that is difficult to explain in words. Such feelings create unique atmosphere of the photographs. The two photographs, -"Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White which was published in 1934, and "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" by Alfred Eisenstadt- are quite similar but very different at the same time. The main subjects of both photographs are children. However, they give a very different feeling that elicit very different responses from the viewers.

 

The mood of Margaret Bourke-White's photograph is very gloomy and dark. The room is very dark, which makes the photograph seem calm and gloomy. The wooden tables seem to suggest there is some strict order in the classroom. The table are lined up in a perfect row, which adds perfection to the classroom. Children have their hands neatly under the tables and they have the same rigid looks on their faces. Children's hair is short, like those of armies. Moreover, the children are all boys, which gives a stiff feeling to the photograph. Their necks seem to be stiff. Children are all looking forward, only rolling their eyes to look at the photographer. It feels as if the children are devoid of freedom, not even free to turn their heads.

 

The atmosphere of the Alfred Eisenstadt's photograph is very different from "Village School". Children's facial expressions are very interesting. Some are screaming with their mouths wide open, while some have their jaws dropped, awe-stricken. A boy in the front has his ears covered, as if his ears are hurting from loud noise. His big eyes are shining with wonder. The boy in the middle is jumping from his seat, with his hand shooting forward while at the same time, shouting with his mouth wide open. The general tone of the photograph is very bright. The children are standing and acting the way they feel like acting, which makes it seems as if they have more freedom than the boys in "Village School".

 

The two photographs are very different. The biggest difference are the lighting and the facial expressions of the children. In "Village School", the lighting is very dark, with light shining only on the heads of the children. Such lighting emphasizes that although the surroundings of the children may be dark and gloomy, children themselves are very bright and hopeful. On the other hand, in "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963", the photograph is bright over all. The photograph is very bright that tows of children in the background are visible. The facial expressions are also very different. In "Village School", children have very similar and stiff facial expressions; there is no variation among them. However, the children in "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" have more dynamic and lively facial expressions, all unique and different from one another.

 

Though children are the main focus of both photographs, the feeling of two photographs is very different. "Village School" is rather calm and strict, while "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" is more lively and dynamic. Such difference in atmosphere of the two photographs comes from the difference in the lighting and the facial expressions of the subjects.

Minyoung Kang/pinning it down/TUE 11

           No matter where, when, and how a photograph was taken, the photo always reveals emotions of the people inside. Even if the objects displayed in the photo are the same in two different pictures, the mood and the message the pictures try to convey may differ significantly. The two photographs, "Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White and "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" by Alfred Eisenstadt both display children as the main center of interest, but other than that, two pictures give completely different impressions to their viewers.

           To begin with, "Village School" shows dark and gloomy mood in the photograph. The viewers can get a sense of strictness because of the straight lines the children are sitting in. Also, how children are dressed, their hairstyle, and their posture tells that the situation they are in is not very pleasant. They are all looking at the camera lens without showing any emotions on their face, meaning that there is nothing that interests them or stimulate them. Also, the overall picture lacks lighting as the lighting is only given from the right side of the picture, and the left half of the children's faces are all in dark shadows. Thus, the whole picture gives off serious and mysterious mood.

           On the other hand, the children in the "Children's Puppet Theatre" are excited and thrilled. The children's looks on their face shows that they are watching an interesting puppet play scene. The arrangement of the main center of interest also is a lot different from the "Village School." Children are all standing together in no order and enjoying the show freely. Their postures vary from child to child. It almost feels like the viewers can hear the sounds of the children screaming and laughing thanks to the vibrant atmosphere of the picture. The lighting in the picture is brighter, and children's whole faces can be seen easily. The background of the photo is blurred so the viewers can focus more on the children.

           By comparing these two photos, we can find similarities and differences. The biggest similarity in the pictures is that the main center of the interest. There are several children displayed in the picture, and they are all in a certain situation. Also, they are both black and white picture, in which the lighting plays a crucial role in revealing the mood and expressions of the objects displayed in the photos. However, the mood and the message both pictures convey is quite different. In the Bourke-White photo, the picture shows dark atmosphere with a hint of strictness conveyed to the viewers. In Eisenstadt photo, the mood is much lighter and lively, with different facial expressions by the children in the photograph.

           Even though many parts of the two pictures may overlap, the comparison between these photos shows that the mood can be changed with only a few parts of the picture. The brightness of the picture, the expressions of the face, the arrangement of the main center of focus, and the lighting can change the overall mood of the picture. Though these pictures convey completely different feelings, there is no doubt that they both were successful in showing the viewers the actual mood of the atmosphere the pictures were taken in.

Park Shin-Young/ Assignment : photo essay/ Tuesday 11 a.m.

In Modern arts, it's not important on how alike painting is drawn. It should contain a certain message. That is to say, there must be more than meets the eye. Photo is the same as painting. To take a good picture, photographers always keep focusing on leaving a message through their photo. And, as an observer, we should apprehend what message they want to deliver. Of course, message itself might be different depending on individuals.

 

In the first picture, this is called "Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White. As you can guess from the title, the spatial background is a village school. Though the picture is a black-and-white, the mood is somewhat dark. If the picture can be developed into a color photo, its own dark mood may not easily disappear. Also, it's not easy to find a smile from the children. Someone frowns his face or woodenly expressionless. When it comes to how they sit on chairs, they sit up straight without losing the posture.

 

In Alfred Eisentadt's picture, Children's Puppet Theatre, Children seem to enjoy a performance outdoors. Their looks are all funny. Especially, many children make a surprise look. It's likely that they are surprised to see something amazing, not to see a horrible one. And, the mood itself is active and bright in general. Though it's also a black-and-white like the first photo, the scale of white is much higher than that of black. They sit on designated seats, pose is very various. The boy in the center of the photo stands up with reaching his arm front, and someone stands agape with their eyes open. It's too various to be described one by one.

 

In those two pictures, there are some characteristics in comparison with each other. On the background, one is in the dark indoors and the other is in the bright outdoors. They all have same subjects-children; we can feel some dignity from the first one, and innocence from the second one. Also, one is standardized, and the other looks free.   

 

We don't know which one is better artistically and we can't. Just as art can't be objectively estimated, so the photo is the same. One thing is for sure. A good photo is supposed to have a message. Through a photo, photographer and viewer, they can share each other's feeling. But, if there is no any medium to share them, it's meaningless.

Young-jun Yoo / Reaction Essay / Tue 3,4

  Looking at photographs, we usually get emotions from them at a glance and decide they have this feeling and that feeling without looking again. However, if you look at them more carefully, you can have fun guessing their own stories or feeling other things that you might have missed. Here are two photographs of children, which have completely different emotions and stories.

 

 

  The first photograph is called "Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White published in 1934. As you can guess, this one is about students in village school. The first impression would be gloomy or dark, but looking at it closely, I found that only the children's faces were highlighted to emphasize their facial expressions. It seemed to me that they were waiting for something they didn't like, probably some boring subject or very strict teacher. Also, it shows stillness.

 

 

  The other photograph is called "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" by Alfred Eisenstadt. The children are watching some puppet play and getting excited. The main focus of the photograph is apparently a boy who is pointing something and whose mouth is wide open. Or, you can say it's five children at the front line. A boy at the very left is covering his ears maybe because children next to him are screaming too loudly. And, two girls who are leaning against each other are probably too surprised or scared. This photograph shows very lively mood. 

 

 

  In both photographs, the facial expressions of children are well highlighted even though the two have totally different moods. The first one shows stillness and unwillingness while the other one has liveliness and excitement. The former emphasizes the light in the darkness while the latter focuses on vividness. However, there's something in common between them. It's that the children don't hide their genuine emotions. When they don't like something, they express it. When they are excited or frightened, they show it, too.

 

 

  The two photographs have completely different moods. In "Village School", we feel unwillingnss and stillness of the boys. And, in "Children's Puppet Theatre", we get excitement and liveliness of the children. But, we can also see the similarity between the two. The both photographs stress how the children of each photograph are really feeling.

Soyun Jeong/ Tue 11

If you want to capture people's emotion, taking photographs is probably the best way. It is because you can depict the facial expression of people at the very moment with photographs. However it is interesting that even if the photographs are conveying the same emotion, their atmosphere can be absolutely different. 'Village School' by M. Bourke-White and 'Children's Puppet Theater' by A. Eisenstadt are good examples for it. The photographs both convey fear and strain, but their atmosphere for 'Village School' is gloomy while the atmosphere for 'Children's Puppet Theater' is joyful and excited.

In 'Village School', all the children are sitting straight in front of the desks as if someone forced them to do so, so they look very constrained. A lot of children are frowning a little bit, and none of them are smiling, so you can see they are feeling unpleasant. They look as if they are being scolded. The room is dark and most of the children are wearing dark clothes, so it gives the viewer heavy and serious impression. Unlike the dark environment, the children's faces are shining with bright light. Therefore, the facial expressions of the boys are emphasized.

In 'Children's Puppet Theater', there are rows of children who are watching something, and they are feeling scared for whatever they are seeing. You can easily figure that out because they are all wide eyed with their mouth opened. This picture is taken at outdoors, so the periphery is bright with sunlight. The colours of their clothes are also in bright tone. The photograph is almost full of the faces of different children, so their facial expressions are very much emphasized.

In 'Village School', the overall colour of the photograph is black or dark gray, and there are few bright colours. Therefore the atmosphere of the picture is gloomy and unhappy. The contrast between the light on children's face and darkness in the periphery makes the viewer feel constrained. The children are sitting very still, so the viewer can see they are under a very strict discipline, which makes him or her uncomfortable. On the other hand, 'Children's Puppet Theater' is white and bright gray, and few dark colours. Therefore the atmosphere of the picture is light and vivid. The variety of children's expressions and gestures gives the viewer energetic feelings.  Therefore even if the children look scared in the picture, you can sense the feeling of positive excitement and enjoyment.

The two pictures convey the same fearful emotion to the viewers by depicting the facial expression of the children. However, due to the difference in the use of light, position and movement of the objects, and use of colours, they show the viewers very different atmosphere. One is dark, still and structured while the other is bright, lively, and vivid.

 

Hannah Bae/ Reaction essay/ Tue 3,4

     Do you like taking a picture? Each photograph has a story of the moments. For example, how we felt, whom we were with, and what we did. Through pictures, we are able to share memories and remember the moments vividly. In our textbook, there are two photographs titled 'Village School' and 'Children's Puppet Theatre'. Although addressed the same subject, children, they show a contrast and tell us different stories.

     In the 'Village School', what draws the attention at first are the faces of children. It seems like they didn't want to take a picture because most of them are frowning. None of them are smiling. Also, when we look at their poses, we can find that they are sitting still, without any movement. Maybe they are nervous because it's the first day of school or disappointed because the teacher was not like whom they imagined. There are some mysterious parts, too. None of them has a book on the desk. Considering the place, it's really weird.

     On the contrary, in the 'Children's Puppet Theatre', we feel much brighter atmosphere first. Everyone is watching the puppet show, maybe. Children are surprised at the scene in front of them. Some are screaming and others are laughing. The boy at the left side is closing ears with his hands. Perhaps something will explode soon, like balloons. In addition, a girl at the end of right side looks really frightening and it makes the picture funny. Unlike the former picture, children in this picture are hanging out together. It looks like they are close friends.

     Even though the focus, children, is same in these two pictures, we can find the differences. The expressions on their faces, the movements of body, and the bonds between children. They make the entire atmosphere totally different. What we feel when see the first picture is the strictness, fears. However, in the second picture, there's no such things. Only the excitement, curiosity comes to mind. Unlike fist picture where everyone is sitting in their seats still and act individually, the second one shows the intimacy and closeness of friends.

     Like this, every picture tells a different story. Some might be funny and bright while others are gloomy and calm. If we are not the one who were in there, getting the whole story would be impossible. However, when we are the subjects, we could be reminded of the memory and smile with people who were in there together. Do you want to capture this moment in your memory for a long time? Then, take out a camera and say "Cheese".