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". 

Hyejeong Yu / Reaction Essay / Tue 3&4

           Photographs capture the moment. The captured moment tells us detail things we might have missed. It shows that people in the photograph had what the atmosphere was like at the moment, or the situations. The two photographs, the "Village School" and the "Children's Puppet Theatre" are good examples. Looking at these photographs, we can get a lot of information.

 

           In the "Village School", the boys are sitting in a room. They are all sitting still may be waiting for their teacher. Every boy is sharing a desk with another boy except few of them. There nothing on the desk, even a single pencil. There are some spaces between boys which makes strict atmosphere. The boys are not looking at each other. Instead, they are looking the front of the room. Some of boys are looking at the photographer and some are looking the left side of the photographer. Among the boys looking at the photographer, one in the front line captures our eyesight most. The room is quite dark and all the boys are wearing dark cloths as well. But one of the boys in the second line is wearing bright colored clothes which make him noticeable.

          

In the "Children's Puppet Theatre", bunch of boys and girls are looking at the puppet show. The photograph is very bright in sunlight and because of this the photograph shows us every detail of the children. Some are shouting in the joy, some looks surprised, and some are blocking their ears because of loud noise. They are wearing different kinds of clothes. They vary in colour and style. The boy on the left is wearing a jacket and a hat. And the kids on the right are wearing similar clothes as if they are twins. Among these children, the boy who is shouting with the hand pointing the sky stands out the most. May be he is standing on something and that makes him taller and outstanding than other children. The children who are back of the lines are not clearly seen. Their faces are blurry and children who are standing far back are only seen in shapes.

 

           Although these two pictures are capturing the moments of the children, they are not at all similar. For the "Village school", there are only boys in the room and it is very dark in there. They seem to be worried at something and they look uncomfortable and anxious. They are strictly seated in line, very regularly. However, for the "Children's Puppet Theatre", there are both boys and girls in the outdoor theatre and it is very bright in sunlight. They seem to be amused and some are shouting in joy, some looks curious about what is happening. They are irregularly standing in the front of the theatre. They are all gathered and one boy is jumping or standing on something to have closer look at the puppets.

 

           Comparing these descriptions about two photographs above, we can notice that these photographs are very different in many ways; they have different colours, emotions, or situation. Every photograph is different even if they are dealing with same thing and for these it is children. They both captured the moment of the children but the result is completely different.

 

	. Look Closer

Jung, Yong Tae/ recation essay/ tue 3,4,

The reaction from two photos

201004271

Jung, Yong Tae

These pictures' main subjects are children. Both photos depict children's expression or reaction of that time. The first photo is called "Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White who was the only female photographer at that time. The other photo is called "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" by Alfred Eisenstadt who was famous for his story-telling photo skill. I'd like to explain the features of these photos and the difference between two pictures such as mood, facial expression, and brightness.

 In the first picture, you notice that this picture was taken at the class room. The mood is dark and strict. They look serious as they were taking a lecture or a teacher was scolding to them. When seeing this photo with other point of view, they weren't close enough to be friend. Maybe, this photo was taken in the very beginning of the semester. Most of them keep their eyes on the photographer and some of them barely show their facial expression. Also, most of them wear dark colored clothes, so their face is really stick out. All of them are boys, sitting in a row with an order.

 The children in the second picture are lively. Conjecturing from the title of the photo, they were watching a puppet show. There are boys and girls. Their facial expressions vary greatly, if you see one by one. Some of them were frightened, amazed, or shocked. They are gathering in front of the stage without an order. The focus of this photo is the very front of the children and other children who are in the background aren't clear enough to feel their emotion. Also, the background of the picture is bright.

 As I explained in the two body paragraph, there are some differences in these photos. First, the moods are totally different. One is sullen and the other is energetic. We can notice that in their face or the background of the photo. Second, the facial expressions in the subjects also are distinguishable. One is strict and the other is active, which mean we can feel what they feel in the second photo, but we hardly get the feeling of what's going on the first photo. Finally, the brightness of the background is dissimilar. One is dark and the other is bright.

 To sum up, the subject of two photos is children; however, there are distinctions between the two. The atmosphere of the photos differs greatly, the children's facial expressions are distinct, and the brightness of the photo is different. When I first saw the pictures, I found out those differences at first. Eventually, I noticed that no matter the subject in the photo the impression from the photos can vary because of the setting or technics.

An youmi/Reaction essay/Tue34

A single pose and a single expression on one's face tell more than a long paragraph of details about one's feeling. This is why even a single photograph can be loved and appreciated passing the generations. Both photographs, "Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White, "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" by Alfred Eisenstadt have their own unique stories, created from different effects.

 

In "Village School" the overall atmosphere is calm, organized and a little bit tensioned. The room where the boys sit straight is dark. The photograph lacks lights. Everything except the boys face is not much exposed. Therefore, the viewer's focus is easily attracted to the boy's face. The viewers can see every face of the boys quite clearly. The each face of boys does not vary and most of them wear similar clothes which is dark. Also, all of them sit upright with their chests heading forward. It gives the viewer a feeling of the sameness. Although some of them are watching the photographer, and the other of them is watching something or someone that the viewer's cannot know, it does not disturb the overall sameness.

 

In "Children's Puppet Theatre" the viewers can feel the dynamic mood. Each child in the photograph has all different expressions on their faces and takes different actions. Emotions that the viewers can catch from the face of each child are various. The viewers witness the feelings of the scared, the surprised, the exited and the curious. Children in the photograph all stands randomly, put on different clothes and have different hair styles. It gives the viewer a more dynamic and interesting impression. The five main faces in front of the photograph is the main interest of the photograph. The further from them is the more blurred, giving the obvious indication that those five faces are where the photographer expected the viewers to see first.

 

           Both photographs have children as their main objects. However, they cannot be more different. Two of them vary in many aspects. Among them, what contrasts most is that the "Village School" gives the feeling of sameness meanwhile the "Children's Puppet Theatre" gives the dynamic feeling. Both groups of children draw people's attention with different attracting properties.

Park Sae-whan / Reaction Esssay / Tue34

   Photographs make it easy for everyone to remember images of memories. The memories do not necessarily have to be happy ones, and sometimes they reveal bitter truth that keeps dark sides along with it. "Village School" and "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" are two photographs taken by Margaret Bourke-White and Alfred Eisenstadt. They are both depicting children, but have different moods and feeling.

   In the first photograph, "Village School," several school boys are sitting in the dark class room, where lights can hardly be found. Those boys look quite nervous or scared by something and nobody in the class room laughs or even smiles.  The picture also gives a feeling that these boys are very disciplined by authority, and have no room for freedom. A boy who is sitting closest to a camera seems to reveal grief through his big, pale eyes, which makes the overall depressing atmosphere more visible.

   In contrast, the second photograph, "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963," easily makes anyone who looks at this photo smile. The reason is that the overall color of the picture is very bright, contradicting the dark images shown in the first photograph, and children in the picture all seem to be very exciting about something. The boy and a girl in the center seem very fascinated and amused, while some girls are covering their mouth with excitement and boy ears with his eyes wide open. Such images give extra color and animation to the entire picture.

   Although both photographs also have a similarity in that both are targeting children, the contrast is so obvious that it obscures the similarity. The first picture only has dark-faced male kids, while the second one has cheerful boys and girls looking happy. In the former, kids are looking at the same place, while the latter, kids look at all various angles which give it more lively images.

   In conclusion, in the same black and white pictures with the same targets, children are depicted differently, one with sadness and another with joy. These different emotions look more visible with less or more lights in the pictures. Therefore, the first one makes viewers feel depressed, while the second one cheerful and lively.     

Reaction Essay/ 200801262 Seungmi Park

Reaction Essay

 

     It's truly remarkable that photographs catch and express human emotions. Viewers get excited, sad, touched, and melancholy as they see photographs of various subjects. Here are two pieces of photo, which spark different emotions on the same subject. One is called "Village School," by Margaret Bourke-White. The other is called "Children's Puppet Theartre, Paris 1963" by Alfred Eisenstadt. Both pictures have the same subjects, which are children, but they are delivering very different emotions to the viewers.

     In "Village School," the feelings that it causes in the viewers are being controlled, suppressed, and disciplined. Children are juxtaposed in a reverse triangle, and this composition makes viewers focus on the boy in the very front row due to the law of perspective. As the main center of interest, he creates an overall sentiment of the photograph. The boy is looking at someone, who might be an authority figure, in front of him. His eyes show that he's willing to be submissive to whoever that is in front of him. There's obvious contrast between children's clothes and their faces, which makes their faces more stand out. It also helps to create the entire mood of the picture since children's serious looking faces successfully grab viewers attention.

     Contrarily, in "Children's Puppet Theatre," the children give out completely different energy. The children are scattered all over the entire photograph, and this composition makes viewers diversify their attention. They are engrossed themselves into something going on in front of them, and they look very amused and excited. The boy on the far left is covering he's ears as if he hears a loud explosion. And the girl right next to him is also covering her mouth. The boy and girl in the middle seem very excited with their mouths open. In terms of colors and tones, the contrast isn't very conspicuous because mostly it's very light except for the boy's outfit in the middle. Furthermore, The fact that so much light is used in this picture adds brisk energy on to the lively atmosphere that the children produce.

     Although the two photographs are depicting children, the children in each picture carry very different feelings. The Children in "Village School" look very solemn and reverent. It might produce a feeling of oddity in viewers since children at their age are supposed to be disorganized and fidgety. On the other hand, the children in "Children's Puppet Theatre" create lively and exciting mood in viewers. The formers look oppressed and the latters look free to shout out how they feel. Two pictures have one thing in common, which is viewpoint. The subjects all are looking at something in front of them.

     The two photographs convey different emotions to viewers. In one the viewers feel oppressed by the stance of the boys. The other makes viewers feel cheerful and lively. The juxtapositions differ between the two pictures. However, regardless of the mood that the pictures create, it's the strong uniqueness of each photograph that makes both memorable and valuable.  

Jisu Song 201001709 / Reaction Essay (p.163) / Tue 11a.m.

           201001709 Jisu Song

 

Children are the best subjects when it comes to photographs. They are innocent unlike adults, so they demonstrate genuine feelings. Their honesty let them show their true emotions. Here are two photographs depicting children. One is "Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White and the other is "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" by Alfred Eisenstadt. The children are common subjects in the two photographs but display very different emotions and moods.

           In the first photograph called the "Village School", children with solemn faces are the main center of interest. The only light is shining upon the boys' faces with closed mouths. It seems very silent as if they are being scolded by someone. They seem to be frightened by someone or something. All of them are looking at the front side, but the kid on the foreground is looking directly at the camera. Most of them are wearing dark shirts sitting on dark wooden benches, so it seems like the children's heads are floating on the air.

           The second photograph is called "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" and because of the title I noticed that the subjects are watching a puppet show. There are bunch of kids, mainly only their heads are shown in the photograph. The girls on the right side seem to be astonished by the show. The kids on the left are more emotional because a boy is covering his ears with hands and two children are screaming with their mouths wide open. It seems like the spot is very noisy and chaotic like a marketplace. And they genuinely seem to be immersed in the show.

           Both photos captured children focusing on something in some place. The "Village School" is consisted of only boys while the other shows both boys and girls. Having only boys makes it seem like they are a sort of an army. Also, by only lighting their faces, the photo focuses more on the emotions of the children. On the contrary, the light of the "Children's Puppet Theatre" doesn't focus on one particular thing, so it seems to highlight various subjects. Therefore, the latter seems more lively and natural.

           The two photographs have children, the most honest subjects, as the main center of interest. Because they are very young, the emotions seem more honest, real and powerful to the viewers. These photos make the viewer wonder what the kids are looking at. We are swished through the photographs and encouraged to imagine what is going on in the photos.

Yang, Myong Hwa / Reaction / Tue 3,4

Same Subject , Different Mood A photograph is the finest tool which contains the moment. The moment captured by a camera shows everything about the subject. So people assume the story of the photograph through the background, mood, expression in it. Two pictures in our textbook are typical examples we can notice each own story. In addition, an obvious contrast between two photographs draws attention. Let's look at these pictures in more detail. In the photograph named 'Village School', the first thing that catches eyes is its gloomy mood. Even though some cute children are seen in it, it is overall dark in the classroom which they stay in. And children sit motionless with stony faces as if they listen to their teacher carefully. This stillness of children adds dismal atmosphere to this photograph. The composition of this photograph plays a role in making tension as well. By arranging the boys in triangle, tension in the photograph mounts. The photograph 'Children's Puppet Theatre' creates cheerful mood. Girls and boys in this photograph are looking at something curiously. This is so cute that it makes me want to know what children are staring at. Also, their various motions like pointing and shouting bring life to that photograph. Along with their motions, facial expression makes the picture more vivid. Every child has her or his own expression. This reveals their sense of freedom. Even though children are in the center of both photographs alike, some differences are found. First of all, the mood is the contrast between them. While 'Village School' seems to be depressing and melancholy, lively and joyful energy is given off from 'Children's Puppet Theatre'. Besides the atmosphere of these photographs, each photographer seems to focus differently. 'Village School' appears to focus on the light shining through the classroom dimly, not small boys. But people easily realize that a variety of children's actions and expressions are main theme in 'Children's Puppet Theatre'. As seen above, the same subject can provide diverse feelings and impression. Especially, differences shown in 'Village School' and 'Children's Puppet Theatre' are very interesting. Children in the photograph 'Village School' are still, looking so nervous. But 'Children's Puppet Theatre' shows other children who look so cheerful and cute. One seems very dark and restricted while the other looks bright and free. These diversities create unique mood in each photograph.

Hyein Jin / Reaction Essay (p.163) / Tue 11a.m.

Reactions Essays 

200903450 French

Hyein Jin

Even though some people simply think taking pictures is just leaving memories, but still we found a variety of emotions from photography. There are bunch of photography dealing with same subjects, but they are always somehow different from each other. Here are photographs showing a group of children in common. The first one is "Village School" by Margaret Bourke-White. The second is "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963" taken by Alfred Eisenstadt. However, they are fundamentally different in terms of emotion and techniques while handling same subject.

 

Students are strictly organized in a row in "Village School". In this picture, we only see boys. They are sitting on the desk without smiling. It seems that they are waiting for something unpleasant. They look similar each other because their facial expressions are same at the same time. Their faces show the sense of discomfort filled the room. The light only rays strike on their face. Except some boys, they are wearing dark and same style clothes so that it takes the whole contrast up in the picture. This picture's high contrast maximizes the tension. Their postures, the periphery of the picture, their arrangement in a form of inverted triangle and the dramatic usage of the lightening build the uncomfortable and unwelcomed emotion in the picture.

 

In "Children's Puppet Theatre", each child's face is full of emotion. From their various facial expressions, we can see the excitement, feeling of expectancy and astonishment. Girls and boys are mixed together, and it seems they are watching something surprising now. Some girls are yelling, while the others are overwhelmed. There are some faces in the background, however, only the faces in front are deliberately emphasized. The main interest of the picture is a boy shouting loudly. Thanks to the wide range of emotion appeared in each face, this photography is lifelike.

 

In both pictures, a group of children are shown but the whole emotions they give are totally different. It is easy to guess that children in the first picture are facing something frightening. They are momentarily frozen. The techniques of lightening and contrast support the emotions running in this picture.  In "Children's Puppet Theatre", everything is opposite from the picture of Margaret Bourke-White. The light is equally spread out over their faces and it stresses the vibrant emotion of the picture. While the first picture shows the group of boys in organized in row, the second picture captures natural motion and reaction of children.

 

Both photographs are displaying groups of children. The first one is restrained, while the second is liberal. Their usage of lightening, the center of main interest, and contrast adequately support the intention of photographer. "Village School" depicts the calmness and tension, and "Children's Puppet Theatre" drives out liveliness from children. It is very interesting to know how the techniques and intention of the photographer can diversify almost same subject.

 

 

 

Eun Hye Jang / reaction

201104213 Eun Hye Jang    There is a saying, "There is much more than meets the eye." Especially, when we see a photograph, we are likely to miss some things since we tend to interpret it without thinking. Here are two photographs which deal with the same subjects, children. On the outside, we may notice only the difference of mood between the two photographs. However, we may find something more as long as we pay more attention to them.    In a photograph called "Village School" taken by Margaret Bourke-White, we see children sitting on wooden benches set in rows in a classroom. It seems that the children are controlled by someone who does not appear in the photograph because most of the children display straight faces as if they are oppressed. Some wear crew-cuts and the others wear relatively long hairs. Some stare at the camera and the others look elsewhere. Some are sitting alone and the others are sitting with their friend. The main center of interest is a boy smiling faintly gazing at the camera. In the foreground, behind him, a boy grimaces looking at the camera. Two of the children put on bright color clothes while the others wear dark color clothes. However, all of them wear somewhat formal clothes regardless of colors. The classroom is pretty dark. There are only boys in the classroom. The classroom is somber and the atmosphere seems to be stiff.    In the photograph called "Children's Puppet Theatre, Paris 1963 taken by Alfred Disenstadt, we see children standing irregularly. There are both girls and boys. This photograph is taken outdoors. It is daytime and so it is bright. In periphery we can see trees. Though we can see only five faces of the children perfectly in the foreground, there are a lot of people in the background. These five children wear different styles of clothes and unique facial expressions. Truly they show completely different reactions. Some cry out and others are surprised. One stops ears with hands. The main center of interest is a boy leaning out of other children pointing somewhere.    In the Brouke-White photograph, we may think that it is restricted. However, if we take a closer look, things are different. An invisible controller may try to control children to impress viewers with perfect order. However, judging from such things not totally coordinated as different hair styles, clothes, and facial expressions, the children may enjoy freedom to some degree. Things may not be as strict as they appear. In the Eisenstadt photograph, we can see genuine feelings in the facial expression of children. This photograph vividly conveys the sense of realism. The children seem to enjoy total freedom.   Provided that we peer eagerly into these two photographs, we may find that they have a kind of freedom in common. Children in both photographs may be free. The only difference is whether the freedom is revealed ostensibly or it is manipulated to be concealed. Rather, the former seemingly staged photograph may make us more smile when we have a close reflection on it. So next time when watching a serious photograph, try to find hidden things.

Chaemin Im / Reaction Essay / Tue.11:00

Different emotion from photographs

 

200902928 Chaemin Im / EIT

  

 

  Emotions given by photographs are very diverse. People might feel sad, serious or happy while they see photographs. What makes them feel differently? It can be composition, light and a mood of photographs. Here are two photographs of children, which give a totally different emotion. One is called "Village School" and the other is called "Children's Puppet Theatre".

 

  In the Village School photograph, you can notice that there may be something that forces children to look gloomy. The photograph entirely gives a sense of stillness. There is no movement and no smile on the children's face. In addition, only the children's faces are bright. It looks like the photographer wanted to highlight the faces because except the faces, everything looks dark. The children are staring at one point and I think they are looking at the camera. The closest boy looks very scared and the others also look serious. They look like prisoners in a dark jail.

 

  In the Children's Puppet Theatre photographs, the children look very different from that of Village School. They show expressions on their face and the expressions are vivid. We can notice how the children feel in a situation of the photograph by the girl in the left side looks very surprised at what she is looking at. Even in the right side, the boy is putting his hands over his ears. We can imagine that there might be something that makes them frightened. The entire atmosphere feels active but it seems that the photographer tried to describe the expressions of children.

 

  The main center of interest of both two photographs is the same. However, they feel very different. The first one was taken in the somber place and because of that, the entire atmosphere is cheerless. The children, main interest, also look serious and some of them look angry. On the other hand, the other photograph has a totally different mood. It shows the expression on the children's faces vividly and the mood is fully bright. In addition, the photograph makes people who see it know how the children feel.

 

  A photograph can look different according to various elements such as light, composition and a mood and the difference makes people who see the photograph have diverse emotions. It is possible that a gloomy mood of a photograph can make people who see it feel down. Therefore, the emotions given by photographs are very diverse and people can have different emotions even though they see the same picture.

Se-Kyu Oh / Reaction / Tue.11:00

 201102045 EIT

Se-Kyu Oh

Different Time, Different Emotion

 

At any time and at anywhere, children gather and play together. We also have our own beautiful memory of playing with friends outside when we were kids and sometimes indulge in the reminiscences of our childhood. What if someone took pictures of the scene of us running and playing? Here are two photographs of children playing together. One is called "Playing in Street Sprinkler" by Juvenile Aid Bureau, New York in August 8, 1937. The other is called "Children Playing Baseball" taken in 1913 by Lewis Wickes Hine, a sociologist who used photography as a documentary to inspire social form. These two pictures depict children playing together, but the moods of the two are completely different as they are taken in different era.

In "Playing in Street Sprinkler," a bunch of children gathered below a street sprinkler. The children are wearing swimming suits and seem to enjoy the cool water during hot summer. A boy in the left is trying to avoid the water while others are standing below the water. Their motions show that they're enjoying the moment, thus giving energetic feeling to the picture. Behind the sprinkler and the children, a long apartment is placed as a background. The uneven surface of the building gives feeling of liveliness and refinement with is modern textures. Behind the sprinkler and on the right side of the picture, some people are standing and cars are parked. Though they are not the main center of interest, they tell that the place where this picture is taken is busy and lively. Also the light is shinning on the sprinkler and the group of children playing near it. It not only highlights the main center of interest but also makes the picture look bright and cheerful.

In "Children Playing Baseball," there are much more children but they are scattered. Some are on the left or right side and the others on the center are the only ones who play baseball. Children on the left or right side do not play. They just look at the boys on the center playing baseball. In addition, a girl on the left side and three or four kids on the right side are not actually watching the baseball game. They're looking at the camera and it means their minds are not with the players. Therefore, it gives a feeling of isolation, loneliness, and disconnection. The light is shining on the children on the left side, not children on the center. The children playing baseball, the main center of interest is on the dark side; it makes this picture look dim and gloomy. Behind the children, as a background, there are tall walls made of bricks. The wall surrounds the three sides of the place. The texture of the background gives gloomy and poor feelings and because children are surrounded by the walls, it also gives the feelings of pressure and depression. Furthermore, there are laundries hanging above the children. Also, the children on the right side are on a wagon. Compared to cars in the first pictures, it shows poor and old image.

The two pictures depict children playing together. They focus on children and both of them are taken in towns of a city. They show activeness of children as catching the moment of children's playing. However, the mood of each picture is significantly different. First one gives bright and cheerful feelings with the help of light and the background while the second one shows dark and gloomy feelings due to the dim light and background objects. Furthermore, if we consider the time and place when and where those pictures were taken, we can find out a better interpretation of the two photographs. "Playing in Street Sprinkler" was taken in South Harlem during late 1930's. During this period of time, the U.S. was still suffering from the Great Depression. Life was hard and especially for those in Harlem, life was very tough. However, we can still have good feelings from this picture. In contrast, "Children Playing Baseball" was taken in 1913 when the U.S. was enjoying its prosperity. However, we see gloomy and dark feelings in the picture.  

   Two groups of children are depicted in these two pictures, we feel activeness through the motion of children playing in the street sprinkler and playing baseball. However, in the first one, we feel cheerful, energetic, and lively while in the second one we feel gloomy and depressed. Also it's interesting that the feelings of each picture are opposite to the moods of situations when each photo is taken; first one gives positive feelings during tough time while the second one gives negative feelings during prosperous time. Yet, in both pictures we're attracted by the activeness of the children's playing and the memory of old days.