In Suzanne Stein’s, “R Train Platform, 59th and Central Park”, a couple is seen going in for a kiss as the woman holds a very large bouquet of white roses toward the upper right corner of the photograph. Behind them, a row of women sit, ranging from tallest to shortest, what seems to be eldest to more youthful as well, and all with different facial expressions or no expression at all. The background is clearly set at a Fifth Avenue platform, in the train station. I believe Stein’s intention in capturing this moment was to portray some sort of reaction to the couple that seems to be expressing their love, both physically and materialistically. The purpose of this image is to convey both a sense of love in New York City, hope for other women, as well as envy or jealousy that others may express when witnessing public displays of affection. The general mood of this photography feels quite mixed due to the various facial expressions that are being given off by the women who are witnessing this. It feels like all of the emotions a New Yorker would experience when witnessing something like this on the subway.
Rule of thirds, diagonals, and patterns and repetition are the most important in Stein’s photograph. Stein utilizes the rule of thirds to pinpoint the couple at the upper right corner, so that the viewer’s eyes are drawn to them first. This also makes the couple stand out more, making them the focus of the photograph. Stein utilizes diagonals through the descending height so effortlessly provided by the women sitting on the subway bench. The descending diagonal takes your eyes from the middle left frame to the end and finally toward the loving couple. The age difference and height difference is what led me to feel that there is some sort of loss in hope for romance or possibly a change in hopefulness. Stein also utilizes pattern and repetition again through the women presented in the photograph. They all appear to be wearing black or dark shades and the large bouquet of white roses interrupts this scheme.
Nicely observed. Certainly Stein uses the rule of thirds to place the main subject off center and the perspective of the subway architecture draw our eye right to them.