Category: HW1_Composition (Page 1 of 3)

Suzanne Stein’s “Little Dog on San Julian St” is just one photograph from a series on Skid Row, Los Angeles. In the photograph, we can see a dog sitting on a computer chair while another person in the background is seen in distress. Around these two is a dirty street littered with articles of clothing and plastic bags/wrappers. In addition, we can see tents where the people of Skid Row would sleep and baby strollers which appear to be used as storage. Stein, being a social documentary/ street photographer, aims to take photographs of the everyday life of the people of Skid Row. As such with this photograph she was able to capture this real moment of the environment that the people and pets of Skid Row reside in. The image invokes this feeling of despair that the people are facing; it acts as a sort of call to arms for changes to be brought to help these people get out of this terrible situation.

Through the use of diagonals, figure to ground, and the rule of thirds, Stein can capture the vulnerable state of many people who live in Skid Row. The use of diagonals can be seen through the positioning of the shopping cart and the black metal fence in the background that helps guide us to certain different points of interest in the photo such as the dog on the chair and the person in the background through the disarray of the environment. Figure to-ground composition with this white dog sitting on the blue computer chair and the person further to the right is mostly separated from the cluttered background to the left of the photograph. As the viewer, we can more clearly distinguish between the clutter and figures. Lastly, the rule of thirds is established through the positions of the dog who is exactly centered but falls along the lines of the rule of thirds.

The Lams of Ludlow Street— Getting Dressed for Graduation

Photographer: Thomas Holton

This photograph by Thomas Holton features a student in presumably her own bedroom getting ready for a graduation ceremony. At first glance, our eyes are drawn to the figure checking her attire; and around her, the frame is filled with elements suggesting that the camera is pointed into the room from an outside space. We can see that further in the background, the walls are decorated with hanging lights and decorations— all above a soft surface, which is likely a bed or something similar. Thomas Holton is a photographer who was investigating his interest in the daily life of people in the Chinatown area when he was introduced to the Lam family. Since, he has been accompanying them in their daily activities. Given this background, I feel that the message he is trying to convey through this photograph is one linked to the passage of time and milestones. Graduation is often seen as an event celebrating the completion of an education course. It’s like a benchmark indicating how much an individual has experienced. Thus, I think that Thomas Holton is trying to convey that feeling of achievement through this setting. It feels like we’re watching her prepare to take the next step. She’s also alone and focused on herself so I get the feeling she’s an independent person.

In this photo, I can identify the rule of thirds, frame within a frame, and leading lines. Holton placed the subject according to the rule of thirds to balance the areas of the and used leading lines to guide our attention to the main subject. A third of the frame is taken up by a dark surface highlighted by a collage. Due to the angle of the collage on the right, the edges form diagonal lines pointing towards the interior of the room, welcoming the viewer in. Frame within a frame is also used here to further enhance the contrast of space. Since the right side of the composition is taken up by what I assume is the door to the room, viewers can feel the space in between the camera, the doorframe, and the room where the subject stands. Personally, I like how the photographer uses frame within a frame to convey the feeling of watching as someone takes steps in growth.

The Lams of Ludlow Street – Washing the Dishes

Photographed By Thomas Holton
https://www.thomasholton.com/work/thelamsofludlowstreet

This image was taken by Thomas Holton, an NYC-based photographer who has spent 15 years taking photos of the Lams to create his book “Thomas Holton: The Lams of Ludlow Street.” Holton’s photos follow the Lams throughout their life in their cramped apartment located in Chinatown, a community/neighborhood of Chinese businesses and tenants settled in Lower Manhattan. In this collection of photos, Holton takes occasional pictures to create a visual representation of the daily and casual life of the Lam family. Although the house the Lams live in isn’t a nice suburban house or a luxurious condominium, their small apartment showcased by Holton’s photos creates a wholesome mood that depicts their big and happy family.

Thomas Holton uses the Rule of Thirds, Figure to Ground, and Dominant Eye in this specific photo. Upon first glance of the photo, the photo seems very clean. The man in the photo is the only thing in focus while the background is slightly blurred. This is an accurate portrayal of the compositional technique “Figure to Ground.” Since the man is much clearer than the background, the audience’s attention will be more focused on the figure rather than the blurry and less detailed background. Using the compositional technique “Rule of Thirds” also helps draw the audience’s attention to the figure in the photo. By placing the man’s face at one of the intersections, the photo becomes more balanced and aesthetic. If the figure was to be positioned in the center of the frame, the photo would feel less alive and boring. Finally, Holton uses the compositional technique of “Dominant Eye”. Although the man’s eye isn’t positioned in the center of the photo like the traditional definition suggests, it makes the image seem less static and creates eye contact between the audience and the figure. As Steve McCurry says, “Rules are meant to be broken.”

https://www.thomasholton.com/work/thelamsofludlowstreet

In 2010, photographer Thomas Holton would begin a 15 year long series of photographs that depict the lives of the Lam family in Chinatown. Holton says that despite being half-chinese he never felt any type of connection to the New York City neighborhood of Chinatown. In an effort to “experience more of the daily life of Chinatown,” he made an effort to meet people in Chinatown, where he met the Lam family. He would visit them often and the Lams would allow him to participate in their family life and events. After some time, Holton became unexpectedly attached to the Lam family, citing that he, “never expected to become so close and emotionally tied to my ‘subject matter.'” In the end, he came to the conclusion that a person is not defined by the socially constructed idea of race but rather by our own experiences and family history. There is no right or wrong answer to the photographer’s initial inquiry of “what it means to be ‘Chinese.'” However, he did come to a greater understanding of what it means to be human.

Thomas Holton’s collection, “The Lams of Ludlow Street,” is very thoughtful in terms of composition. In this specific photo, he makes use of the rule of thirds, figure to ground, and symmetry to create a tone of individuality and unity among siblings. There are three children in this image, one in the foreground and two in the background. At a first glance it appears as though the child in the middle is the sole subject of the image as he is in the foreground and the image of him is sharp and clear. But there are also two children in the background on either side of him. They’re relevance to the image is emphasized using the rule of thirds, as their faces align with the intersections of the 3 by 3 grid. In addition, in this composition, they create a symmetrical and balanced image by being on opposite sides of the foreground subject. This adds on to the photographer’s portrayal of individualism within culture. We are drawn to the child in the middle but we learn more about him by having the siblings in the background. He is his own person but he also has a family history that will shape who he is/becomes.