COMD 1340 D164 Spring 2020

“White Angel Bread Line” by Dorothea Lange was taken during the Great Depression in San Francisco, 1933.  This photo really shows how much pain and struggles they had to go through.  There were many elements that contributed to this powerful piece.  We can start with the powerful setting the photographer chose; it was in grayscale to set the sad and emotional mood.  From that we were very focused on the man who was hold holding a can because he was the only one that was facing to our direction.  We also notice that we cannot see his eyes and the cup is empty and it brings a lot of emotional thoughts about what he is going through.  He must be praying, hoping there will still be food to survive for the day.

“Migrant Mother” by Dorothea Lange was another powerful photo during the great depression.  There were to elements that made it focused on the mother’s face; the children’s face was not visible, and the mother’s arm lead us to her face.  From there we can see her wrinkles and her eyes, and I feel a lot of sad and worried in her face.  From this photo, I felt that she was comforting her children while she looks away, wondering what she can do to keep her kids fed and survive another day.

Both photos had people in the background, but it does show a difference on each of the photos.  For the man with the can, he may be in the crowed but there is no connection between him and the crowd, he is facing the opposite direction from the crowd. On the other photo, there was a connection between the mother and the background, they are close to each other, the kids are leaning on her.  It shows a strong connection, the children depend on her.

After looking at the photos, it taught me not to take anything for granted, I should cherish every moment in life.  What we are facing now is nothing compared to the people who suffered during the Great Depression.  We have access to food and drinks and that is a wonderful gift.  I am happy that we have evolved since then. There are many people volunteering and donating to help people who are struggling during COVID19.  Doctors and nurses are staying longer hours and risking their life to help save lives.  I am thankful and glad to see everyone is staying strong and I can’t wait for the pandemic to end.