While Whelan’s argument is certainly a lengthy one which includes quite a bit of research accompanied by quite a bit of speculation, it just seems to scattered and presumptuous to be convincing to me. I think that it is important for photojournalism and documentary photography to not only be accurate but to be factual. I am certainly no expert on such matters but I do not believe the photograph Falling Soldier, considered to be the greatest war photograph of all time, to be authentic. Because of other photographs that exist with the same back drop which includes identical cloud positioning, supposedly taken at different times of day, along with the inconsistent alibis interviewed by Whelan, I do not believe enough solid info exists to verify the photographs genuineness.

Early photography differs greatly from early film in that photography was not able to record movement due to the necessary exposure time needed to capture an image. Early film however, evident in Georges Méliès A Trip to the Moon, was not only able to capture movement, but allowed the incorporation of an extensive amount of special effects. In watching Méliès’ film, I recognized the fact the film camera, like the camera used for photography, remained stationary and focused, forcing the actors to move in and out of the frame while remaining in focus. I must admit that I was surprised at the both the quality and creativity of this film.

First, I’d like to say that I found this short film a absolute thrill to watch, it is a spectacular depiction of what makes moving pictures so fascinating. It showcases the  allure of the imagination and over all story telling.  The style is very reminiscent of  early photography staging, that of Southworth and Hawes.  The use of backgrounds and various objects really creates the overall settings, that is needed to fabricate a variety of environments needed for the various scenes in Le Voyange dans la Lune.  It is also has a hint of surrealism, for example the moon was portrayed as a face made of cheese. I remember growing up I often heard of stories about a man on the moon and the is often compared to swiss cheese, because of the carters on the moon’s surface. Also the figures such as stars and the planets became life like because of the actors portraying them. The over all movie was very enjoyable, it had a lot of movement, and simple visual effects such as smoke and snow.

It is true that you can tell a lot about a person by what he or she eats, and as much as they would want us not to believe this, rock stars are people too! I believe that the over all concept is really interesting, though the way and style it was executed was done poorly, the lighting is terrible. Famous celebrities such as Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears already have such recognizable personas already, there is already a premeditated assumption of them, made by several factors such as fashion and their music. That  that it leaves very little to be desired.  What surprised me the most is that the foods requested aren’t a crudité platter or of some bottle of water, from some place over wonder, that is distilled through  volcanic rocks and rainbows ( over dramatizing).  If anything this justifies claims of a certain celebrity being a Diva or high maintenance.  I can rest a shore that I do have one thing in common with my favorite performer on the list, me and Beyoncé love some fried chicken wings!

When we were having a debate during our last meeting about the “Fallen Solider Photograph,” I did make a point about the left hand being curled and I was very pleased to have read about it in the article, “Franks told me in conversation that the fact that the fingers are somewhat curled toward the palm clearly indicates that the man’s muscles have gone limp and that he is already dead. Hardly anyone faking death would ever know that such a hand position was necessary in order to make the photograph realistic.” Whether or not the photograph was staged or not, having coming to learn about the grave lengths that Robert Capa went for his art, I have gained commendable appreciation for  him as a photographer.

When I think about California, I think of the  great weather, white sanded beaches, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hollywood sign, Rodeo Drive and the relaxed way of life. Maybe it’s due to my need of a vacation, but it’s to my very own ignorance, that the acceptance of where my weekly groceries come from, is the little label located on the containers. California produces a vast number of the fruits, vegetables and animal products that the U.S consumes.  It was under my assumption that the state of California, though the climax is dry, it is noteworthy for the “perfect growing conditions” due to the coastal fog and the soil, as well as the vast number of acres dedicated to farming.  Knowing this it would be safe to assume that there must be come impeccable water infrastructure, irrigation systems and water distillery plants to support farming on such a grand scale.  I’m very taken back by the fact that most of California relies on man-made irrigation in Central Valley, where a vast number of these crops are grown. Also a large percent of water is produced in  northern California, but the same need is located in southern California, this all just does not make any sense to me. It’s pretty devastating, seeing the people and the animals suffering. It’s natural, for me as a reader, to try and think of solutions that might help these people, but with  barriers such as politics, locations and environmental conditions including global warning, it seems like there is no end in sight.  There was a quote in the video “who really does make the food? ” the farmers, the silent heroes, bestowed the task of feeding millions, are now the ones without jobs and are struggling to make a living. Similarly to the FSA photography, which depicted the state of devastation during the Great Depression, the same can be said with these photographs, the black and white photos truly depict the state of disarray and the desolated lands that are plaguing the Central Valley.

By looking at these pictures I realized that theres so much art that we can do with our own food and how famous it could even become if you wanted to. Out of all of them the most interesting one was Britney Spears with the combination of fish and chips with cheeseburgers without buns and figs with a picture of Diana on the side. Its interesting the combinations of food to describe a celebrity.