This photograph, “The Lams of Ludlow Street” , was taken by Thomas Holton, who spends a couple of months with a family and experiencing the lifestyle of a Chinese environment he never once had. This photograph shows the Lams family in their Chinatown home enjoying their dinner. The photograph gives off a warm feeling because despite their living situation, the parents try their best to give their children a warm and comfortable place to be. I see it as one, big happy family. I once lived in Chinatown when I was young so I know how it feels, but that was because I was staying at my cousin’s place. A couple of days later, I was adapted to their environment and started to feel somewhat different. As I look more into this photo, I see it as similar to my lifestyle back when I was little except that I was the only sibling so I thought that it it was easier for my parents to take care of me and I lived in Brooklyn. I truly know how it feels.
The lining in the photograph seems to go diagonal, going from the bottom to the top and the framing is equal with the family perfectly in the middle but it also seems as if the photographer wants to show the living situation in Chinatown rather than the family itself. The focus is clearly on the family in the middle, showing a happy and somewhat emotional feeling. The contrast of light and dark in this photo is there with the background a little darker than other areas of the image. The angle of view in this picture seems to have the right side more dynamic than the left, seeing how the right side of the image is larger than the left side but
As you state the family is in the middle. And surrounded by stuff. There isn’t one little bit of free space. I think Holton is trying to show how crowded their apartment yet they are happy.