The photograph I chose is #8, and the photographer is Thomas Holton. There is no specific name for this photo, but it falls within the ‘The Lams of Ludlow Street’ collection. Within the photograph the subject is the little girl standing at the top of the stairs. She is looking downwards at the viewer. It is apparent that this photo was taken at a low angle. The little does not show signs of being afraid or angry. She looks comfortable and at ease. The Lams are a family that Thomas Holton met and started building a bond with. By learning and experiencing more about his untapped culture, he gets deeply entwined with this family. He becomes a part of their everyday lives. The purpose of this image is most likely trying to incorporate that fact; him and his unexplored culture are within the dark and below, while the little girl is surrounded by light signifying that she is culture. She grew up on it. Even though the majority of the photo is dark, there isn’t a semblance of fear from it.
Thomas Holton uses leading lines, diagonal lines, and figure-to-ground within this photograph. If you follow the diagonal line from the stairs’ railing, it would lead up to the little girl. There are leading lines from the ceiling next to the stairs which leads towards where the little girl is standing. These lines help diminish focus on the right side and makes you look at her first. The lines created from the steps of the stairs are also a form of leading lines. Even though they are perpendicular to the subject, they help demonstrate the distance between the subject and the photographer. As for figure-to-ground, there is a clear separation from where the subject is standing in comparison to where the photographer is standing. A sort of tunnel distance is created as the light surrounds her, almost engulfing her, and it separates her from the darker and cooler areas within the rest of the image.
Link to Thomas Holton #8:
http://www.thomasholton.com/
