Picture Analysis
Jordan Peters
Professor Louise Grandouiller
ENG – 1400
12 March 2013 What Are They Doing? Laura Holder’s picture “Talking to Mom on Mother’s Day” does not produce any emotional response. The other pictures to choose from, are very powerful in their message, but Holder’s picture falls flatter than all the others. Two men talking on a cell phone does not give the same feeling that the other pictures purvey.
In the foreground of the image, a man is talking on his cell phone. That is it. Slightly behind him, another man talking on his cell phone. In the background of the picture, there is not much else worth noting; a couple buildings, an entrance to the subway, some men talking around a truck. What exactly is so interesting about this photo?
The photographer is attempting to capture what she thought was a sentimental moment. How does she even know these two men are talking to their mothers? Perhaps they are talking to their kids, or their friends, or even their fathers. Nothing about the way the men are standing or any actions they seem to be doing evokes any emotional reaction. I want to be clear, I have nothing against mother’s or talking to my mom on Mother’s Day, but there is no reason to take a picture of someone doing so.
One could argue that this picture is sweet.These guys are taking time out of thei day to talk to their mothers. There is no need to take a picture and “capture the moment.” If people want to take pictures of this, why not for other situations when I am talking on the phone? Next time I see someone checking their voicemail, I’ll be sure to whip out my camera, take a picture, and submit it to the local news.
It boils down to this, why take a picture, of something that happens so frequently in many places at once. Most photographs are used to seize the moment of a special event or unique action. A moment that does not always happen, a moment that is a memory one would want to remember. Everybody talks to their mothers on Mother’s
Professor Louise Grandouiller
ENG – 1400
12 March 2013 What Are They Doing? Laura Holder’s picture “Talking to Mom on Mother’s Day” does not produce any emotional response. The other pictures to choose from, are very powerful in their message, but Holder’s picture falls flatter than all the others. Two men talking on a cell phone does not give the same feeling that the other pictures purvey.
In the foreground of the image, a man is talking on his cell phone. That is it. Slightly behind him, another man talking on his cell phone. In the background of the picture, there is not much else worth noting; a couple buildings, an entrance to the subway, some men talking around a truck. What exactly is so interesting about this photo?
The photographer is attempting to capture what she thought was a sentimental moment. How does she even know these two men are talking to their mothers? Perhaps they are talking to their kids, or their friends, or even their fathers. Nothing about the way the men are standing or any actions they seem to be doing evokes any emotional reaction. I want to be clear, I have nothing against mother’s or talking to my mom on Mother’s Day, but there is no reason to take a picture of someone doing so.
One could argue that this picture is sweet.These guys are taking time out of thei day to talk to their mothers. There is no need to take a picture and “capture the moment.” If people want to take pictures of this, why not for other situations when I am talking on the phone? Next time I see someone checking their voicemail, I’ll be sure to whip out my camera, take a picture, and submit it to the local news.
It boils down to this, why take a picture, of something that happens so frequently in many places at once. Most photographs are used to seize the moment of a special event or unique action. A moment that does not always happen, a moment that is a memory one would want to remember. Everybody talks to their mothers on Mother’s
Cited: Holder, Laura. Talking to Mom on Mother 's Day. 2003. Photograph. Discovering Arguments. Fourth ed. Glenview: Pearson Education, 2012. 312-13. Print.