This photo was a part of the Cartier-Bresson “The Decisive Moment” exhibit. The emotion in this picture is priceless. This picture was taken in 1938 in France. This was during the Great Depression and at the dawn of the next World War. I can only imagine how dark of a time this was in France. To see such a light hearted and happy photo in that time makes the emotion priceless. It makes me so happy to see such joy. The photo is also so compositionally beautiful. It is such a good way to begin his exhibit and his book. It really sets the tone for the rest of his work on display.
This was one of my favorite displays in the museum. It drew my eye at first because of the girls face. She looks just like my younger cousin, Evan. The resemblance is shocking. Then I kept looking at all of the pictures individually, and realized what it was. The ensemble of all of the images is like a coming of age. I think it is so interesting how she took two pictures in the same day and lined them up exactly behind each other. It shows the many sides and phases of being a tween in America. Everyone experiences different phases when they are growing up, and this displays them during this year in her life. I really enjoyed this because it is very honest and a creative take on something that is just part of growing up.
This photo is definitely one of my favorites that I saw. The photo was taken in the fifties by Elliot Erwitt. During this time, racism was so prominent, even in the north. The boy looks as if he is joking and playing, but the underlying message is not like that at all. The gun to his head could represent his underlying desire to just end it all before he has to experience worse things. The composition of this photo is beautiful because the rule of thirds comes into play. He is positioned in a way that he is not the center of the picture so your eye is automatically drawn toward him and the tree. The silver metal of the gun also adds a stand out type of contrast. This immediately draws your eye to it first.