Adam Verhoeff
History of Photography
Ruth Eisenberg
8-31-16
The photograph I chose was taken by Nan Goldin in 1983. It’s called Max and Richard, New York City and it was printed on a silver dye bleach print in 2006. What first drew me into this photo was the overwhelming amount of information. The background consists of several superhero posters, and the foreground is a blanket cluttered with names of football teams. There is a unique color and shape to each component and it helps to keep my mind occupied and interested. The two characters in this photo, both in black contrast the surrounding colors and shapes, which make them stand out more. This photo was one of a large series in which Nan Goldin documented late youth in the early 1980s. While most of the series focused on her 20-something year old friends, a few photos in particular were dedicated to the even younger generation. This photo, as well as every other photo, was taken very candidly. They do not appear staged. They appear as moments in time and space, with enough quirk to leave you wondering about the past and the future. I am inspired by this in my photography. I like the idea of a photo depicting a moment so quirky and strange that it leaves you wondering how fate led to the point, and what is going to happen to it. Candidness is photos makes them feel viscerally real, as though you were right in the place the photo was being taken. I chose the Max and Richard photo because I spent much time looking at it wondering who the man in the dark suit is and why he is looking so sinisterly at the sleeping child. I also wonder what happened after the photo was taken, and what became of the child who had no idea any of this was happening. Because photos only depict a moment in time and space, they can leave your mind pretty easily. That’s why it’s important for a photo to suggest a past and future. It makes the photos expand through time and space.
