Jillian Ramirez
February 4, 2010
COM 232 Tom Hammond
MWF 10 – 11:10
Close Analysis of an Image
To analyze this picture, I will be using Nick Lacey’s concepts from his book, Image & Representation: Key Concepts in Media Studies. I am going to start with content of the picture. Now if I had not seen this movie, I would think that the preferred reading of the image would be that the two people are in love and have not seen each other in a while. Also, clearly the setting is in a much earlier time period. The woman’s face looks a bit more sad then the man. Another way to look at it would be if they were saying good-bye to each other, which is truly what is going in the picture. Every person can have a different interpretation in reading this photo because every person is different and thinks differently, especially if someone has or has not seen the movie. The message or idea I see being conveyed is that the two people, Rick and Ilsa, are coming or going. Others might interpret it as they are meeting for the first time like love at first sight. Or, if they were a couple the husband could be going off to war and they are saying good-bye to each other.
The composition of the image is mainly their faces. The tone is a bit hard to tell since the image is in back and white, but the sharpness is easy to tell what they want you to look at because their facial expressions are up close. The camera is showing you exactly what it wants you to look at and what message it wants to deliver. When considering the scale of the objects in the image, you can tell right away they that two people know each other because two people who just met would not be standing that close to each other. Along with the scale, non-verbal communication plays a lot in their frame with facial expressions and especially gaze. You can just tell by they way they are looking in each others eyes, something big has happened in their past for them to look at each other this way. Also their cloths and appearance conform they are coming or going because a trench coat and hat is not something you wear around the house everyday. Their formal features give away most of the pictures meaning, especially with the rule of third. Your eyes are drawn straight to wear their lips should meet showing the tension in the faces. This picture is perfect according to the rule of thirds I think.
The way the frame is set up is just so perfect because although there are not a lot of formal features, with the compositional features, the frame allows the picture to be strong and draw attention to what is most important. In understanding this part, I realize it is just not one part that is important but many things that add up to allow the picture to be perfect like the Academy ratio framing of the still, the close-up distance shot and the depth of field just to name a few. With out the right content in the frame, ideas and perceptions could be different when showing this image.
After seeing how much work is put into each frame I appreciate and understand the meaning of how an actual frame or still is put together to be just the right balance.
Their hats are interesting. His is pulled down toward the camera. Her's is tilted away. this casts a shadow of loss or sadness across his face and leaves her's open and vulnerable. The hats are also aligned to facilitate the kiss you mentioned that might be coming. Their natural movement with hats onfigured like this would be closer to each other, the focal point being their lips. A great scene, one of the best ever.
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