Sarah McConnell
COM 232; Visual Literacy
Paper#2 - Photo Analysis

As the Ezekiel scene is one of my favorite scenes from my movie collection, I chose this frame image from the movie Pulp Fiction. This frame is very important to the film because sets the stage for your initial characterization of Jules Winnfield played by Samuel Jackson. By threatening to shoot Brett (played by Frank Whaley) in the head, Jackson is showing his dominance and power over Whaley. Jackson’s perceived self control, as well as his lack of humanity shows in the glaring gaze of his eyes, his demeaning facial expression, threatening body language, his stiff posture and finally in his dark yet crisp clothing. His overall presence and demeanor shows him to be the self-proclaimed “bad mother fucker” in this movie. This image is extremely critical to the film because as the movie progresses, he continuously questions himself as the “bad mother fucker,” the purpose of his life here on earth, and his quest for salvation after death.

The framing of this shot is in 1:1.85 – widescreen, allowing maximum intensity to come through to the viewer. In this shot, your eye initially focuses on the gun (while some could argue that the gun is main character in this shot – I disagree) due to the lighting focus, but the lines in the background of the frame direct your eye to Jackson. The yellow and green color of the walls along with the single dried rose on the wall tends to portray a peaceful, light, and serene atmosphere within the apartment. However, Jackson’s long handlebar-like moustache with his other facial hair and his dark clothing is in direct contrast to the background, making him stand out more to the viewer. The stiff black suit, staunch white shirt and pencil-black tie, represent a darker and dangerous image which is anything but serene. His clothing and his moustache fit the stereo-type of the “bad” man, or antagonistic character in a film. Meanwhile, at the bottom of the screen, the viewer clearly sees that Whaley’s character is very clean shaven, almost too preppy, making him the victim or the weaker of the two men.

The low angle of the camera only perpetuates the image of power and dominance that Jackson has over Whaley as shown with Whaley’s hands up in surrender. The long shot of the frame also allows you to infer dominance and power, establishing who is in control of the current situation. Showing the man in the back corner with his eyes closed while he seems to be praying (mis en scene), shows that Jackson is not only in control of Whaley, but also of others in the room causing an overwhelming sense of fear and domination.

This particular frame is an amazing scene from this movie as it shows so many visual contrasts to the viewers. This scene evokes a sense of fear, domination, and perceived power that takes you through the movie.

"Blow Up" Screening

This Monday and Wednesday we will watch Michelangelo Antonioni's film, "Blow Up". It was made in 1966 and was quite influential at the time. The story is about a photographer who may or may not have witnessed a murder. More to the point, it is his camera that has done any witnessing and he is the discoverer, at a later time, of this possible scenario. It is about how we see and how we interpret that which we view. Can our eyes deceive us? Is the photographic image objective? Antonioni was a director who used detailed composition to tell his stories. The studies we have engaged in on the textual analysis of images will prove valuable here. I ask you to pay special attention to the design of this movie; the framing of the action, the objects within the shots (mis en scene), the spatial relationships between characters and their settings and thematic contrasts involving the real action and the "reel" (photographic) action.

If "Blow Up" seems a bit dated today, it is probably because most depictions of "trendy" times almost always seem to suffer from the silliness that attends much of faddish behavior when viewed with the distance of years. In spite of that, this movie is a fairly accurate portrayal of "swinging London" in the "mod 60s". That this film was a major studio release and that it played in mainstream theaters, says something about the viewing habits of the 1960s audience and, perhaps sadly, about today's.

I have added an article by Roger Ebert on the "Links of Interest". Please contribute any other articles or reviews that you think will help our understanding. Be ready to discuss this film and how it relates to what we have studied to this point on Monday, Feb. 22. On Wednesday, Feb. 24, your 2-3 page review of the film will be due.

Another image

Marshall Adams

Paper # 2

Maggie Pringle

The public image that I chose to analyze is a mural done by a friend of mine who is an extremely talented artist. His name is Marshall Adams and he has numerous works that he has created over the past several years. The particular piece that I chose is a mural he painted in Bel Air, Maryland. A Mother of one of Marshall’s friends owns a small craft boutique by the name of Two Sisters in Bel Air, and she had asked Marshall to paint a mural on the side of her building. He did this mural in 2009 and I especially like Marshall’s work because it is simply beautiful. Marshall calls the painting an “organic abstract pattern,” he used bright colors and made sure the imagery was not too complex.

The content of the mural contributes to its overall composition. The left side of the mural has a brightly colored creature-like object, looks to be some sort of sea monster. The mural transitions into a scene of chaotic waters that are colored different shades of blue. Amongst the water are ships and boats, and arms of the sea creature peek out of the water throughout the scene. There are also two men sailing away from a sinking ship.The scene ends on the right with a mermaid sitting on a rock looking out into the scene. The backdrop of the mural is a jagged sunset. The colors are that of a traditional sunset, purples and oranges, with a tinge of blue here and there. The composition as a whole is coherent and pleasing to the eye. The eye is drawn first to the neon figure in the left corner, as it is the most prominent image in the painting. Your eye then follows the water scene across the wall observing the ships and different patterns of waves along the way. Your eye ends with the picturesque mermaid perched on her rock. The mermaid is colored with sepia colors. One of my favorite parts of the painting is the portion on the left side that appears to be a cut-out of the painting, giving the illusion of peeking into the store showing wine glasses, art and jewelry.

The compositional rule called the “rule of thirds” can be seen in the layout of this mural. The composition is balanced because of the layout of its components. The content is not centered and the positioning of the objects create interest, as they are not centered. I asked Marshall about his intent when painting this mural and he told me that he wanted to paint something bright and bold to draw attention to the store. He also told me that it was especially fun for him because his friend’s Mom gave him complete creative control, which is rare when an artist is being commissioned to do a work of art. It is an image that causes your mind to wander, and your imagination to kick into action.

The setting of this image I think is significant because it was painted in his hometown. Marshall has left his mark for his family and friends to remember him by and it represents the beginning of his career as an artist. There is a relationship or common theme between the mural and the art gallery; which is most appropriate because of the nature of both. The mural conveys feelings associated with the concept of art: creativity, imagination, exploration, free expression, a liberation of the mind and heart. People walking by the mural, whether they are going into the gallery or not are sure to be inspired. Its colors remind me of colors a child would use in a painting, they are bright and fun. The mural is also dreamlike, which again emphasizes the use of the imagination, which is an important theme in this analysis. While Marshall said that he typically does not like to think too deeply about the meaning of his art, he said the theme of the mural had some thought put into it and in the end it held a special meaning for him.

Marshall made it clear that he designed the mural for people to interpret and enjoy in their own way. However, to him, the mural is a metaphor about moving forward and leaving the past behind you. To him specifically, the ship in the painting represents Bel Air, his normal way of life he had grown accustomed to, and the mermaid represents the west coast and his future as an artist. This was deeply moving when he told me this and has made me appreciate the painting that much more. I think this mural will become a landmark in Bel Air and will be a lasting impression of Marshall Adams.

Photo Analysis Essay

If you have any questions on the paper due Monday, don't hesitate to email me at thammond1946@yahoo.com or come into class tomorrow. I will be available there to answer any questions, review your material and give suggestions as needed. Remember to include a picture of what you are analyzing with the paper.

The chapter I gave you yesterday came from "Ways of Seeing" by John Berger.

Close Analysis Picture for Class on 2/10

Instead of bringing a picture into class for Wednesday, I decided to post the picture on the blog. Also because if I printed it, the picture would not have looked as good.

Question about the paper

So, you want us to specifically use and cite Lacey in our paper, but many of us don't have the book. Can we use the packet you gave us in class on Wednesday, ...non-verbal communication, framing,etc. in our paper and cite that? I'm not exactly clear on this...