[EUGENE SMITH / "SOLIDER IN SAPAN HOLDING A BABY"]
[EDWARD WESTON / "LEGS IN A HAMMOCK"]I came across these images during my study today and was particularly impressed by the message/subject of the first and the form/lighting of the second.
The Smith shot is compelling and very controversial. The soldier is somewhat carelessly holding a helpless infant...in a jungle. However, his hunched form suggests that under his military uniform lingers an uncorrupted humanity. The mysterious nature surrounding the placement of these subjects evokes a sense of wonder from the viewer and shows a side of war that is usually not brought to the public eye.
Weston's shot of "Legs in a Hammock" seems simple at first, until the intricate shadowed lines are perceived on the slender(and body-less) legs. The faceless quality of this subject emphasizes the mystery in relaxation. What is she thinking while laying under the gentle shade? Where do those thin dark lines come from? Why does the human form look so exotic when accentuated with man-made objects? Weston's ability to relate human body parts to inanimate objects is extremely powerful and gives the human form a different significance within his frames.
The Smith shot is compelling and very controversial. The soldier is somewhat carelessly holding a helpless infant...in a jungle. However, his hunched form suggests that under his military uniform lingers an uncorrupted humanity. The mysterious nature surrounding the placement of these subjects evokes a sense of wonder from the viewer and shows a side of war that is usually not brought to the public eye.
Weston's shot of "Legs in a Hammock" seems simple at first, until the intricate shadowed lines are perceived on the slender(and body-less) legs. The faceless quality of this subject emphasizes the mystery in relaxation. What is she thinking while laying under the gentle shade? Where do those thin dark lines come from? Why does the human form look so exotic when accentuated with man-made objects? Weston's ability to relate human body parts to inanimate objects is extremely powerful and gives the human form a different significance within his frames.
