The black and white photographs selected for evaluation in the essay is from the Howard Greenberg Gallery, 41 East 57th street Suite 1406, New York and Yosso Milo Gallery, 45th Tenth Avenue, New York. The photographers are Willis Hartshorn Howard and Ken Schles.
The objective of the paper is to evaluate how successful is black and white photography in making an impact on the audience, despite the lack of colors. There are some excellent examples of black-and-white photography regarding composition, lighting, and perspective.
Sleeping Passengers in the Terminal Waiting Room, 1947
The work is a part of an exhibition - A Democracy of Imagery, which is a work by 84 photographers ranging from the 1860s through 2002 (A Democracy Of Imagery 2016). The exhibition digs into the treasures of the medium and appreciates the underappreciated great photographs by famous photographers. The selected photograph is the work of Howard Greenberg, who is considered a leader in the in the modern photography market.
The literal view
The photo is taken from the exhibition - A Democracy of Imagery and shows a platform scene. There are different passengers waiting in the Terminal Waiting Room. Some are sitting while others are standing. Two men sit on the bench at the side and own of them is engrossed in reading a paper while other has his hands clasped in his lap and looks straight ahead. However, the main focus is on the man and woman sleeping on the bench. They seem to be in deep sleep. Their right hand supports their head while the left one is inserted in the pocket of their coat. The man wears a uniform with a cap while the woman wears a long coat, with a skirt. Her hair is tied behind neatly. She is wearing high heeled shoes which are polished well. The shoes of the man seem to be well done and polished. Behind them on the other side of the bench sits an older man and an old woman. The old woman’s face is towards the viewer, and she looks ahead. The man’s back lies towards the viewer, and his head is bent down as if he is reading something. There are other passengers at the back of the room who are not very clearly visible. Most of the people are wearing hats, except for the woman who sleeps.
The aesthetics
The tonal range of the photograph is varied and creates a nice contrast. Darker and lighter tints in the image mark the distinction between the faces and the clothing of people, and the objects of the room. Light falls on the central floor, thus diffusing in all direction. The shadows are darker towards the edges of the room and the distant that give a natural look. The light dissipates from the center towards the sides at an angle. The horizontal lines of the benches cut the lines of the floor and the side walls at an angle, thus adding depth and space. Repetition can be seen on the tiled floor. The main focus is on the couple that sleeps on the front bench. The distance between the subject and the photographer is very close, and he places the focus on the two figures sleeping on the bench. The Vintage gelatin silver print carries a soft look and the scene does not remain limited to the frame but extends beyond.
Interpretation The most important part of the photograph are the man and woman sleeping on the bench. It is how the photographer has shot them and keep them in the primary perspective that lends them the importance. The figures around them are at a distance, in the shadows and hazy. This is how the aesthetics and the placement make this clear. The photograph is about passengers in the waiting room and how they while away their time. There is a mood of relaxation but with a tension too, because of the waiting.
Evaluation
The photograph is successful in conveying the intent of the photographer to some extent. He is able to show what the waiting room looks like with the passengers. However, his main focus is on the couple who sleeps on the front bench. Their proximity, while they are sleeping, shows that they are together and waiting for the same train. Both are neatly dressed and are wearing good quality clothes. However, they could be there to see each other off or travel together. It is not ways to understand why the man is wearing a uniform. Perhaps the woman has come to see him off, or he is here to see her off. The way the man’s cap is tilted and the look of his face shows that he is in a very deep sleep.
Ken Schles and– Paris Photo Agenda
The “Limelight” is a gritty portrayal of New York’s Lower East Side in the 1980s. Ken Schles creates a penetrating image here that was made in Archival pigment and printed later.
The literal view
The photo is a great depiction of the night-time bohemian experience of the 20th century (Limelight 2016).. There are four people in the black and white photograph, two men and two women sitting in a room. The couple towards the right lower side of the image are sitting very close together and seem to be in some conversation. The man next to them has his back towards the viewer, and his face is slightly bent and tilted. He seems to be rubbing his face or eyes with his fingers and smiling loudly at the same time. There is a girl in a white dress who sits next to the window with a wine glass in her hand. She is a very pretty face, and her hair is done loosely and is falling over her face and on the dress. She seems to be in deep thought and is obvious to the other three people in the room. The window behind her is done in stained glass, and there is some kind of a statue kept beside her.
The aesthetics
The tonal range of the photograph is sharp and clear, thus makes a nice contrast. Each and every figure is easily clear in the picture. The forms are natural, and the lines created to add depth to the photograph. The only repletion one sees in the picture are the paneling on the wall towards the left side in vertical lines. There is more darkens towards the edges of the photograph and the three figures on the lower side of the image, add some heaviness there. However, the darkness is offset by the light in the center of the photograph that shows the girl wearing a white dress clearly. Because of clause interplay of shadows and light, there is a restrictive space in the image. The darkness around seems to control the white reflection in the center, preventing them from spreading. The light and the shadows at a certain angle are successful in creating different textures in the image. For example, light falling on the hairs cause them to shine and the crumpled white dress of the girl looks soft. One can make out the different texture of the clothing work by the people and their hair. The window panel and its glass carry different reflections and contrasts because of the different angles of light. The main subject of the photographer is the girl sitting next to the window, and she is close to the photographer, who has spaced the focus right on her by obscuring the others in dark shadows. One can sense a movement among the three figures on the lower side who are involved in a conversation. The photograph looks grainy and is limited to the edge of the frame. The viewer would want to know what is going on within the group of people and wouldn’t be too curious to know about the rest of the room.
Interpretation
The most important part of the photograph is the girl by the window. The photographer gives her importance by showing her in full light and with her face towards the viewer. The rest three are hidden in the shadows and can be seen only partly. There are dark and strong shadows at the edges of the photograph that only turn the attention of the viewer towards the girl in white dress. The photograph is about the bohemian nightlife and how people pass their time during the right, drinking and chatting with their group of friends. There is the mood of companionship and relaxation and yet loneliness about the photograph.
Evaluation
The photographer has tried to convey the New York nightlife and has been successful. He shows that people can still be lost and lonely in the company of friends. The girl with the wines glass has a sad expression on her face, and there is a loneliness around her. She is with her friends and yet not with them. The content of the photograph can be sued to send a message that people can still be lonely in a crowd and drinking and partying during nightlife cannot end the sadness and loneliness in their life.
Works Cited
. "A Democracy Of Imagery." howardgreenberg. 2016. Web. 21 April. 2016.
. "Limelight." howardgreenberg. 2016. Web. 21 April. 2016.
