Visual Literacy
Photo Analysis
- Feelings/mood- My feelings on this legacy are mixed with both awe and sadness. When I first moved here from the desert, where trees are a scarce commodity, I cursed each log truck with what felt like a rape of the land. We have cut down some magnificent trees that took hundreds of years to grow and traded it for things that will deteriorate in less than a hundred years. However I slowly came to appreciate and have respect for the logging industry and the care that has been given the land. We have replanted, and nature has blessed the forests with new growth that has been sustainable. I am still a little nervous as to what our land will look like in another hundred years.
- Subject placement- The first image shows two things: the logged mountain in the background, and the open fields in the foreground, which in this country would not have been possible if the trees had not been logged. "Teeto" is in the middle picture - a baby tree growing on an old-grown stump. the picture on the right is the old-growth tree round on display at the Joyce Depot Museum...and showing signs of deterioration.
- Multilayered- Logging has been known as both an honest day's work, and a controversial perversion of the earth's resources. Today I heard a story told by an old-time logger. When he moved to Joyce, they clear-cut the old-grown trees to make way for the railroad. He remembers the monstrous trees they took down, and he remembers being able to see from his house on Dempsey Road to the Joyce General Store - a 3-4 mile stretch - no more trees, just stumps. Now you can hardly see a mile but for the trees blocking any which way. The old-growth trees are mostly gone, but the logging industry remains alive and thriving through "responsible management". And nature finds a way: the middle picture is "Teeto" - a name our family gave a newborn tree that found nourishment from an old stump on our driveway. I also find it a bit iconic that the huge old-grown round that is on display at the Joyce Depot Museum is steadily deteriorating...as history itself is passing by the wayside, forgotten with the passing of each old-timer and the stories that exist in their memories.
- Depth of field- I did not use depth of field for my photographs.
- Light- I used daylight; it was sunny outside. No flash used or needed. My camera was set to auto-white balance.
- Improvement- I would like to see if it was possible to show better the deterioration of the tree round. I had a picture from several years ago and it struck me how fast the decay is happening.
White Balance - Indoor
White Balance - Outdoor
What Makes a Good Photograph
![Picture](/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053994/1831745.jpg?384)
Unnamed Sunset...
I could not find the name of the photographer of this photo. I found it on facebook on the Photography Tips facebook site; the link to it led me to Pinterest, and a link from there to photographyinstitute.us. However clicking on that link led me to a site where I had to provide personal information to get in, so I opted not to continue.
1 Understands what Satisfies: I don't know about anyone else, but this photo is, well, "awwwww" comes to mind. What could be more satisfying than being on a beach watching a colorful, serene sunset? The colors show the intense rays of the sun as they bend through the horizon spectrum give me a feeling of warmth.
2 Stimulates and Provokes: This photo definitely catches my interest in an instant. You know those times when you experience a feeling that you wish would last forever. This one captures such a moment in time and holds it in suspension indefinitely.
3 Multi-Layered: The suspended water in the foreground invites you to look into paradise, like looking through a keyhole into a secret, wonder-filled room.
4 Fits the Cultural Context: I think everyone is looking to capture moments of a blissful state. This is a human-wide phenomena that does not know barriers of language or status. I imagine those who are enjoying this scene: an island fisherman after a hard-day's work, a sweaty mother after the children finally settle, a rich businessman with his glass of wine, a worn-out farmer. Even if they never go there, they go there.
5 Contains an Idea: This is where dreams form and ideas generate. This is where healing happens. This is where change begins. This is where reflection is allowed without remorse.
6 Is True To the Medium: A painting might have sufficed for this picture; but a photo...to capture the actual moment at the perfect time of day and commit it to permanent memory. That is art.
I could not find the name of the photographer of this photo. I found it on facebook on the Photography Tips facebook site; the link to it led me to Pinterest, and a link from there to photographyinstitute.us. However clicking on that link led me to a site where I had to provide personal information to get in, so I opted not to continue.
1 Understands what Satisfies: I don't know about anyone else, but this photo is, well, "awwwww" comes to mind. What could be more satisfying than being on a beach watching a colorful, serene sunset? The colors show the intense rays of the sun as they bend through the horizon spectrum give me a feeling of warmth.
2 Stimulates and Provokes: This photo definitely catches my interest in an instant. You know those times when you experience a feeling that you wish would last forever. This one captures such a moment in time and holds it in suspension indefinitely.
3 Multi-Layered: The suspended water in the foreground invites you to look into paradise, like looking through a keyhole into a secret, wonder-filled room.
4 Fits the Cultural Context: I think everyone is looking to capture moments of a blissful state. This is a human-wide phenomena that does not know barriers of language or status. I imagine those who are enjoying this scene: an island fisherman after a hard-day's work, a sweaty mother after the children finally settle, a rich businessman with his glass of wine, a worn-out farmer. Even if they never go there, they go there.
5 Contains an Idea: This is where dreams form and ideas generate. This is where healing happens. This is where change begins. This is where reflection is allowed without remorse.
6 Is True To the Medium: A painting might have sufficed for this picture; but a photo...to capture the actual moment at the perfect time of day and commit it to permanent memory. That is art.