Philippe Halsman

This photo is taken by Philippe Halsman, a well known fashion and portrait photographer. He is most known for his jumping photographs where he captures his subjects in mid-air.

I particularly like this photo because it is very different from the rest of his collection. It still captures the essence of jumping in the fire-- the fire appears to be in motion, jumping from one location to another. I honestly do not know how he captured this on film, however I think his choice to make a black background is a very smart decision as it contrasts with the light emitted from the flames. In addition, the two figures stand out just as much, if not more, than the flames due to the black backdrop. The lighting is impeccable in this photograph.

Additionally, the concept of this photo is very intriguing. The viewer receives a very cultural essence from this photo. The jewelry on both the male and female depict a rich culture and that there is some ritual involved in the action captured here.

Overall, I find this photo one of Mr. Halsman's best work.

Albert Watson- Sandrine He, Valentine

I really appreciate the way that Mr. Watson has this picture composed. I like the way Mr. Watson has the girl showing from the back instead of the front. It gives a new perspective to fashion photography. Even the position the girl is holding, peeking her head out of the door holding the doorknob, it well composed. The overall effect is very innocent, especially with the frills on the top of her shirt, the poof of her skirt, and the simple flats.

I also find the lighting on this photo very well done. The light reflects the white of the skirt, the white of the frills, and the light bouncing off the calves of the girl highlight her and makes her stand out of the whole photograph. Additionally, there is an extra, more subtle highlight around the girl so that she is further emphasized.

Both quality and subject wise, this photo is very well produced by Mr. Watson.

Kaveh Golestan "Iranian Revolution"

I came across this picture while looking up Iranian photographers and found the photographer Kaveh Golestan. When I saw pictures up of the Iranian Revolution in 1979-1980, my attention was immediately caught. My heritage is of Iranian descent and the revolution is something I hold very close to my heart so not only is this photograph emotionally evoking because of its composition and subject, but because this is my home.

With regards to the composition of the photo, the smoke and car, background, and child are positioned very intelligently. The audience gets a small snapshot of the what the whole battlefield is like and it captures it all in detail without information overload.

Additionally, the lighting is superb. The figure of the child is simply a silhouette. There is no face and this child can be anyone. It can be your next-door neighbor, it can be your son, your brother, your friend. The plain black silhouette gives the photograph an universal emotion. Lastly, you can still see all the torment in the background with the appropriate lighting.

Duane Michals- Things are Queer

This photo by Duane Michals has very interesting light composition, as well as, the man has an alluring purpose in the photo. For one, it is odd that he walking down a dark alley with a book- however it adds a mysterious aspect to the image. The whole thing has a sort of twisted, mystical look to it. The shapes created by the light play an intriguing role in the whole piece. The camera is at the right angle to capture the light glaring off the walls, shining off the floor, and illuminating the arch. All together, whatever the purpose and message of the photo, it produces an alluring effect that really draws the viewer into the picture and it makes the viewer want to search for a deeper meaning.

Isak Berbic- The Life of Engineer D.M.

This photograph was taken in the Middle East and was shown at an exhibition at Sarajevo. I have a personal tie to this photograph because I am from the Middle East and the mountainous desert brings me directly back home. Additionally, I find it very interesting to find the beautiful nature in what seems to be one of the most remote places (the desert) along with telephone wires. The telephone wires goes to show that the world now-in-days is really one big line of technology and it can be found even in corners of the world that one may think are very distant from the booming industrial nations. The simplicity of the piece is very refreshing: the lines from the telephone wire give the piece some direction, however the mountains give the piece shading and different shadows being casted upon the sandy hills. The whole picture is brought together by the pure, plain, blue sky that draws the viewer's eye into the depths of this photograph.