Scott
Uria
ENC
1102
January
29, 2013
Captured
Focus, focus, focus, and snap! At
that moment a story has been captured in time. There is no better form of
storytelling than that of a photograph. Ansel Adams once said, “When words
become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate,
I shall be content with silence.” To the viewer, each picture can be translated
in many ways, which is the beauty of photographs. During a recent trip to an
art gallery, I selected three photographs, and with each, share my
interpretation.
The first photograph I selected is
titled, Watchdog. This photograph
center of attention was definitely on the eyes of the German Shepherd Dog. The
eyes are an auburn color, with a deep stare, as if focused on the object or
sound within his territory. The intensity displayed in this photograph is that
the dog is on high alert. The eyes appear to be ready to intimidate by stare,
or attack by action. The most important vibe I received from this picture is
the look of being fearless. The look of fearlessness, telling his family that
there is unconditional love, that willingness to lay down his own life for
those he watches out for. One of the best traits of the German Shepherd Dog is
his loyalty, and to back down from no one who threatens his territory. I was
captivated by this photo because, I am a proud owner of two German Shepherds,
and know quite a bit about them. That is the beauty of this photograph, and all
others. The story I perceive from this picture may be told differently by
someone else.
The second photograph I selected is
titled, Innocence. There are so many
directions one could take with this photo. The photo contains a young Hispanic
boy. I see why the photographer titled it, Innocence,
but I see a different story. I see a young boy who is troubled. Not
troubled by his doing, but troubled by the fact that his voice is going
unheard. His eyes seem to pierce through whoever will listen.
So what could be troubling this young child? The look of fear appears that of
kid who has fallen victim to child abuse. The outward bruises and scars are not
visible, but the real damage is within. The deep stare is his way of wanting to
love, but his trust is too fragile to allow him to do so. The horrible road of
child abuse is the path he has been on, and not by his choice. I see this
photograph totally opposite of what others may view it, because at one point in
my childhood, I had the same look.
The third and final photograph I
selected is titled, Smile. This
photograph is a simple shot of a young girl playing in her backyard. The smile
on her face is telling me that she is having a blast with her parents or
playmates. A smile comes so easily and natural for children, especially when
it’s in a love filled home. This young girl is sharing her love and excitement
with the great outdoors, on a beautiful spring day. The photographer has done
an outstanding job by focusing clearly on the child and her emotions. Her
ethnicity appears to be of a bi-racial child, which leads me to think the
photograph is taken in the South. I’m not saying that the South is the only
place where bi-racial children live, but statistically, the majority of
bi-racial children appear to reside in the South. Of the three photographs, this one is my
favorite. A lot has to do with the simplicity of the image, but most of all,
the young girl resembles my daughter.
Story telling can be shared in many
different ways. Many chose to do so by verbal communication, whether that’s
face to face, or via phone. By that method, only part of the story can be told.
If a person was holding a photograph, and began to tell the story that went
along with that photo, the story not only has verbal part, but now has the
visual to make the story complete. As with this exercise of selecting three
photographs to write about, I didn’t need anyone to tell me the story behind
it. While viewing each photo, I had the freedom to interpret each picture
through my eyes. Each photographer captured the image that best conveys their
interpretation of that moment captured in time, now it’s time for each viewer
to share their interpretation. Happy story telling!
