United Colors of Benetton

This image was first used in Life Magazine in the late 90's. It depicts a family with their son on his deathbed after a battle with AIDS. Its placement in this magazine is nothing out of the ordinary; yes it is an intense and touching story, but it seems appropriate to feature it there. It did not, however, seem to fit as a clothing advertisement - at least at first glance.



When Benetton used this for their ad campaign in 1990, it was a bold move. It stirred up controversy, especially because AIDS at that time was not a subject discussed openly. But the truth is, it needed to be discussed. HIV/AIDS hit its peak in the 1990's and the public didn't know anything about the disease which resulted in harsh stereotyping and it made them all more susceptible to it because they weren't educated about it.
Benetton was doing society a favor. It is true that they aren't promoting their product in the advertisement, but they are working toward making a more important statement; something besides, "hey, our jeans don't make your butt look big!"
By creating this uproar they got people asking, "where is this photo from?" or "what is the story behind this?" From there, they could either ask someone, or look it up. If they look it up, they will find that it came from Life Magazine and will read the article, or if they ask someone, it's just another person who is informed. Not only that, but when they ask about the photo, they are also going to mention Benetton, which, whether the public likes it or not, is a form of advertising. The next time they walk by a Benetton store, they may bring up the controversial ad campaign, notice the store and disregard the ones around it, and chances are, they'll walk right in.

National Portrait Gallery

Just to be sure, I wanted to post the pictures we took at the National Portrait Gallery on my blog as well. This is our group together:


and this is my individual shot:



Using a shallow depth of focus, the subject is highlighted but the background is still clear enough for the viewer to see that it is a city setting. I am actually standing next to a street vendor (which can almost epitomize what it means to be downtown.) I have always loved big cities, yet I grew up in a suburb. The only thing I wanted in a university was to be close to some city bigger than the one I grew up around and I feel as if this photo captures my satisfaction for being in DC. It isn't an outright "jumping for joy" sort of expression - it is more thoughtful and content.

A lovely journey to the museum...

Currently in the National Portrait Gallery sits the photo shown below, entitled Broadway Cast of The Pillowman by Steve Pyke. (2005) It was featured in The New Yorker in 2005 to celebrate its debut on Broadway.



The composition of this photo is noteworthy in that the center is completely blank and the subjects are placed along the edges creating a clearly defined diamond. In comparison to the other photos at the gallery, this diamond is what makes this particular photo unique.

The expressions and positions of the subjects show the personalities of the characters in the play. The Pillowman has a darkly humorous plot line (hence the fact that it is specifically a black and white photo) in which the cops, pictured at the top of the frame, suspect the men pictured at the bottom of the frame of murder. The men at the top look down upon the other two men authoritatively as the man at the bottom right looks up hesitantly and the man at the bottom right has an expression that is almost defiant, challenging the policemen to prove their case. In this photo alone, Pyke successfully revealed the basis of the plot. Not to mention that the subjects are the entirety of this shallow depth photo. There is nothing in the background; there is only white and from this Pyke emphasizes the attention on the men.
Along with this, it is also important to notice that there is no other part of the body being shown besides the mens' heads. (and perhaps you can argue shoulders as well - but that's beside the point) Again, Pyke did not want the viewer's attention diverted from their expressions.

I personally was attracted to this image because of the composition and the facial expressions that seem to take over the frame. I loved it because I immediately recognized that a story was being told and I wanted to know what that story was. It was such a simple composition with a much more complex meaning.

3 Images

This first photo is basic and was shot using natural light only, but the way the light hit the subject and the backdrop was enchanting. It gives it a classic and unique feel, as if the subject is something to be revered. The "rule of thirds" is also being executed in this photo because it is off to the right as opposed to being placed in the center.














This next photo has a golden glow added to it. It is also done using natural light with the addition of light green "reflectors" (okay, they were pillows - but they still worked!) to create a warmer feel.














This third image approaches the subject in a more humorous manner as opposed to a more serious one as the previous images are. It was done using a combination of natural light and a simple household lamp for artificial light.



















Using a point and shoot camera, this particular subject did not focus well due to its flat shape. A professional camera would have a wider range of possible angles.