A Photograph Of The Great Depression - 1845 Words

The Great Depression, however inevitable, took the world by surprise when the stock market crashed in 1929. At first people did not fully understand the state of the economy, they could not wrap their heads around the transition from popping champagne bottles to eating bread crumbs for dinner. People were expecting a quick fix to the problem, assuming their lives to go back to normal after a few months, tragically underestimating the situation America was in. As a result, no one was prepared to properly combat the extreme shortage of food, jobs, and money in the years to come. One of the first resources to go during the depression was food, partially due to the lack of money to afford it and its impossible production due to the Dust Bowl. During the early stages of the depression people were still holding out for a miracle to revive their economy, because of this many individuals tried to live as they did before instead of trying to conserve food for later, ultimately exhausting the ir pantry. A photograph taken by H.W. Felchner in 1932 depicts a long line of people wrapping around a corner waiting for a meal at a restaurant. The picture also accurately illustrates the desperation of the people in like waiting for anything to eat, as they most likely ate all their food at home. Because many of the American People were not prepared for the depression to strike, and some were just in plain deniable of the current situation, most of their efforts were reactiveShow MoreRelatedDorothea Lange And The Farm Security Agency Essay1258 Words   |  6 Pagespress of a button, an image is captured for eternity, bringing to question the inherent artistic quality of photographs. If we can so quickly capture an image, can this be deemed art? Art is to promote fantasy, and dream, to incite anger and joy. Thus, surely photography is an art, as seen through its capturing of beautiful verdant landscapes, and the horrendous images of war. While one photograph might evoke jubilanc e in a person, another may conjure fear and despair. Photography is visceral, cuttingRead MoreWalker Evans-FSA Photography1074 Words   |  5 Pagesrevealed Americas’ despair in the depression, but also the hope for the future. In the photograph â€Å"Alabama Cotton Tenant Farmer Family†, Evans portrays an American farming family during the Great Depression. (Walker Evans, Alabama Cotton Tenant Farmer Family, 1941) Though many would view this photograph as a social documentary photograph, Walker Evans disagrees. In an interview with Leslie Katz, Walker discusses a vital distinction in how he views his photographs, â€Å"Documentary? That’s a very sophisticatedRead MoreAn Analysis of Dorothea Langes Photograph Migrant Mother1662 Words   |  7 PagesFlorida. Going through the various elements of this photograph is effective in ensuring that one understands the deep concepts that revolve around it. Formal Elements The photograph is just one of a number of photographs that Dorothea did about Florence and her family (Silver, 2013). The manner in which the photograph is presented shows a really stressed out woman that is in no condition to feed her family. The children that she has in the photograph show agony in a rather advanced state. This is fromRead MoreThe Farmer Security Administration Office Of War Information1485 Words   |  6 Pagesphotography you must discuss the Farmer Security Administration-Office of War Information, also referred to as the FSA/OWI. This administration was the single and most significant documentary photography project in the history of United States. Photographs taken by members of the FSA/OWI all display and represent American society in different ways to help give a better understanding of major historic events occurring in the United States at this time. The members of the FSA use many formal elementsRead MoreFirst Published In Life MagazineS, WorldS Highest S tandard1185 Words   |  5 PagesLiving became instantly recognizable to many Americans during the Great Depression for its starkly ironic juxtaposition of an idealized America alongside the grimmer aspects of everyday reality. By looking at Figure 1. â€Å"The American Way† by Margaret Bourke White, we can see the contrast between the advertisement and the people in line, which most people do not see. This is important because it emphasizes the crisis following the Great Ohio River flood of 1937. Margaret Bourke White was a photographerRead MoreWays Of Seeing By John Berger902 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom Texas; both were taken during the Great Depression. To begin with, description is utilized to show that pictures are worth more than words. In Lange’s image, the woman looks exhausted and the children seem saddened. Viewers of the image see this by their facial expressions. For instance, two of the children are looking away from the photographer and the woman has no smile on her face. Moreover, onlookers observe how people lived during the Great Depression in the west coast. Viewers of the imageRead MoreEssay about Modern Photograph and Realism946 Words   |  4 PagesDorothea Lange, Road on the Great White Plains,† these three photographers transformed their landscape photographs into their own distinctive significance through the expression of realism, a movement in modern photography. Shore transforms a common place to an escape, Evans documents the effects of one of the most important historical periods in American social history and Lange uses her photography as a tool for political change. Although they all embodi ed their photograph with their own significanceRead MoreDorothea Lange s Migrant Mother913 Words   |  4 Pagesthat eventually ended the Great Depression. Uniting one nation, this picture, and others like it, connects Americans to one another- not individuals, but one and indivisible. The photograph’s composition, narrative, and themes contribute to its purpose as a work of political protest as the mother represents a declining nation in dire need of change. Taken in San Luis Obispo County, California in 1936, â€Å"Migrant Mother† became one of the most famous depictions of the Depression era, due in part to itsRead MoreBrief Biography of Berenice Abbott1829 Words   |  7 Pagesfor black and white photography of New York, Berenice Abbott believed a photograph are special and unique. It cannot be copied or mimic others. A photograph will represent the historical picture of the past. The historical past or memories of the photograph usually have a very meaningful and emotional story behind it. A photograph has its own significant meaning, which communicates through the details of the photo. The photograph on the left that I have found is Migrant Mother, taken by Dorothea LangeRead MoreEssay on Fsa Photography During the Great Depression930 Words   |  4 Pagesstare back me, their expressions depicting complete happiness. My mind drifted back to the events of the day that the photo was taken. It was Memorial Day and so, in the spirit of tradition my large extended family had gathered at the grave of my great grandparents. The day was hot and I had begged my mother to let me join my friends at the pool. However, my mother had refused. Inconsolable, I spent most of the day moping about sulkily. The time came for a group picture and so my grandmother arranged