Project 6 - 1st Progress Review

Henri Cartier Bresson - Critique Assignment

USA. New York City. 1947

https://pro.magnumphotos.com/Asset/-2S5RYDNM98A.html

USA. Indiana. 1947. 
https://pro.magnumphotos.com/Asset/-2S5RYDW2FVQ7.html

I chose both photos primarily for the view they portray into American industrialism.  The second photo was particularly interesting as it reminded me of my childhood growing up in a small steel mill town.  The blast furnace in the background of the photo brought back memories of driving past the mill on Sunday mornings on our way to church.  The sooty smell of coal and coke filled the air while large flames of burn-off gases danced into the air.  As I look at the photo, the men standing out side the gate on their break could have been my father, grandfather or great uncle as they all worked at the plant.

When I look at the photo I feel both reminiscent of fond childhood memories as well as a bit sad for the decline in American manufacturing and it's impact on towns.  I think the photo is symbolic of man's ingenuity and advancement through industrialization.  

The composition of the photo provides an interesting arrangement of the key elements.  Starting at the bottom of the photo, the frame shows a group of men on break.  Looking at them, I'm left to wonder what they are talking about.  Were they counting the hours until they could go home.  As a couple of them are leaning on their shovels, it seems they have been hard at work.  The depth of field keeps the men slightly out of focus seemingly minimizing their presence by the overshadowing plant machinery filling the rest of the frame.  The photo has a sense of depth through the layering effect of the fence, rail-car and furnace.  This portrays a vastness to scene as the plant continuous well into the background.  The tall, vertical lines of the furnace provides an almost ominous effect of looking down on the men.  I find that the tones and graininess of the photo helps provide a sense of "grittiness" that this type of manual labor incurs.