Color Series
Hue Series
Learning to See Essay
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/6/7/116794443/decarava-gittel_orig.jpg)
Roy DeCarava, Gittel, 1950
For the visual elements, the light seems natural and harsh. There is a range of tones from dark to light, with more light on the left and more dark on the right. The darkest point is the woman’s outfit in the middle, I couldn’t even see her the first time I looked at the photo. There are no colors, it’s in black and white, which I feel highlights the contrasts of the photo more than it would in color.
For the design of the photograph, the vantage point is from straight-on. If it was higher or lower, it would erase the feel of standing on the street. I imagine that there are even more storefronts, signs and people beyond the edges of the photo. When I close my eyes and open them, the first thing that I notice is the sign for the cleaners on the left of the photo. I think my attention is drawn there because it’s so much brighter than the rest of the photo. The other center of focus is the dark reflection of the storefront glass. The focal points help move your eye throughout the photograph because there’s one on the left and one on the right, so your eyes move over the photo. There are strong contrasts between light and dark.
Unfortunately, I know nothing about how the photograph was made. When it comes to the mood of the photo, though, I feel like it captures the busy feel of life in the city, a feeling that is enhanced by all of the signs advertising things throughout the photo.
For the visual elements, the light seems natural and harsh. There is a range of tones from dark to light, with more light on the left and more dark on the right. The darkest point is the woman’s outfit in the middle, I couldn’t even see her the first time I looked at the photo. There are no colors, it’s in black and white, which I feel highlights the contrasts of the photo more than it would in color.
For the design of the photograph, the vantage point is from straight-on. If it was higher or lower, it would erase the feel of standing on the street. I imagine that there are even more storefronts, signs and people beyond the edges of the photo. When I close my eyes and open them, the first thing that I notice is the sign for the cleaners on the left of the photo. I think my attention is drawn there because it’s so much brighter than the rest of the photo. The other center of focus is the dark reflection of the storefront glass. The focal points help move your eye throughout the photograph because there’s one on the left and one on the right, so your eyes move over the photo. There are strong contrasts between light and dark.
Unfortunately, I know nothing about how the photograph was made. When it comes to the mood of the photo, though, I feel like it captures the busy feel of life in the city, a feeling that is enhanced by all of the signs advertising things throughout the photo.