Image analysis:
1. What time period, decade or year do you think this photograph was created in? What visual cues support your choice?
1960/70s. The image is in colour but is slightly grainy, the TV is black and white which is very uncommon today, also he is smoking which was very popular in the prior decades and into the 60s and 70s. The TV has the flint-stones on which while I am not completely sure of its run dates I am pretty confident was running at that time. To some degree I would say the man being topless also points to this era as people were very cautious of showing much sexual during the 50s and prior, but in the 60s it was a lot more common.
2. Where in the world was this photograph taken? Again, please detail your reasons for asserting your choice.
This is very hard to tell as it is indoors with not many obvious hints, however there is what looks to be a packet of Marlboro cigarettes which I believe would be popular in places such as America and Britain but they could also make there way around the globe. I also believe this is the western world by the look of the man, he does not look like he is from asian or African country but could be from anywhere in the west.
3. In a short paragraph, how would you describe the key visual elements of the photograph? What is contained within the frame?
The key visual elements of the image are the man, the TV and the cigarette, also slightly more subtle are the bottle and the cigarette packet. Non of these items are centred in the frame with the closet being the cigarette packet. The eye is drawn to to the man and the TV however as they are lit up either from a light in the room or the TV being on, the TV serves 2 purposes with lighting as it is also lighting the man in the image from the opposite side from the main light but is a white colour rather than an orange which gives an interesting look to the man.
4. How is/are the human subject(s) of the photograph engaging with the camera/photographer?
He is looking straight at the camera but doesn’t really seem interested and looks like he was just doing it anyway and someone picked up a camera. However the fact that the cigarette box is facing the camera seems more planned, while it could be coincidence it gives it a slight feel of an ad but it may not be featured prominently enough for an advert. He is ignoring the TV and is focused on the direction of the camera, I also noticed that while he is in the dark his face is lit from both sides. We can clearly see his expression and the cigarette however his body and around the TV are close to black.
5. What, if any directions do you think the photographer may have given to the subject(s) of the photograph?
I am still uncertain about if this is set up or not but it doesn’t feel like he would have been told too much. It seems like he was been laid there for a bit already or was told just to lay down and look at the camera while smoking. The brick background and beat up metal bed also don’t help as they could be in a variety of different locations.
6. What do you believe the photographer wants, you, the viewer to take from the image?
I don’t really know what the photographer may have wanted a viewer to take away from this image. They may have wanted you to feel like it was just taken and didn’t have a lot of setup but still had consideration for composure. It is a man smoking and relaxing which may be intended to be self referential and make people think what they do in there own time.
An attempt to exhaust a place in Lincoln:
- Man on phone – very active with movements (mostly hands)
- Girl sat down got tablet out of bag
- 2 middle aged women talking
- Many people just passing through to get somewhere
- Guy on small table in corner on laptop
- Lady who works here sat down to eat
- Guy passed on bike in high vis jacket
- 2 people sat next to each other both on phones