Documenting The Great Depression

Why the project has significant impact on the society?

The Farm Security Administration (FSA) was created in 1937 to aid ailing farmers who were suffering from the effect of falling crop prices brought by the Great Depression and agricultural damage caused by the Dust Bowl. Roy Emerson Stryker was the head of a special photographic section in the RA and FSA from 1935-1942. A photographic section was created within the Farm Security Administration covering the period between 1935 and 1942. 77,000 photos were taken in this period portraying Americans within the rural and ‘small-town’ life and the adverse effects the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and increasing farm mechanization had on these American citizens. In 1942 the documentary project unit from the FSA moved to the Office of War Information, which contained photographic documentary of America’s mobilization during WWII, displaying conditions such as aircraft factories and women in the workforce by large volumes. All photos are available at the Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. The project’s documents are available to all of the public to see and learn from; preserved and made available for future generations to visually witness. Sometimes photos posses a stronger power of influence and instigation to learn and retain information rather than words on paper.  This is the significant impact the project has on us; an ongoing awareness of the challenges historical generations had to work through.

Cotton Pickers

18 year old mother, migrant from Oklahoma to California

 What was the role of Migrant Mother photograph in the period or great depression and what is it nowadays?

The Migrant Mother photograph was a representation of the harsh reality of the Great Depression. Dorothea Lange, the photographer of the famous ‘Migrant Mother’, made an account of her experience with the subject, “I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet.” This small take of the statement has great meaning to me. It was rare to see a single mother raising several children in the 20^th century, so I believe the fact that the mother had a tough, enduring role to live up to, unlike any other victim of the Great Depression attracted Dorothea Lange. The mother forced to play her traditional role, but also adapt to the traditional role of the father to lead the survival of her children and herself; displaying a strong sense of empowerment.  

'Migrant Mother'
Photographer: Dorothea Lange

 The role of the Migrant Mother reflects the role of many mothers in current days. Society still has its levels of classes, with families of welfare and poverty in the lower classes. To this day, in a stable economy families still live in barrenness, facing difficulties of supplying their family members with the necessities needed to go on and lead a sustainable life. 81+ years and individuals still live in the fear that many faced in the 30’s and 40’s. 

Works Cited:

1. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression

3. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fadocamer.html

 

Photo Manipulation

Using a DSLR or a high-end point and shoot camera leaves you with many benefits and options for creativity when going out for a shooting session. As you’re out and about searching for or come about a great photo opportunity you are in total control of how you want your photo to turn out. Your knowledge and experience are the only factors limiting your ability to perceive a photo and transfer that perception into a finished photograph. When speaking of knowledge and experience, proper camera settings are a learned skill and barrier for your desired photos. Shutter speed, focal point, focus point, ISO, exposure levels, lighting, focus mode, positioning, depth of field, and white balance are examples of most of the camera settings that one must take into consideration in order to bring out the creativity within themselves. Sounds like a complex and lengthy process, but with practice and gained experience it becomes second nature.

Every photographer edits their work; either they may have made slight misjudgments of some camera settings, they may want to enhance their photos in a way that their camera cannot, or they may want to alter their photos in other ways. Some general and popular editing adjustments are exposure, brightness, contrast, saturation, and hue that can be made to the photo as a whole. This is a simple alteration that can be made, but then there are adjustments that can be made to specific areas of your photo that can make a big difference and require more skill and knowledge on photo editing software.

Here are some examples of some adjustments I have made to photographs that I snapped myself. Each photo was taken with a Nikon D60 with a Nikkor AF-S 55-200mm VR lens. Editing was done using Adobe Lightroom 3. The photographs on the top are originals, and photographs on the bottom are edited.

ISO 1600 24mm f/4.2  1/6sec

The photo was taken at Nuit Blanche; my friend in the middle of thick smog. I decided to turn the photo Black and White in order to intensify the dark and creepy mood of the photograph. The background has been darkened, lighting has been brightened, and I readjusted the clarity and noise levels which resulted in the softening of the fog. 

ISO 100  55mm  f/4.0  1/30sec

This was taken in the Eaton's Center at a Blue Jays merchandising store; the subject being two bejeweled caps. The editing undergone with this photograph was slightly more complex. To start off with the basic settings I adjusted the contrast, exposure, brightness, clarity, and sharpness in order to enhance the colors of the photo and make it more visually appealing using a Graduated Filter. Secondly I specifically chose to work on the bejeweled blue jays symbols on the hats to bring the focus of the picture on that particular part. Using the Adjustment Brush I outlined the blue jays symbols and individually edited them by increasing the brightness and exposure levels, as well as the contrast and clarity levels. 

ISO 200  55mm  f/4.0  1/50sec

This photo was taken in the Eaton's Center at a Bench display. As an example, this photo did not turn out as I hoped it would. I set my shutter speed to high in order to work with the indoor lighting conditions. Using some simple editing I was able to enhance the photo as I originally hoped it would of turned out. I decreased the temperature and increased the tint of the photo in order to deepen the colors in the photo. Exposure and brightness have been increased as long as the fill light. The texture has been sharpened to increase the quality of the photo.