Studium of Images

Henri Cartier-Bresson
Gestapo Informer, Dessau, Germany, 1945

• The three main characters are the focus of attention adding drama and tension to the scene
• Appears to be a person being accused of a crime
• Depicts war-time which, is clearly indicated by the striped prison uniform
• Expressions of all the three main focus subjects tell a distinct story (shame, pride, disinterest)
• The onlookers appear intensely interested in the outcome of this encounter

Martin Parr, British Tabloid, Beach Scene (1991), Skegness, England

• Ironic that the man depicted holding the newspaper featuring something about 'FATSO' is also overweight, part of a less than flattering British holiday scene
• The stripey deckchair invokes memories of holidays past for me as it will for people of a similar age and older
• Are we to believe all the people who frequent this holiday resort are overweight as there are lots present in the scene we see, even the child is chubby
• Reading the Sun newspaper oblivious to the child's needs doesn't paint a good picture of parent hood
• The mother is mostly omitted from the frame suggesting our attention and focus should be on the tabloid newspaper being read

Joel Meyerowitz, (1965) Florida

• A scene which, shows us the wealth present in the area due to the boats, cars and hotels
• Colour is used to advantage, showing us the rich tans and colourful fashion of the women we see
• Long shadows tells us what time of day the image is shot making me question why the women are still dressed in sun attire
• The man we see in the car gives me the impression he is either dropping the women off or waiting to collect them. Perhaps it is neither and he is merely watching them
• The man just out of the frame who's arm we can see holds the interest of one of the women whilst the other woman looks in a different direction, perhpas suggesting a deal of some type