Assignment 6: Photo analysis

This photo was taken by Ebe Arnold in 1979, named Making Bread.

Analysis:

Textual code: Genre
The photo was taken as a social documentary, which is defined as the act of recording, with a camera, human beings in their natural (ie unposed) condition. This gives the viewer as sense of truth and realism whilst viewing the photo as the subject is not posing, thus meaning is not forced upon it.

Bodily Code: Gaze

Aversion from camera suggests subject being in action rather than ‘posing’. This further adds the element of truth to the viewer.

Bodily Code: Posture (changes made thanks to Mike and Mark)
Subject is looking down, which suggests that he is working intently. The number of dough also gives a sense of routine and suggests the attainment of skill by the subject.

Bodily Code: Dressing
How the subject dresses gives the viewer a sense of the situation and state in which the subject is in. In this case, the clothes that the subject is wearing is relatively unkempt, suggesting that he may be of a lower class, or is a laborer.

Technical Code: Grainy / Slight Desatuaration
The quality of the photo suggests rustic agedness, and further ass on to the realistic feel of the photo. This lower quality of the image further suggests that the living condition of the subject is less than ideal.

Syntax: Combination of Codes to Form Meaning
The Photo embodies the typical rural lifestyle and attitudes, where the isn't a presence of advanced food preparation methods or equipment. Rather, food preparation falls solely upon the skills of the person preparing it.
Even though conditions are not at its best, rural people still strive to be good at what they are doing. Shown by the baker, and his uniformly shaped and sized dough.

High Modality
There is high modality due to the nature of the medium (ie photography) and the genre in which it was taken.
Rather than a flat picture, the perception of 3D space also adds on to the level of modality.
Modality is further enhanced by the coloured photo, the implication of movement by the subject and also the possibility of the scenario.
On the whole, there is a transference of modality from the medium and genre to the viewer. With the inherent nature of photography, the elements noted are present most of the time. Thus when viewing a work of high modality, the viewer's modality would be influenced by it.

Analysis
The photo is a narration, which tells of story that is happening when the photographer took it. It is a social window, where it allows the viewer the experience of being in another locality without having to travel to the location.
Furthermore, the experience and knowledge of the viewer adds to its interpretation, bringing about different dimensions of analysis.

Assessment:
I would rate myself a 8.8/10 in comparison to Mark's 10/10 presentation.