Week 4 - Mayotte Magnus

This image captures a woman seated at a desk, going through paper forms of some kind. This image is a portrait, as the woman is looking directly at the camera and is the main focus of the photo. She is positioned towards the desk, indicating that she is directing her attention there while also gazing at the camera. The subject is backlit with sunlight coming in from the window behind her, but also may be lit up with a flash or artificial light in the room as her face is also lit up. She seems to be in a familiar setting to her, and is at ease doing her work. Both the subject and her background are in focus, likely achieved using a narrower aperture creating a large depth of field. The subjects relaxed seated posture conveys that she is comfortable doing her work, and is content with the many papers that cover her desk. In the foreground of the portrait are the papers closest to the camera on the desk. The middle ground of the photograph consists of the subject, and the items directly in front of her on the desk. The background consists of the wall behind her and the incoming light from the window. This portrait conveys the mood of familiarity and the mundane through the compositional elements like light and framing.

This portrait captures a woman looking through a four-paneled window from the outside. This photograph is a portrait because the woman is positioned in the center-left of the photo and is the main focal point, with other elements in the portrait adding to the mood and meaning. This photograph is shot in black and white, but the vibrancy in the setting is not lost, as the sun is clearly shining outside and the portrait has lots of contrast. It was likely shot with a large aperture, as the depth of field is relatively shallow, with only the immediate foreground and subject being in focus. This portrait conveys moods of nostalgia and temporality. The subject is metaphorically looking into her past through the window, as there are flowers and a picture of presumably her as a young girl. These aspects along with her gaze and hands on her head convey to the viewer that she is melancholic of the past.