 |
| Morath, Inge, USSR. Leningrad. Khalturin Street. 1965. Magnum Photos |
I was drawn to this image, taken in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), in part because the lone figure in the foreground is so compelling. In the distance, numerous people and cars are visible--the road appears to be a main thoroughfare in what is obviously a very large city. Yet despite this, the man shovels alone along an empty stretch of road. The perspective from which the picture was taken reminds me of how alone and apart one can feel even when surrounded by others. It is even more striking when one considers that the setting is the Soviet Union.
I was really struck by the contrast in this photograph. The black buildings against the cold, white snow convey a desolate mood, completed by the lone person shoveling snow near the bottom of the photograph. I, too, think vantage point was key in this photo. It would not have the same effect if the photographer had been, for example, standing in the street.
ReplyDeleteGood. The vantage point is key in this image and is what makes it so dramatic. Where is Morath when she is taking this picture? Can you figure that out? Others are shoveling in the distance, what is so compelling about the lone figure in the foreground? What else contributes to the atmosphere in the image?
ReplyDelete