Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Welcome 

Your first assignment is to meet two photographers from the middle part of the last century. The first is Victor Jorgenson. He is featured below. Victor was a photographer for U.S. Navy.




The photograph below is titled "Kissing the War Goodbye" It was taken on Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day) on August 14th, 1945  in Times Square, New York City. It depicts a sailor kissing a women wearing a white dress or uniform. Click on it to see it bigger.



The second photographer is Life Magazine's Alfred Eisenstaedt. He is featured below.







Eisenstaedt took a photograph titled "V-J Day in Times Square" . It too was also taken on
V-J Day in Times Square at about the same moment. Click on it to see it larger.



After looking at both photos closely, think about this: although both of these photos were taken at the same event and at almost the same exact time, they are both different visually and may even have a different emotional impact on the viewer.

Write a paragraph response explaining which one you prefer. Which is a stronger photo in your opinion and WHY? Really think about it and offer reasons to support your opinion.

This assignment is due Tuesday, Sept 8th. Write your response in a Word doc first, then copy it. Then click on "comment" below and paste it in the text area. You must put your name on the end of your response and choose "anonymous". Then click publish to send me your response. When I receive it I will publish it on the blog for everyone to see.



38 comments:

  1. I think the second picture is better because it shows more of the city unlike the first picture which only shows one building. -Brandon Miller

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  2. I like the second picture more then he first because that i like how you get more of a front angle then the side angle and also i think the view behind them makes it really nice as well. As well as the view i like how you can see the people behind them looking and smiling.
    - Jenna Dimech

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  3. The last picture is my favorite one because it looks so cool. I like the picture becasue of the buildings and people circling around the people kissing. I love how that picture was taken at that exact time. Also I love black and white photos because they are appealing to me. Black and white is my favorite kind of filter to use when I edit pictures

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  5. I believe that "Kissing the War Goodbye" is a better photograph than "V-J Day in Times Square". This is because it captures more of the backgroud reactions of people that were there and not just the man and the woman. The other picture catptures the man and the woman better but does not focus well on other aspects of the photo. In "Kissing the War Goodbye" you can clearly see how there is a woman in the backgroud that looks very suprised how a soldier just walked up to someone and kissed them. My fnal reason is that I think that the tiltle is much better, "Kissing the war Goodbye" is a much more lively title instead of the boring, and less creative title of "V-J Day in Time Square".

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  6. I enjoy the photo taken bye Victor Jorgensen more. i think the lighting makes the mood happier and the close up on the too strangers kissing makes it seem like u were there. I also like how u can see the emotions on the crowds face and how the differ. Like the sailor in the the white looks almost proud of his fellow sailor and the women in the dark gray dress looks shocked. I like how the picture is angled in the first picture because you can see more faces from the crowd and it gives me the feel as if I was there.

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  7. i prefer the second photo more than the first one. I feel the second one is better because I think it captures the whole moment like them winning the war, the strangers kissing, the sailors and the city. I also like the angle it was taken at better I feel like it captured the photo better. I prefer the lighting better too because in the second picture even though their both black and white the first one has a little darker lighting which is by them kissing. But the second photo has a little more brighter which also shows the mood of the picture. In conclusion I prefer the second photo rather than the first one. -Isabelle Kuhn

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  8. I prefer the photo taken by Eisenstaedt over Jorgensen's. I believe that it captures more of the statement of V-J Day. Eisenstaedt's photo is not focused solely on the two kissing but also on a background. The two kissing are still the main aspect but you can also see a crowd and building background. In Eisenstaedt's photo you can see the two people's faces much better and it gives the viewer the ability to feel as if they were there. Overall I think that Eisenstaedt's picture was better.

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  9. I prefer the second photograph better. It shows a wider view of the city and buildings where as the first photo only showed a few buildings. It also has more people. Jorgensen's focus was on the two people kissing where as Eisenstaedt's was on the city background and the two people kissing. The lighting on the second photo is much better as well. In conclusion I think Eisenstaedt's photo was better that Jorgensen's.

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  10. I enjoyed the photo "kissing the war goodbye" better. I liked this photo more because you can see expressions in multiple peoples faces. This really sets the tone for the photo and shows you what the mood is like. Also, this photo focuses on not just the foreground, but the background. This makes you feel like you are actually in the scene. This is why I enjoyed the photo "kissing the war goodbye" more.

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  11. I enjoyed the photo "kissing the war goodbye" more. I liked this photo more because you can see the expression in multiple peoples faces in the background. This makes not just the foreground the focus of the photo, but also the background. It also sets the tone for the photo and shows that everyone is in a happy mood and having a good time. You can see from the photo the peoples expression in the background. This is why I enjoyed "kissing the war goodbye" more

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  12. I thought that the photo "V-J Day in Times Square" photographed by Eisenstead was a better photo. I enjoyed this photo more because you get the feel of Times Square i the back. You also have all the reactions from the people in the backgrounds smiling and laughing and mainly in shock. In the second photo you can tell everyone is happy because it was such a passionate kiss. You could tell because the view in the second photo was better and you could tell how he was grabbing her and the nurse is in so much shock. The mood is set better in the second picture and therefore i enjoy "V-J Day in Times Square" more than "Kissing the War Goodbye" -Natalia Fallon

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  13. I like the second picture by Eisenstaedt better then the first one by Victor. This is because Eisenstaedt used the entire field of view. You can see in the background that everyone is happy and excited to be back home. Another reason why I like Eisenstaedt's photo is because the lighting and angle is better. Also you can identify where the picture in New York City is being taken.
    - Christina Gross

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  14. I enjoyed the photo “kissing the war” by victor jorgenson. i enjoyed this one better because in the background you can see more facial expressions by people. this photo is focused on one thing but more things going on in the background. the second photo, everything blends in more than the first one. there isn’t one thing focused. i like the first one more because it makes me think about the picture more. -Gianna Campagna

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  15. I think that the second photograph by Eisenstaedt was better that the first one by Jorgenson. I like the second one better because its not just about the soldier and the nurse kissing, it shows the other soldiers coming home too. Another reason why I like the second one better is because the viewer feels like they were there because of the background. This photo shows how happy everyone is to be home not just the people kissing.the second photo was definitely better than the first one.
    -Amy Lynch

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  16. I think "Kissing the war goodbye" is a better picture than "V-J day in Times Square". My main reasoning for this is because of the background of the photo. You can see different people with emotions and reactions to both winning the war and this action of the soldier. This picture also shows more of the people out on the streets celebrating their victory. The whole picture shows a certain mood of plain happiness in the captured moment. - Anna Rosalia

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  17. I believe that the second photograph "V-J Day in Times Square" by Eisensteadt's is a better picture. I think its a better picture because you can many different reactions. You see a sailor that looks proud of his other fellow sailor. You could also see a nurse who looks very shocked at what just happened. I also like the background in the second picture better because there is a better view of the city. I like both pictures but i like "V-J Day in Times Square" better than "Kissing the War Goodbye."
    -Meghan Lorenzen

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  18. I believe that the second photograph "V-J Day in Times Square" by Eisensteadt's is a better picture. I think its a better picture because you can many different reactions. You see a sailor that looks proud of his other fellow sailor. You could also see a nurse who looks very shocked at what just happened. I also like the background in the second picture better because there is a better view of the city. I like both pictures but i like "V-J Day in Times Square" better than "Kissing the War Goodbye."
    -Meghan Lorenzen

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  19. I think that “V-J Day in Times Square”, taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt, is a better photograph than Victor Jorgenson’s “Kissing the War Goodbye”. In Eisenstaedt’s picture, the background captures more of Times Square, allowing for more detail to be discovered within the picture. Eisenstaedt’s picture also has, in my opinion, a better lighting than “Kissing the War Goodbye”. The brightness in the photo establishes a better and more joyful mood, relating to the mood of the crowd and the couple during that time period. -Chase Buhler

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  21. I believe that “V-J day in Times Square” is a better and more displaying picture than “Kissing the war Goodbye”. My reasoning to backup this statement is that Eisenstaedt’s photo shows more than just the man and the woman kissing it shows the bustle of the city that very day. Furthermore, the angling of “V-J day in Times Square” is more appealing to the human eye and for some reason makes me enjoy this picture more than “Kissing the War Goodbye”.- George Pav

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  22. I believe that "V-J Day in Times Square" was a better picture then “Kissing the war goodbye”. Both of the photographs were very powerful and have numerous meanings’-J Day in Times Square” really stood out to me. To start the sailor is kissing a random girl. He is doing this because he is so happy. While they are kissing you can see everyone’s excitement in there eyes. I also like this picture because of the beautiful background. It is a great shot by Eisenstaedt and he is a great photographer with the photos he captures with true meaning. Also the first picture was good by Victor Jorgenson but I liked the second picture better. Both are very good photographers.
    -Anthony Cassano

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  23. Although I like both pictures,I think the second photo, "V-J Day In Times Square" is the better picture. I say this because I really think it does a better job at capturing the moment. The first picture does this as well but not on the same scale. In the second photo you really do see how big of an event this was. You see the magnitude of people and how important this really was. So that's why I prefer "V-J Day In Times Square" to the first picture "Kissing The War Goodbye". -David Warnking

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  24. It is incredible that the photographers Victor Jorgenson and Alfred Eisenstaedt were able to capture almost the exact same moment at almost the exact same time with their pictures “Kissing the War Goodbye” and “V-J Day in Times Square”. Despite the fact that there was only a small difference in the angle from which the pictures were taken and the time at which they were taken, this difference accounts for the varying impact between the two pictures. I prefer Eisenstaedt’s “V-J Day in Times Square” over Jorgenson’s photo because it is more interesting and better captures the emotion of that specific time. “V-J Day in Times Square” is the more interesting photo because of the angle it was taken from. Due to the fact that the picture was taken looking down Times Square, a vanishing point exists behind the man’s head. This not only makes the photo more interesting to look at, but also draws the viewers’ eyes into the focus of the picture - the man and woman. Eisenstaedt’s photo also more noticeably captures the emotion of the surrounding people. From his photo one can more clearly see the elation on people’s faces, and the sheer volume of those celebrating the end of the war.
    -Gregory Bodik

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  25. I like the photo of “V-J Day in Times Square”. I feel that this photo is better at capturing the joy of the people and it really shows how they are in the middle of Times Square. It also shows how crowded the streets were and how much people were celebrating. – Scott Tellekamp

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    Replies
    1. The people are in the moment and in their own world. It is as if they are the only people there and are completely unaware of the world around them.

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    2. It is as if these two people are unaware of the world around them. They are living in their own moment in time without a care in the world.

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  26. I think "VJ Day In times Square" is a better picture than " Kissing the War Goodbye". I like the second picture better because there is better brightness. Another reason I like the second picture better is you can see more peoples reactions in the second picture.The second picture has more details than the first one. Another reason is the second picture is bigger than the first one. That is why I like the second picture better than the first one.- Jacob Brittman

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  27. I thought that the photo of "V-J Day in Times Square" was better. I liked it better because it is more focused on them and it brighter than "Kissing the War Goodbye". You can see a clear picture of what they are doing. Also, in "V-J Day in Times Square", you can see a lot more people’s reactions to what had happened. Therefore in "V+I liked the second view of the photo better. I liked it better because it is more focused on them and it brighter than the other one. You can see a clear picture of what they are doing. Also, in the second photo, you can see a lot more people’s reactions to what had happened.Therefore in "V-J Day in Times Square" the picture captures the moment better and more clearly.

    Emily Wilson

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  28. I believe that the photo of "V-J Day in Times Square" was the better photo. in this photo you can see their faces touch. in the other photo, it does not give you a clear image of that. this is a moment in time that the photographer captured at just the right moment. this photo lets you see what is going on around them. you see the smiling faces of the citizens in times square and the true expression of that moment in time.

    Jennifer Araneo

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  29. In my opinion the photo of "V-J Day in Times Square" was my favorite photo. I like the vertical angle this photo was taken from. In this photo you can see the background of the city they were in. You can also see the people around them and their expressions. This made the photograph more interesting to look at. I like how the photo gives off a professional and perfect look when really it was taken in a matter of seconds. this one photo can show so many things of those few seconds in time. - Julia scardino

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  30. I prefer the photograph “V-J Day in Times Square”, taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt, rather than “Kissing the War Goodbye” by Victor Jorgenson. The angle and perspective of each photo significantly affect the overall emotional impact on the viewer. Because of the low angle of Jorgenson’s photo, the sailor’s hand prevents the face of the woman from being seen. The lighting also causes a dark shadow to appear on the sailor’s face, and the background can distract the viewer from the focus of the photograph. Consequently, it is slightly more difficult to understand what is occurring in the photo. However, the interesting perspective of “V-J Day in Times Square” captures the attention of the viewer, and, in my opinion, the emotional impact is stronger. The viewer can observe that one of the sailor’s hands is holding on tightly to the woman’s waist. It is also easier to see the faces of both the sailor and the woman, and this enhances the ecstatic and slightly romantic mood of the photo. In addition, in Jorgenson’s “Kissing the War Goodbye”, the lower legs of the man and woman cannot be seen, but in Eisenstaedt’s photo, their full bodies are visible. This emphasizes the stillness of the two people, contrasting from the movement of the crowd surrounding them and further intensifying the mood. Also, in Jorgenson’s photo, the background consists of buildings only, whereas in Eisenstaedt’s, the sky is visible. The light sky allows the darker buildings to be more clearly outlined, and the structure and lines of these buildings draw the viewer’s attention to the center of the photo, the sailor kissing the woman. The perspective of looking down the street, as well as the view of the scattered people, further establish the man and woman as the focus of the photo. Although the two photographs are both visually appealing, I believe that “V-J Day in Times Square” is more interesting and has a stronger emotional impact.
    Name: Amanda Cajigas

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  31. I think "VJ day in times square" is the superior picture of the two. Eisenstaedt's picture I feel is brighter and less busy. The brightness of the photograph gives it a more up lifting feeling which I think represents VJ day a lot more accurately. It's also a little bit more focused and organized, which I know its not, its just the exact time and angle it was taken. I just feel that it is more aesthetically pleasing and a better representation of this joyous occasion.
    ~Devon Buckley

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  32. My thoughts are that "V-J in Time Square" is the superior picture of the two. Eisenstaedt had the better photograph because it was more focused around one center piece, which was the sailor and the nurse. It was brighter which gave it a more uplifting feel which more accurately represents the joyous occasion. You can see the reaction on the faces of the bystanders which captures the emotions trying to be portrayed in the picture. All of these reasons are why I feel that "V-J in Times Square" is the better picture.
    ~Devon Buckley

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  33. I feel the VJ in Times Square was better because it seemed more realistic. It brought a better feeling to the picture and the people's reactions made it look more realistic too. There was also more people around and seemed like it wasn't planned at all. It seemed like it was completely out of nowhere. That is why I liked he VJ in Times Square picture better.
    -Andrew Munch

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  34. i think the "VJ in time square" photo was better because the scene seemed more realistic. The mood of the picture was greatly brought out by the angle it was shot at. By the amount of people in the scene this photograph does not seem like it was set up to look this way, it looks very natural. I also like this photograph better because you can tell the excitement the man has by holding the women. -Grace Boyle

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  35. “V-J Day in Times Square" is my favorite picture because i love the angle on the photo. Its the absolute perfect angle for a picture like this. i also like the city background and how it is in the middle of time square and the middle of the rad because it makes the picture look great. And i don't know why but i just love when people take pictures and you see there whole body like feet to head not just like knee to head, i think it looks 100x better. but overall its just a beautiful picture and the perfect moment too. -olivia ross

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  36. I prefer V-J Day in Times Square. It shows the outfits of sailors in the 1940s. This picture also show what all of the buildings that we see today used to look like in 1945. It is very interesting to see how everything has changed. The woman in the picture is also wearing something very different than what women wear today. This picture depicts a lot of how culture has changed over time. The other picture only shows one man and a small portion of a building. There is not very much background. -Patrick O’Neill

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