Analysis Number Three

Migrant Mother, 1936
Dorothea Lange

Primary subject mater: A mother and her two children

Form:
- Black and white
- Distance from camera to subject
- Focus
- Point of view
- Relation of Elements within the Frame

The 1936 masterpiece Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange is a classic image from the depression that shows a family doing what they can to get by. This image captures the defeated spirit of americans during the dust bowl and depression. The mother in this image allowed Lange to photograph her multiple times from different angles, and many of the photographs have become popular. However, the one I chose in particular is the most emotional.

This is probably due to the fact that it is the closest exposure of the set, and the mother and children are right there in your face. Even without seeing that the trio are in a lean-to tent the mothers expression and the way her children desperately cling to her makes their situation seem very dire.

The fact the photo is in black in white, regardless of conscious choice, is a huge buff to the mood of the image. Everything seems washed out and bleak, adding to the hopelessness in the woman's expression.

The depth of field appears to be shallow; the focus is entirely upon the mother and her two sons. Both the foreground and the background texture of the tent are out of focus. This makes the viewer a little uncomfortable and eventually empathetic; there is nothing else in the image to look at but the subjects.

As a random aside, this was obviously highly intentional. If you look closely at the pole in the foreground you can see some primitive 'photoshopping' that partially removed a mysterious thumb. This thumb would distract from the subjects and allow an outlet from the uncomfortable image, so someone attempted to mask it.

The subjects are front and center, in a clear cut portrait. The composition is very standard, central, and strong. This once again brings the viewer face to face with this suffering stranger.

As for relation of elements, the two children are faceless and therefore anonymous. They depend upon their mother for survival, and are attached to her. The mother's expression is very inward, as if she has little concern for the camera before her. In truth the woman's expression itself could be listed as a subject.