Re: A simple question...

Bruce <no@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Paul Furman <paul-@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Here's a simulation:
http://edgehill.net/Misc/photography/lange-migrant-focus
you be the judge

It is possible given these two options from her proofs, that she might
have chosen the one emphasizing the ragged clothes & children.

I agree, it is quite possible, perhaps even probable, that this was a
choice rather than a mistake.

I can't see how it could be *anything* other than a very
logical choice.

There are 6 negatives in the series, basically with
Lange moving closer each time (not quite actually true,
but...) and setting up the scene for what she wanted.
The children did some shuffling around, obviously in
discomfort at the odd attention, and Florence Thompson
clearly became progressively less annoyed at this
strange well dressed woman with a camera.

Lange used a Graflex, and was a *very* accomplished
technical photographer. She varied the DOF in different
images of the series, clearly for effect. In some cases
it is obvious that she wanted certain objects out of
focus, and in other cases she wanted them in focus. In
all of the other images, for example, the tent pole is
within the DOF (as it *should* be, for her purposes).
But in the last image she shot, she moved up close to
hide other objects and capture just the two children in
ragged clothes with even their faces turned away... and
with the clothes precisely in focus and the mother
slightly out of focus (to de-emphasize her person, just
as the children were by facing away) while the pole is
significantly out of focus.

That *is* the picture she wanted, and she undoubted knew
that she had bagged it. She stopped taking pictures,
got in her car and drove away.

The point of focus was not a mistake, and that is
precisely why that image rather than three others, that
were otherwise just as suitable, was selected for
publication.

It may well be that as a portrait of Florence Thompson
it would have been better to focus on her eyes. But
make no mistake at all, that was *NOT* intended to be a
portrait of the mother! It portraits the condition of
destitute farm workers, which is the job Lange was paid
to do.

--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) floyd@xxxxxxxxxx
.

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