Exercise: Erwitt’s image

The Brief

Before you read any further, look carefully at Erwitt’s image and write some notes
about how the subject matter is placed within the frame. How has Erwitt structured
this image? What do you think the image is ‘saying’? How does the structure
contribute to this meaning?

Discussion

Without reading the accompanying text in the course notes I have the following observations.

General observations

I can see a landscape, black and white image. The background is faded, unclear. The eye is drawn to a comical small dog with hat and coat, placed at the classic off-centre (thirds) position. Subsequently I see a lady(?) wearing high-heeled boots and coat. The image is cut off at her knees. Alongside her are another pair of legs, very briefly I saw them as another person, but rapidly it is clear that it is, another, much larger dog where we can only see the lower part of its legs. This adds to somewhat surreal feel to the image.

How the subject matter is placed in the frame

The subject matter is placed in the centre of the image, with the specific focus of the small dog being placed off-centre. There is a foreground of pavement that leads into the subject(s).

How has Erwitt structured this image?

The image has foreground (plain pavement),  midground (subject) and background (blurred building and trees).

The subjects are in a line, facing the viewer.

What do you think the image is ‘saying’?

In order interpret the image it is helpful to understand the context of the image. We are informed that Erwitt is a Magnum photographer, has often taken pictures with dogs, as he say images with dogs in it and likes to make witty, surreal images. With this as a background I can see the following possible messages:

• Amusing statement about people who own / keep dogs
• Statement about people who treat their dogs as humans
• Highlighting diversity, just in dogs?

 

How does the structure contribute to this meaning?

The way the image is cropped highlights the surreal aspect of the image through emphasising the small  dog and hiding information about the larger dog.

Observations after reading accompanying text.

After reading the accompanying text I think I that I came to similar conclusions.

 

What I have learned

• That through careful study of an image, along with a degree of imagination I can formulate a number of interpretations of meaning that were not initially evident. however, I fear / must watch out for an over interpretation based on the evidence provided.