Dorothea Lange Born May 26th, 1965 in Hoboken, New York. First studied at the New York Training School for Teachers, but realized that’s not what she wanted to do and ended up changing and going to college at Columbia University to study the art form of photography. Some of the places she showed her art included New York Times, in Life Magazines, in the San Francisco Chronicle which she worked for at the time, she wrote some books with her second husband about her photographs. Shortly after her death caused by cancer, there was an opening of an exhibit filled with her artwork; it was held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Dorothea Lange was known for portrait photography especially during WWII to show the hardships people and mostly women went through. This is because she wanted to capture the feelings all around the world of what people were going through. Dorothea’s influence comes from when she was a child; one part of it was that she had polio and she says that she is almost happy that she got sick because it helped her mold the life that she wanted to live to this day. And without it she might not have been as successful. Growing up both her parents thought it was important to have an education and be exposed to a lot of literature and art. So being exposed to creative works as a child was really inspiring to her, and it stuck with her in later years. Dorothea Lange originally had a different last name, it was Nutzhorn, but when her father abandoned her family she changed her last name to Lange as did her brother.

The Migrant Mother 1936 Nipomo, California

The lighting is definitely outside lighting, but it is very hard to tell where it’s coming from because the picture is practically black and white. My best guess on where the light would be coming from is it is from the left, her right side. The main subject of this picture is the mother looking off into the distance. I can tell because she’s right in the middle on the upper line of a rule of thirds grid. And lastly because she is pretty much the only thing in the picture. This photo is so striking because you are at the perfect angle to be able to see the pain and struggles on her face. Plus the way the photo is exposed; it makes the people look dirty so you think they aren’t able to afford to take care of themselves. Plus how her hand is placed on her face like something is on her mind and troubling her. There is definitely a story here; she is an migrant mother who is struggling in life, but still has her kids for safety. Dorothea is trying to show people the pains in this women life. I chose to use this picture because it’s obviously the most famous picture she took and how could I not chose it since it is so famous and everyone is the art and literature world has seen it. The Migrant Mother

Agriculture Day Laborer Muskogee, Oklahoma

Agriculture Day Laborer This lighting is the same as the previous one. It’s outside and a little to the left of their cart is where the sun is and you can tell because of the shadows. The main subject is the people on the cart and I can tell because by rule of thirds they are in the top right corner. Also they are the only things in the picture that’s most interesting This photograph is so striking because you can tell they are really tired and dehydrated since the sun is obviously right above them and for the rule of thirds they are at the top almost in the right corner but not quite. Plus it’s in black and white like all her photos will be. Dorothea is trying to communicate how hard life was back then and how much trouble and hardship they had to push through even in the rough dessert type area like that. I personally chose this picture to talk about because to me it showed a lot of emotion and it was a very good example of the hard times people and especially families had to go through.

A Dust Bowl Farm Near Dalhart, Texas

A Dust Bowl Farm The lighting is artificial because it is outside, but it’s black and white so I’m not sure where it’s coming from The main subject of the photo is the house that is in the top right corner following the rule of thirds It’s striking because it’s a house out in the middle of no where and nothing else is around it not even a road leading to the house. Including the rule of thirds I mentioned earlier The photographer is trying to show how most houses were abandoned or in the middle of so where and it was hard times to live through and not very fun. Also it could get pretty lonely I chose this because I thought it was cool how it was out by itself and all alone it caught my eye and I liked it.

On The Road 1936 Krebs, Oklahoma

On The Road The lighting is artificial and coming from the right of them since you can see the shadows. The main focus is the man pulling the wheel barrow with his daughter in it because that is what’s biggest. The main focus is following rule of thirds in the top right corner since that’s where his face is. It’s striking also because the rest of the family dragging behind in the background it adds to the idea of the picture. Dorothea Lange was trying to show the hardship this family is going through much like all her other photos. It shows how this family has no where to go and is having to walk somewhere just to find a little something better then what they had which is not much. I selected this photo because it shows an entire family that is sticking together and trying to make it through this hard time and also because of the children since that seems like the hardest part. But it was cute how the little girl who this is probably really hard for her, she is riding in the wheel barrow her dad is pulling for her.

Striving for Normalcy California

Striving for Normalcy This photo has artificial lighting and the sun is on the other side of the man and I could tell from the shadows. The main subject of the photo is the man up to bat at the home base. I can tell because he is almost in the middle of the picture and all the other people in the background are watching him. This photo is striking because there are so many people just lined up watching this guy and it makes you wonder why plus the people are lined up on the top line in rule of thirds. The photographer is trying to show the importance that is happening in this photo. I chose it because these are people that are going through horrible times but they still try to have normal lives and have fun pass times to make the pain of what they are going through a little less painful

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