First Blog of the YEAR!!!

         

Author: Wing Young Huie
Date: September 8, 2011
Place of Publication: 38th & Chicago
                                               
                                                    An Open Discussion

             This picture in the eyes of Wing Young Hui focuses on the recent stabbing death that took place at 38th & Chicago. When first looking at this picture it just looks like a group of Black people standing in a circle holding hands while bowing their heads. I seem to wonder why are they doing this, given that the title doesn't explain anything. The title just makes you want to look and examine the picture a bit more. As you look closer into the picture there is a lady to the right in a white shirt with men on the back. The men on the back of her shirt might be people that have been murdered or killed on the streets of Chicago but then it could be men that have been accused... It leaves for an "Open Discussion" about who those men really are.
             Steve Floyd is a photographer that captures pictures and is a well-respected speaker on urban issues and violence. He gives the people insights on the dynamics of events and situations that happen in Chicago. They also talk about the safety of the human life and how to move forward after tragic events. Floyd grew up in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Chicago and he has been a youth and gang outreach worker for over 25 years. Given the background knowledge of Floyd helps to understand the true meaning of this picture and other pictures he has taken. To know that people gather around peacefully to talk and understand what is going on around them shows the space and environment that they are in. This is showing how as a whole they are capable of moving forward in regards to the circumstances they are put in in the 21st century.
              By looking deeper into the meaning of the picture just makes the picture that much more interesting and so many aspects that can be pulled together to make the picture that impactful and meaningful.
              Huie uses distant colors with very little language to describe othering with a different perspective shot. Whereas Margaret Atwood uses brighter colors such as red tones to show the separation of people. This is showing "othering." By using white with the aspects of greens and red allows the eyes to focus on one thing at a time rather than a lot of things at one time to confuse the brain. In the HMT Atwood uses these colors to show how low they are in the social class whereas the white in Huie picture is showing how unified the people are given how low they are feeling at heart. Rather than where they are in their social classes. The layout of the picture gives it a different perspective from the simple fact that you can't see the expression on everyone's face. You have to use context clues to really know. Whereas Atwood speaks it into existence so that we know everyone's emotions and feelings. There is no language portrayed in the image so that gives you time to think and reflect on what you are looking at. Huie goes through a different perspective so that it isn';t as known as far as expression and emotion whereas Atwood does.
               The people captured in the picture are not diverse but given that the photogrpaher is also not African American shows that other cultures are willing to learn and try to accept what is going on around them because no one truly knows what is next.