Post a personal image that you feel comfortable sharing with the class, but don’t provide any commentary about it yet! Mid-week, look at class members’ posted images and choose at least one to comment on in detail.  What might be the narrative behind the photograph? What does the image suggest about the life experiences and/or values of the people featured and behind the camera? Finally, respond again to whoever wrote about your picture. Were they correct in their assumptions?  Did the photograph mislead the viewer? What kinds of experiences and values does this photograph and others in your personal collection represent? Exclude?

 Lynn Houchins:

This photograph is one that I love!  I love black and white.  My first point of focus is the man with the sunglasses on.  The angle of this shot, and the very slight blurriness of him makes this photograph look mysterious in that I'm wondering what song you all are playing, what you are thinking, and where can I go to hear you.  Is that a writing board behind you?  What's on it?

Mark Lynch:

Thank you... this is a band I played in some years ago named "East of Eden". The "photo" is actually a screen-capture from a video taken by my wife, and that's the reason for the low-res, retro look. The "man" in sunglasses is my son Levi; I'm the guitarist at left... The sentence on the wall behind us: "We do more in a week than most people do all day... G.S." (I have no idea what that means or who G.S. is). We are actually playing "Break on Through" by The Doors in this moment.

Those are some very astute observations, and I think you read the photo well.

Ann Millett (instructor):

Can you relate the photograph to your assigned readings for this week?

Mark Lynch:

In addressing the blur and low-resolution of my photo, I am encouraged by the observation in our text "The photographs we keep for ourselves are treasured less for their quality than their context" (Wells 122). This definitely applies in my case- this "snip" preserves a special memory for me and that is its only real function. There is a video of this performance as well, of which the photo is a "screenshot". Each medium serves a purpose, the photo is more immediate.

From The Photo Reader, Rosy Martin and Jo Spence are quoted "The images in circulation in a particular culture act to mold and set limits upon how each of us will 'see ourselves" and 'others' " (403). This is pertinent to all of the examples we've submitted here- because we've all seen similar photos and poses. We almost instinctively know what is appropriate for different photo-ops. A band-shot has a certain "look", as does a "mother-daughter" portrait, a pose within a landscape, or a "selfie". We've seen so many others, ours will tend to fall into the same parameters.

Chanda Platania:

This is a great image. The out of focus blur along with it being a band picture really gives it a life of its own. The lighting gives it  a sinister mood. Whoever is wearing the sunglasses is vampiric in this picture. I imagine a dark bar with the band tossed in the corner...or a garage with local people hanging around just to listen to the practice.

Mark Lynch:

Thanks Chanda. This is from a short-lived time where I played in a band with my son. I'm the guitarist; my son is the "vampire" bass player. The "sinister" mood is sort of what we were going for, so I'm glad you perceive it that way. This was an actual gig in a very dark bar indeed- it's easy to see why it might be seen as a garage instead.

Marian Marshall:

This photo is very interesting. It reminds me of the golden days when my dad use to get with friends and they had a band session at the house. The photographer must have had an older camera with film that took black and white pictures. It puts you in the mind of the 60's era. Was this photo taken in a garage? I notice the old signs and the initials on the wall, or screen of some sort. What does the G.S. stand for? Was this your band, or a family members?

Mark Lynch:

Marian, just like the others who have reviewed this, you are pretty much spot-on in your interpretation. This was a venue, but it does look like a garage. The "60's era"- we are playing a song by The Doors, so you nailed that one... (The G.S. I've answered above in another reply).

The significance of this photo for me is mostly the father/son connection. I was very proud at the time to be in a band with my son (the bass player); it sort of affirmed for me that I had been a good influence on his life. It's been 7 or 8 years now since we played music together, so there's a little nostalgia in the image for me as well. And finally a bit of hope- we've lived about 6 hours apart for several years now, but I will soon be moving much closer. Maybe we can make music together again...