Photographs can assist people maintain the of import minutes in their lives. Particularly in history, exposure aid research workers understand more about our history. At a cantonment for seasonal agricultural workers of Los Angeles, Dorothea Lange took Migrant Mother in 1936. Firenze Owens, the adult female in the image, ne’er gave permission to Lange to utilize her image or the image of her childs ( 100 exposure ) . Dorothea Lange besides promised with Owens that those images would ne’er be published. However, the really following forenoon, Lange ‘s image was published on the front page of all the newspapers along with an article about the hungriness of these American people who were working these Fieldss for small no wage, and this exposure has become a photographic icon of the Great Depression in America. Migrant Mother is important to society because it reminds us of economic crisis in 1936, the troubles of American people at that clip, and the love of a female parent for her kids.

First, when I look at the exposure, the focal point of this exposure will be the adult female ‘s face. The constructions of her face such as eyes, nose, oral cavity, eyebrows, mentum, and eyelashes show that she is worried, worn out and merely obviously dog-tired. Besides that, the imperfectnesss of her hair, hair line, cheeks, weaponries, fingers tell us that she is soiled and hapless. She wears a shirt covered with a jacket that is on the left arm. In the background of exposure, we observe the kids concealing their faces behind their female parent. The kid on the left has a dirty jacket and it does n’t suit, while the kid on the right has a snug shirt. The 3rd kid in the female parent ‘s weaponries is worn down and hungry while covered with a dirty cover. Beside, this exposure is black and white colourss. Even though this image contains no colour, visible radiation and angle are more of import. The kids in the image are darker than the adult female, so it makes her face is brighter and more emotional.

In the image, the adult female ‘s face is the merely seeable to viewing audiences, so it makes her facial is more interesting. Through her face, we can understand more about her life. She looks tired and concern for her and her kids ‘s hereafter. She can non happen a occupation after her hubby died due to illness ( Migrant Mother ) . She moves topographic point to topographic point to happen a occupation that helps her can take attention of her kids. This adult female needs nutrient, H2O, vesture, and even a bath. On the other manus, the manner the kids lean to her shoulder make us experience like their female parent is a beginning of hope and peace. Those kids feel peacefully after their female parent ‘s protection. The kids rely on their female parent, while the female parent relies upon herself merely the same. The lensman took the exposure at the perfect angle, so the adult female appears clearly and emotional. The absence of colour is what makes the exposure so intense.

Looking at the picture taking, it reminds us the Great Depression from 1929 to early 1940s. At that clip, the economic system in America, Europe and other industry of the universe collapsed. It was the longest and most terrible depression of all time experienced.

By 1933, 11000 of the United States ‘ 25000 Bankss had failed. By 1932, United States fabrication end product had fallen to 54 per centum of its 1929 degree, and unemployment had risen to between 12 and 15 million workers, or 25-30 per centum of the work force. ( Modern American Poetry ) .

The Great Depression leads to the troubles and the concerns of American people. Work force lost their occupations, and adult female began to recognize that they had to work to keep their suited life conditions. Everyone had to happen the manner that they could last in that period. Workers got 35 cents for three hebdomads work in the Fieldss ( Uys ) . It is a awful manner to populate, and it was unsmooth and awful at that clip. However, the love of female parent will ne’er alter even in the hardest clip. Owens, the adult females in the exposure, has seven kids and her hubby past off. Her sisters and brothers wanted to raise her kids, but she did n’t desire to. She said she wanted to see her kids turn up by her ain eyes. She can make everything for her kids. She did n’t eat sometimes, but she made certain her kids Ate. She ne’er had a batch, but she ever made certain her kids had something ( Migrant Mother ) .

Migrant Mother is one of the most touched images in the Great Depression. This picture taking helps people retrieve how difficult American people had to face during the Great Depression, and the female parent ‘s love ever present in every clip and at everyplace. Absence of colour, focal point and background make the exposure becomes astonishing. The exposure is perfect the manner it is. No affair what person may see as the most of import facet of “ Migrant Mother ” , it is undeniable that it is genuinely an unbelievable icon from the epoch of the Depression, and still is an icon to this twenty-four hours.

Work Cited

Uys, Errol. “ What Life Was Like During the Great Depression. “ A What Life Was Like During the Great Depression. N.p. , n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.erroluys.com/WhatLifeWasLikeintheGreatDepression.htm & gt ; .

“ 100 Photographs That Changed the World by Life – The Digital Journalist. ” 100 Photographs

That Changed the World by Life – The Digital Journalist. N.p. , n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012.

& lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //digitaljournalist.org/issue0309/lm19.html & gt ;

“ About the Great Depression. ” About the Great Depression. N.p. , n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2012.

& lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/about.htm & gt ;

“ Migrant Mother. “ A Migrant Mother. N.p. , n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.picture- america.com/LuceB/Migrant-Mother-Project/migrant-mother-main.htm & gt ; .

“ Migrant Mother. ” Migrant Mother. N.p. , n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.picture – america.com/LuceB/Migrant- Mother- Project/migrant- mother- main.htm & gt ; .