Documentary Photography

David Seymour

Photographer: David Seymour
Austria, Vienna. 1948

I chose this photo because I found the story behind it very interesting. At first glance it looks as if this is a picture of a girl who attends boarding school, and is sitting at her desk doing work. When I read the caption I was surprised to learn that the girl is in a juvenile delinquent facility for being a prostitute. They also referred to the room in which she was in as a cell. Its surprising because the picture conveys something totally different, but one has to keep in mind the time period in which the photo was shot. Things have certainly changed a lot since 1948, and prison cells don't tend to look this clean and accommodating anymore. I think the photographer did a great job of really capturing a moment that conveys a feeling. Even though the girl doesn't look like she's in jail the tone of the photo suggests that she's trapped. I also really admire the lighting with the high contrast shadows and highlights.      

Nature and Landscape