Cathy Truong
André Kertész, "Central Park Boat Basin, New York"
1944, gelatin sliver print
I chose this image because when I look at it, it's clear that it is a beautiful image: the repetition of emptiness in the park and the benches, the puddle perfectly still with a tree reflecting off of it. But it also sparked curiosity in me as well: what is the individual doing? Why are they carrying a model boat? Did they just sail the boat while it was raining or were they waiting for the rain to stop? This photo reminds me of the time I traveled to New York and would just sit in the park to relax and people watch. There would be individuals that did whatever they wanted, whether it'd be considered socially weird or not. The people in the park would just watch, shrug, and go about their day. It made me think of how fast-paced New York City is and that seeing something that was not alarming but out of the ordinary became a norm to a New Yorker. Kertész took in special consideration for the angle he shot at and the significant, but balanced contrast between the black and white photographs. This photograph was truly memorable for me, which was Kertész's goal. His main focus on photography was looking for the emotions of a photo, that a beautiful photo is still beautiful but if there is no emotion, it is not as memorable.
I chose this image because when I look at it, it's clear that it is a beautiful image: the repetition of emptiness in the park and the benches, the puddle perfectly still with a tree reflecting off of it. But it also sparked curiosity in me as well: what is the individual doing? Why are they carrying a model boat? Did they just sail the boat while it was raining or were they waiting for the rain to stop? This photo reminds me of the time I traveled to New York and would just sit in the park to relax and people watch. There would be individuals that did whatever they wanted, whether it'd be considered socially weird or not. The people in the park would just watch, shrug, and go about their day. It made me think of how fast-paced New York City is and that seeing something that was not alarming but out of the ordinary became a norm to a New Yorker. Kertész took in special consideration for the angle he shot at and the significant, but balanced contrast between the black and white photographs. This photograph was truly memorable for me, which was Kertész's goal. His main focus on photography was looking for the emotions of a photo, that a beautiful photo is still beautiful but if there is no emotion, it is not as memorable.
