Sunday, 19 July 2015

Exercise: Analyse Martin Shields’ photograph of two young footballers.

Exercise: Analyse Martin Shields’ photograph of two young footballers.



















Before I start to look at the picture I need to understand the terms Denotive and Connotive.

Denotive: What the picture is showing us. The image.
Connotive: The message behind the image. The hidden message.  What the photographer intended the image to convey when he took it.

It wasn’t until I read the blogs below that I got a date for the photograph.  In earlier versions of the exercise the whole newspaper article was shown, which not only showed the date, 2002, and place, Glasgow, but also the reason for the dereliction of the area, which was the demolition of old tenement housing stock and its replacement by new and modern housing.

Denotive view.
  • Derelict and obviously empty tenement housing.
  • An empty and potholed road.
  • The area nearest the road already cleared of houses and made level.
  • One remaining lamp-post.
  • Two boys in football kit, both carrying balls, walking away from the camera.
  • There is an obvious friendship between the boys.

Connotive view.
  • As I now know this is Glasgow I can assume that the boy on the left is in the green hoops of Celtic and the boy on the right in the blue of Rangers.  This choice of shirt would indicate a religious division that in older supporters would likely prevent such a friendship.  
  • The fact the boys are in the colours of the teams they support and not in the colours of a youth team would suggest they are on way to a kick-about rather than organised game.  This is supported by the lack of football boots; both boys are wearing trainers.  At an organised game balls would be provided, so why are they carrying footballs?  
  • The clean kit hints at a pride in their colours and at caring mothers.
  • The demolition of the tenements represents both the breaking up of old neighbourhoods but also the building of a better future.  
  • Having the boys walking away is short hand for walking towards the future.
  • The message I draw is that this image represents a promising future where poor housing and religious division can left behind and Glasgow can grow anew.
  • Last comment.  I think this is a set up shot.  The half tucked in shirt is rather contrived.  In Glasgow, where the religious/football divide runs so deep, it is highly unlikely that this apparent friendship could survive.  Why are they not walking in the road rather that the rubble strewn demolition site?  

Others views.
Having completed the above I went back and read the blogs listed below.  The posed nature of the picture was picked up by others.  What was not picked up was the lack of boots nor the fact that they appear to be heading for a kick-about rather than a game.  The message of the life journey that these boys represent was highlighted by all.  

References.



http://www.gaslight.me.uk/blog/archives/3253
[Accessed: 17th. July 2015].

http://www.gaslight.me.uk/blog/archives/3253
[Accessed: 17th. July 2015[.




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