Research - Fragile

This first photograph is taken from a series shot by Olivia Hemingway where she took 2 Siamese kittens into Paddock residential home for the elderly with Therapaws.

The set shows the natural and undisturbed enjoyment of the elderly people interacting with the kittens. Hemingway has shot most of the images unposed meaning they are as natural and accurately informative as they could be, making for more powerful photographs.

I chose this image in particular because the old woman can be seen in her chair and is framed quite closely showing her frail skin and general old age, both representing fragility. Also the shallow depth of field focuses the important aspects of the image and improves its aesthetics.

The image of the old woman shot by Olivia Hemingway is very similar in some respects to my shot of Captain John Styles shown to the right. The natural happiness is clearly shown in both images and is not forced which shows how enjoyment can come in different forms regardless of age and fragility.










This image was taken by Laurie Harper in 1983 and is named, "A Taste For Life". I thought this was an amazing representation of fragility in a very stereotypical environment, a hospital ward.

The old woman to the right of the frame can be seen to be struggling to walk along the ward and needing to use the wall for support. This emphasises the old age and fragility when coupled with the hospital location.

Harper has shot the image fairly wide in order to show lots of the environment and therefore more infomation. It is also shot in black and white which makes helps the image have a more dull and isolated feel adding the the fragility.

I found this image in an article about the potential for pensioners having to pay more than £72,000 a year for their care in 2013 by the Telegraph.

I could not find any background information for the photograph other than it was taken from the stock market, Alamy.

I really liked this image because it focuses on the small detail in the centre of the frame, being the pills. This symbolises fragility because the old woman has to rely on medication in order to stay alive.

The other aspect of this image I thought was a good representation of fragility is the hand of the nurse on the woman shoulder, comforting her. This along with her holding the small cup of pills in the foreground emphasises the representation of fragility.

The photographer has used a shallow depth of field in order to drop everything slightly out of focus other than the hand and pills. This is to bring the main focus/small detail of the image out. Without this technique it would be less obvious in the frame, therefore making it less information.

This image is very similar to the one I shot of Captain John Styles (shown to the right). I framed this image and used a similar depth of field for the exact reasons I have listed above.