Myra continued her work as a photographer as she traveled the world. She describes some of the difficulties she experienced while traveling aboard ship. "I hurriedto my room to develop films so that I could finish by 2:30 when I have choir practice. I developed two rolls of film and was just five minutes late to practice. Then afterwards I went back and tended to the negatives which were soaking. My films did not turnout very well today; as I expected, it was too dark in the narrow streets and the focus on my new camera bothers me.” Throughout Myra's life, she continued to broaden her knowledge on art. She expanded her career into painting, both water color and oils. In 1948, Myra received the highest honors for Achievement in Art at the PEN Women of America Biennium. She passed away in her studio of a stroke in 1956 at the age of 86. She left behind a vast, creative legacy that continues to enrich our lives.
Photo by: Unknown
Year Taken: 1948
Myra Wiggins is the obvious main subject of the photograph. She takes up about two thirds of the image area. If she was any smaller, the focus on her would be lost to the camera and the bare background.
The composition is very simple. The image consists of a photographer and her camera. The background is plain walls, which I believe is perfect for the image. Anything else in the background would take away from Myra.
The subject of the image looks very natural. She is not over posed and has a look of peace and happiness on her face. If anything, the shot looks more candid than posed.
I chose this photograph because of how pleasant and happy Myra looks. All of the other photographs of her are from early on with photographic technology. I liked how the picture looked natural and shows her true self.
Women have not had it easy throughout American history. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to get our country where it is today regarding the rights of women. There are still inequalities present today but considering the way things used to be, it is like night and day. Many of the inequalities present today are seen within the workforce in various professions. Professor Cordell briefly touches upon barriers that women have to overcome. "I believe that women photojournalists, along with women in many different professions have encountered barriers unlike any that their male counterparts have endured." Women photojournalists are consistently reminded of the gender inequalities and stereotypes surrounding gender. Comments are made to women photojournalists when they are carrying a lot of equipment or even when they are documenting a sports event. People will question the strength of a female and their knowledge of the sport. A TV photographer was overheard saying, "They let you carry that big lens?", to a female photojournalist at the scene of an accident. The judgement does not always come from someone working within the same field either. Sometimes, if at a sports event, the judgement comes from a bystander. A father at a high school baseball game was overheard saying to a female photojournalist, "Are you sure you know the game well enough to keep score?". Lastly I believe the war scene is a very difficult place for a female photojournalist. When I image a war scene, I don't necessarily think of women. The first thing that comes to mind is G.I Joe. Catherine Leroy was a young photographer that threw herself right into the middle of the Vietnam war. "She arrived in Vietnam with little more than a Leica and $100 to her name. She went on to take some of the conflict’s most striking photographs." She was a woman on a mission.
A profession today that I believe women face a lot of discrimination is within the medical field. A woman seen, in scrubs, within an inpatient office setting or a hospital setting is automatically assumed to be a nurse. Back in the day, this was very true. Men were doctors while women were nurses. This does not remain true today. There has been a significant increase over the years of the amount of female medical doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. According to Megan Lemay, the first woman to receive a medical degree was over 100 years ago. "In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to receive a medical degree in the U.S." I see it first hand when I work at Baystate. Whenever a female walks into a patient's room, they are assumed to be a nurse. It can be a doctor in the patient's room or someone from occupational therapy, but in the end the patient assumes they are nurses. Lemay discusses how it can be frustrating constantly defending your profession. "I hate being called “nurse,” because I feel like it undoes the work of thousands of female physicians before me. I hate being called “nurse,” because nurses have reason to hate it, too. If you’ve ever seen a doctor struggle to administer a medication, boost a patient in a bed, or try to organize the minute-to-minute care of a hospitalized patient, you can probably understand why. I hate being called “nurse,” because it further separates me from my male colleagues. I hate being called “nurse,” because it sets up expectations for my relationship with a patient that I will not be able to fill."
Photo by: Robbie Mcintosh
Year Taken: 2013
The background of this photograph helps to put the focus on the nurse in the photo. The people within the background are not focused enough to make you want to look at them. Ultimately, the background people exert your attention to the nurse. The background is somewhat out of focus which again helps put the focus on the nurse.
The depth of the field draws your attention to the deepest part of the photograph for a second then reverts your attention back to the main subject. The photo is deep, looking down a side street or alley. The depth gives the image more of a personality because it allows you to visualize the environment in which the image was taken.
The texture of the photo is smooth and uniform. The pattern of the bricks on the ground gives the image a feeling of organization. It allows for the viewer to focus on the main subject rather than being distracted.
I chose this photograph because of the compositional variations. I like how there was so much going on in the photo yet none of it was distracting. Your eyes briefly ponder through the image and resort right back to the main subject. I also liked how to depth of the photo allows for insight of the environment of the photo.
Photo By: Robert Doisneau
Year Taken: 1950
The focus of this photo is dull. I do not find the focus of this picture very sharp. As a result of the entire picture being slightly out of focus, the image is viewed as a whole rather than just focusing on one part of it. Instead of just focusing on the doctor or just focusing on the nurses, they are viewed together.
The image is in black and white. I feel as though the black and white coloring of the photo creates a feeling of both seriousness along with serenity. It is a special moment, a mother bonding with her new born child. I feel as though color would take away from the emotions this photo creates.
The photographer avoided placing the subject within the middle of the photo. I feel as though the subjects are spread throughout the photograph. My eyes do not focus on just one aspect of the photo, but the photo as a whole. The subjects are placed in more than just one third of the photograph. I would say the subjects take up about two thirds of the photo.
I chose this photo because it shows the nurses and doctor working together as a team. Working in healthcare, it truly is a rarity to see a moment like this. Healthcare has become so task oriented rather than patient oriented and this photo reminds me of what healthcare should really be like.
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