Select 3 photographs taken in africa about colonial period, that have Essay

Select 3 photographs taken in africa about colonial period, that have common theme, choosing santu mofokeng chasing shadows work - Essay Example Relating this to colonial South Africa where apartheid had taken the better side of the country, historical antecedents justify the thinking that the Black population of the country were vigilantly keeping watch to see when it was all going to be over. As seen in the photograph, the Black man has his eye wide shut because he does not want to miss out on anything or wants to be taken by surprise on an event of the passing apartheid that he may possibly not see. Aesthetic Appreciation Aesthetically, the photograph â€Å"Eyes-wide-shut† is a photograph with much value on the depiction of elements of photography. For example, there is major emphasis on symmetry, where the jacket of the man in the photograph is taken in such a way that gives an equal striking image to the photograph. The same can be said of the positioning of the man, where he is balanced between the spaces left around him on the left and right sides. As far as depth of field is concerned, the photograph is given t wo depths of fields, which are rough and smooth. The smooth depth of field is with the man who is clearly captured as the focus of the photograph. All other people in the background and the background itself are given a rough depth of field by keeping the camera blur on them. Indeed, the way symmetry, balance and depth of field were used helped in giving the central focus of the photograph, the needed emphasis. Critic Even though there is much emphasis on the focus of the photograph in highlighting the theme of vigilance, which was a major topic for the Black community during the apartheid, it would have been much meaningful should the photography had included an element of a White person in the photograph. This is because the knowledge that the apartheid was a racial war between the Whites and the Blacks is common knowledge in history. The eyes that were wide shut could therefore have been made to be shut on a White man for example. This way, the photograph would have been easier t o comprehend and appreciate by a lay person, especially in support of the theme of the photograph. Theme The photograph above is captioned â€Å"Motoulen Landscape with Poplar Trees and Altar†. Rightly by comparing the caption of the photograph to its images, the theme of a fading land becomes trumpeted in the mind of the viewer. This is because poplar trees by themselves are known to be very viable trees in the South African soil. This makes them to have a season round of fresh green leaves and stems in the country. Indeed, the sight and appearance of a poplar tree is that of freshness and hope. But in the photograph, nothing else than a savannah dry land is seen. This is because the poplar tree that was once fresh and blossom has gone dry. Like the result of colonization in South Africa, the freedoms, rights and identities of the ordinary South African was made to go dry due to oppression and suppression at the hands of colonial masters. For the poplar tree to have any hope , it must find itself in the midst of an altar where a religious or divine intervention could possibly make it regain its freshness. Indeed, the South African nation found redemption through the efforts of freedom fighters such as Nelson Mandela. Aesthetic Appreciation Lines are very powerful elements used by the photography in the picture that is presented above. Generally, lines are useful in directing the viewer to the focal point of the photography. Indeed, in the