Margins of Society - Diane Arbus - Essay Example

Margins of Society Diane Arbus is an American photographer who is known for the s that she photographs. Arbus sticks to black and white photography to focus on subject. It is not the composition, the colors or the texture of the photograph but rather the subjects who draw the attention of the viewers. Arbus photographs deviant and marginal people such as nude people, transgender, dwarfs, giants etc. She photographs them without bothering over the composition or the expression of the subject (Arbus, 10); rather she aims to present to the viewer the people as they are in their ordinary lives. This creates a jarring impact on the viewers as they are forced to give respect to the subjects that they would otherwise ignore if they get a chance to meet them on the streets. For this paper, three photographs by Arbus would be analyzed, namely Hermaphrodite and a dog in a carnival trailer, A Jewish giant at home with his parents in the Bronx, NY and Child with a toy grenade, Central Park, NY . Hermaphrodite and a dog in a carnival trailer In this photograph, Arbus has photographed a hermaphrodite. The photograph captures the style and concept of other Arbus’ photograph. The picture seems quite ordinary except for the subject. If the main subject was removed from the picture, there would have been nothing interesting in the picture and yet it is the subject who changes the entire meaning of the picture. The Hermaphrodite stares back at the camera. He is not smiling and neither is he frowning. Rather, it seems that the hermaphrodite is conscious of getting his picture. This, however, does not fit with the body posture of the subject. It is the lack of pose in the body posture that makes the picture more compelling. The picture is quite ordinary in the way the Hermphrodite is relaxing on the chair but it is the same feeling of the oridinary that brings forth the emotion of the viewers to the surface. The picture seems to be challenging the viewer to accept the Hermaphrodite as a part of the society. The subject is partially nude, and yet he does not shy away by attempting to cover himself with his hands. He wears shiny undergarments which show that the subject is getting ready for a show or has just come back from one. The presence of the dog lends a personal touch to the photograph. It tells something about the subject even if it is as ordinary as the fact that the subject owns a dog that loves enough to share the photograph with. It is was not for the title of the photography, many viewers would have missed the small dog lying on the lap of the Hermaphrodite. Arbus, in this picture, does not pay any attention to the composition. The picture is taken simply in the carnival trailer that has not been modified or made prettier for the picture. This shows that Arbus was solely focused on capturing the subject. A Jewish giant at home with his parents in the Bronx, NY The title of this photograph explains a lot about the picture. The photograph depicts a giant man in his home with his parents. This particular picture does not just focus entirely on the subject which is the giant. Rather Arbus has shown the man with his family within his home. It was important to show the parents and the house so that these would serve as a reference to the viewers. If the giant would have been shown in close up, the impact would not have been so jarring. With this picture, the viewer is able to develop a contrast of the giant with the rest of the surroundings. Consciously or unconsciously, Arbus has been able to show how out of place the giant is inside his own home. At the same time, it is saddening to note that nothing in the home fits the size of the giant. This shows that the giant is not welcomed in the home of his own parents and the parents are not ready to accept their own child. Again there is nothing extraordinary about the composition or the expression of the subjects. The subjects seem to be staring at each other within their home. This creates a sense of the ordinary that is in direct contrast with the subject who is far from the ordinary. Child with a toy grenade This picture is also much like the usual style of Arbus. It shows a boy in an ordinary surrounding. It is not the surrounding that draws the viewer in but rather the subject. The composition of an ordinary park helps in drawing more attention towards the boy. The ordinary composition does not distract the viewer from the subject; perhaps the main aim of using the composition. However, the subject is not ordinary. The viewer is unable to identify what is wrong with the child but it is clear that something is not quite right. This is apparent in the maniacal expression of the child. The hanging strap of the boy’s clothes also adds to the maniacal ambiance of the child. The child seems to be frustrated at something but it is unclear. Maybe the child is abnormal in his personality rather than the physical abnormality that Arbus usually captures. This photograph does not have the usual marginal individual as the main subject but despite this, the photograph resembles the style of Arbus in many ways. Conclusion Arbus’ photographs present the viewers with members of the society that most people do not even know exist and even when people are aware of their existence, these people are not considered as part of the society. They are made to be outcasts of the society but Arbus in her photographs challenges the viewers and the society to accept them as part of the society. Arbus does that probably because she herself felt like an outcast. Her biography shows that Arbus was also an outcast in many ways despite living a privileged life (Lord, 117). Arbus, by photographing their people, was perhaps venting their own frustrations. Read More