This Is My Truth

 Option A: 

A. In what manner did you respond to the images presented by your classmates? Emotionally? Intellectually? Spiritually? Viscerally? What were your cumulative impressions?

There was quite a wide variety of images presented by my classmates this week. I would say, overall, the impact that they had on me was mostly emotional. When speaking and thinking in terms of whether or not a photo represents the truth, I mostly rely on the feeling that an image portrays and shares with me—the viewer. For many of my classmate's posts, I was able to see their perspective very easily, even prior to reading their reflections and explanations. This is solely because the subjects in each of the images are able to tell a story on their own if you look at it long enough. 

B. Do you feel more confidence in knowing what is truth for you? Why or why not?

Yes, somewhat. Although I can be hesitant or doubtful and second-guess myself sometimes, I am surprisingly very sure of myself in most other ways. So, not to say that I was not confident before exploring what is truth and what is not truth for me, but I also am not saying that it did not add to the ways in which I see and analyze images. 

C. Have you gained any insights regarding your personal biases that may have been hidden, masked or unnoticed? What have you specifically learned about how you view the world?

I would like to think that I do not have any personal biases when I am viewing somebody else's work and/or opinion, but I know that is nearly impossible. Therefore, I think I have gained insights. For example: no matter how authentic someone's emotions may look in a photo, you cannot always believe that it is the genuine truth being captured. Similarly, I have specifically learned that I often give the world the benefit of the doubt and that I view the world in a fairly optimistic manner, despite how I may be viewing my own personal world in my mind. 

Photo by: Alfred Eisenstaedt

Daniel's image of a soldier and a nurse sharing a passionate kiss on Victory of Japan Day truly radiates joy and the feeling of true relief. I would even go as far as to say even the people in the background of the photo add to that. They are obviously celebrating something, and with context it is evidently clear that the end of World War II is not the most casual, daily basis type of event. What I found unique about this photo is that we cannot even see their faces, yet we are able to feel the emotions that they are feeling through simply just their body language—relaxed, safe, and comfortable. 

Photo by: Tony Corocher

Nicole's image of this young girl most certainly does not represent the truth. Nicole mentions how she looks too prepared for this photo, almost as if she has been posed. Judging from the dull background and seemingly unpleasant setting that she is in here, I can imagine that is not what is making her smile. She is most likely reacting to something that the photojournalist is doing or saying, and not just feeling her own natural and pure emotions that she usually does. 

Photo by: Steve McCurry

Christian chose a very well-known image. I definitely agree that this represents the truth. The obvious main subject, the "Afghan Girl," stares aggressively into the camera lens with her intensely bright and big green eyes. We can infer that she has already seen quite a lot in such a short lifetime—both good and bad. The background is simple and does not take away from or distract the viewer from the elements of this photo that are most important to notice. Her face and clothes are covered in dirt and filth, while her clothing is ripped and worn. She looks like she has suffered great pain and felt deeply afraid, angry, and sad at her life in a refugee camp. You can tell that she has a burning and passionate hatred towards the war that landed her here, and most likely separated her from her family, loved ones, and everything that she valued. She is able to communicate so much without actually saying anything at all.