1) Alec Soth uses color. It appears to me to be film and the slowness of the process suggests it to be larger formal; perhaps 4x5 or 8x10. His subjects seem to be center weighted and most colors in the frame tend to be complimentary and/or contrasting. In each picture, Soth is standing within 6 feet of the subject. Each picture has a shallower depth of field. I'd assume that f8 or f5.6 was used in each case. and so on and so forth
2) The couple at the top seem reticent. It may be that they are unsure of they're relationship, perhaps that they've experienced some recent difficutlties, or, maybe, they are not so confident about the institutionalization of relationships, writ large. The whiskey glass sits alone. Am I to think the drinker is, as well? Is this also about relationships? Given the bottom picture, a towel scultpture of swans in heart shape, living in a downtrodden motel room, I'd have to assume so...
3) I think it's interesting to see a series of photographs that deal more specifically with my experience of relationships as oppposed to representing relationships as they are to us via our upbringing and the american dream. Maybe the picket fence and house and 2 kids and 40 hour a week job don't adequately sum up what it means to have a real relationship. Could those things be destructive??? My own divorce is a major reason why I connect with thse photos.
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