Patrick Zachmann, a member of Magnum Photos, accents
on taking images of the actual characters, people, who is main subjects of his
stories. He generally experiments with both, black and white and color
photography. Through videos and
photographs, he compares his own family history with that of migrants today. He focuses in
particular on migrants’ relationships to the sea (mare) they had to cross
and to the mother (mater) they left behind.
First image is well balanced and geometrically even on the both sides. It seems that left side is reflection of the right side or otherwise. It creates an impression that all men are posing in the same time unless it
was a happy coincedence. Almost all of the them have the same posture and those
who sit infront of each other reflect the posture of person against. Source of
light in the center of the image far on the back is the most important for this
composition. It leads viewer’s eyes towards lighten path and supportive
straight lines of lamps on the ceiling. Two men stay on the door, partly back
lit, both figures are inclined to opposite sides that creates accomplished
sheared rectangles.
Second
image is centered again but there is dramatic clue on the down left corner:
guard’s hand. Hand is unfocused and small boat in the middle stays in focus.
Photographer shoot this image with deep depth of field. Color of the board is
blue and white that stands out from the dark water. There are also a lot of
people on the boat but from the perspective we see it, it is only barely distinguished
red, white and black dots. Because of the series of photographs is about refugees,
guard in the image frame plays significantly dramatic role. This tiny boat is
almost placed into guard’s hand, that mean those people have almost got caught
and don’t have a chance to escape.
Third
image is pretty simple and again very thematic according to the series of
pictures. Unknown man stays facing the sea and plans to escape from his
country. Lacoste jacket gives a hint that he plans to run to France. Few different hints of blue
create dark atmosphere of awareness of unclear future, worries of the
character, but in the same time blue is color of serenity and confidence that represents mixed feelings
of the man who is certain about leaving for better life. Image is very centered
by putting man in the middle of setting and creating contrast with white color
of his shoes and Lacoste sign.
Zachmann’s works make me
think about how to create portrait's setting and balanced compositions. Even his works
are usually something between posed portraits, street and documentary photography but I think
it is still relative for our assignment. Themes of the Mare Mater is very
painful, somewhat disturbing and intriguing in the same time. I enjoy the idea
that he is lucky enough to shoot in that environment, for example to be on the
boat with guards searching for refugees, to be in the center almost movie
scene.
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