Richard Misrach- Color and Light

 


Photo By Richard Misrach

    For my chosen photographer, focusing on color and light, I chose Richard Misrach. I was initially drawn to Misrach's common theme of utilizing sunsets and dramatic skylines in his photography. As I examined more of Misrach's work, I came to find that the majority of his work conveys a story or generates an overall mood for the viewer in addition to his use of sunsets and skylines. This photo, in particular, created a very eerie overall mood. This photo made me feel somewhat uneasy, but also evokes a curiosity within me as I examine the photo and uncover more and more details the longer I analyze it. Within the photograph, I noticed the fully drained pool, the outdated appearance of the diving board and pool itself, and the foggy background concealing what appears to be a dramatic and rather beautiful view. 
    The color and lighting of this photograph work together to develop its overall eerie, yet thought-provoking mood. This photo does not contain any bold or bright colors. The photograph contains rather light shades of color and is relatively monochromatic, as none of the colors within the photo are drastically different from one another and all follow a fairly similar color scheme. This lack of vibrance and color within this photograph continues a dark and somewhat solemn theme, making me wonder as the viewer where this is, if this is an abandoned area, or if something dark or sinister may have occurred here. The lack of vibrance and brightness in this photo also removes any sense of joy and keeps it from being uplifting, maintaining the photograph's solemn and rather dark overall mood. The emptiness of the details in the photo also generates an overall sense of loneliness. The fully drained pool and vacant scenery bring about the idea that this place was once enjoyed by many, but is now left untouched and abandoned, stripped of its liveliness. 
    A lot of Misrach's photography, unlike this particular photograph of his, includes skylines or sunsets with striking colors and vibrant shades that boldly contrast the foreground of his photos. Light and color are clearly key components of Misrach's photography, but the way in which he chooses to utilize light and color varies. With this photo in particular, Misrach strayed away from the familiar, striking, and vibrant skylines of some of his other photography and opted for a more lackluster skyline and color scheme that allowed him to maintain a monochromatic and hazy appearance that upheld an overall theme of sadness and loneliness. So while focusing on the concept of light and color, it was actually Misrach's decision to have a lack of light and color in this photo that, in my opinion, made it so impactful. 
 

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