"Visual Literacy - Analysing Photographs"

“War Game”

Gervasio Sánchez

“To cover a war isn‛t an adventure, it‛s very hard, and sometimes the price you pay is very high”

By: Iria, Raúl and Celeste.

Table of contents 1.Introduction 2.A short biography of the photographer 3.Formal analysis of the photography 3.1 Observation Skills 3.2 Technical Knowledge 3.3 Context 3.4 Meaning 3.5 Symbols 4.Conclusion 5.A bibliography page

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1.Introduction We are going to analyze the image and talk about visual literacy, the and the feeling that the image transmit us according our personal experiences life. that the image transmits, the story we thinked real and the real story of the author.

2. A short biography of the photographer Gervasio Sanchez, author of the chosen picture "War Game", was born on August 1 1959 (56 years) in Cordoba .

He lived in Barcelona in Hospitalet del Infante and began working with just 11 years.

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He was graduated in journalism in 1984 he covered as a photojournalist armed conflict in Latin America and the Gulf War (1984-1992 ) . He went on to cover the Bosnian War and the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and also in Africa and Asia. He works between 1994 and 1999 in Rwanda and Somalia.

He received many awards, in delivering one of them, the Ortega y Gasset , starred in a controversy , ​ due to his

speech when he accused the Spanish ​ Government of ​ of selling​ ​ weapons.

His son called Diego Sanchez.

He is the adopted son of Zaragoza.

He was named " UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace" in 1998.

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3. Formal analysis of the photography We can see some children they are playing in a ​ scrap-yard

(or in a place with destroyed cars and houses remains) ​ , jumping from car to car and climbing on them.

Some of us think that they are where there was a war, because

there

are

destroyed

cars

and

remains of

houses.Others think that's just a scrap-yard and a normal city.

We think that the subject of the image could be ”Children and poverty”, simply “children playing” or even “children and war”. Some of us think that in the background there is a destroyed city, others antique buildings.

In front of the subject there are cars pieces and the photographer.We think that before the picture was taken the children left of their homes after a war and was all destroyed.The war finished and the children were happy.

We think that the picture was taken in the past in any European neighborhood. ​ That the photo looks old and children's clothing isn't from this century. We think the

children are between 8-12 years old, ​ their clothes are older.

They are standing.They are happy and indifferent. They look like they are having fun, they‛re playing. About their expression, we can say nothing , they are so far. But judging by their body language and because they are playing, we can suppose that they are happy.

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The photographer was standing in the street hidden, so that children couldn't see him. It was taken from the side, from far away, using the zoom lens. He took the photo in the best moment when the children were happy.

The light is natural,because it was take in the street. And bright and diffused(blurry). It draws our attention to the subject, the children and the cars. The photograph is in grey. It transmits sadness.

.

Inside the image there are children, cars and , on the background, the city.

Outside, we think that there is the rest of the city, more cars and, maybe, more children. The photographer choose to frame this way to focus more on the children, so it looks like there is a lot of children there.

The graphic composition divides the photo in two differents part: between the children and the scrap-gard (subject) and the city (background).

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The cropping helps to just see what the photographer wants.(The children and what they are doing).

That it was made in the past and it could be after a war.

The photographer wants to communicate us the life in the poor suburbs or after a war. The photograph says that there was a war, in the past or nowadays. And also that children are happy still in war or into poverty.

The city destruction and the poverty and that there are children playing in a scrap-yard too. It makes us feel sad, pity and think about innocence. It doesn't inspire us to work creatively.

Perhaps he only found the situation funny or curious what they were doing.

4.Conclusion Celeste‛s conclusion: in this project I analysed the image, and the story that, I thought was similar to the real story.

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This project was a little boring but it wasn‛t bad because we learned how to analyse an image.

I liked to work with my schoolmates because they all did their work.

Iria‛s conclusion: I like this project because it is interesting and I liked to work with my schoolmates because they are good.

Raul’s conclusion: I thought the image was older than it really was. I was thinking about it and I conclude we all are so innocent. War still exists and it’s a common trouble.

I learned about photography, and that was fine. I like to learn.

I worked properly with these mates. I think I could work more with other mates, and I think I could work less too. So, the group was well made. (I am lazy, but also my mates. This way, if we all want to pass, we have to look after each other.)

If someone doesn’t want to pass it is reflected in the individual project, agree with this.

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5. Bibliography

a)Images Gervasio Sánchez ​ 1st image.

Price ​ Ortega Gasset. b) Information Image comment.

Price ​ Ortega y Gasset

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