Photo Journal Assignment #5

The Migrant Mother

Dorothea Lange, 1936

This picture was taken during the Great Depression just outside of Los Angeles in 1936 on a farm.
The picture shows a mother with her two children leaning on her and an infant in her lap. The
photographer, Dorothea Lange, went to California for a month-long photographic assignment to
record everything on the Great Depression, and the Dust Bowl that had happened during this time.
(http://www.photoguides.net/5-famous-photographs-that-changed-the-world)

Answer the following questions:
1. What was the Great Depression?
2. How is this iomage a good representation of what the Great Depression was like?
3. How do the Elements, Principles and Composition help to convey the themes this
photograph is about?
4. Take a photo about the theme Family and what that means to you. Make sure the
composition is interesting and shows your interpretation in a unique way.
5. Write an explanation for your image
6. Please do NOT make this cheesy: cheesy; informal:cheap, unpleasant, or blatantly inauthentic.


Photo Journal Assignment #5



Evaluation

Not yet meeting
expectation
Minimally meeting
expectations
Meeting
expectations
Exceeding
expectation
Context Does not convey a
story or personal
response through
images


through
writing/responses
Minimally conveys a
story or personal
response through
images


through
writing/responses
Conveys a story or
personal response
through images



through
writing/responses
Conveys a unique
and complex story
or personal
response through
images

through
writing/responses
Elements &
Principles of
Design


Does not respond
to E&P use of self
and others


Does not include
E&P in images




Rules of
composition are
not followed

Busy/irrelevant
background,
unfocused,
centered focal
point)
Minimally responds
to E&P use of self
and others


E&P is visible but are
not a strongly
represented in
images


Rules of composition
are sometimes
followed.

Some images have a
busy/irrelevant
background,
unfocused, centered
focal point
Responds well to
E&P use of self and
others


E&P are strongly
represented in
images in a visually
pleasing way.


Rules of
composition are
followed

Images are
focused,
background is
relevant, focal
point placed in an
interesting way
Responds with
complex
observations to
E&P use self others

E&P are strongly
represented in
visually pleasing
way. Images are
unique.

Rules of
composition are
followed

Use of composition
to create
interesting/unique
visual effects in the
image