One photograph that stood out to me in New Deal Photography shows a family in poverty after being hit by a drought (pg. 242-243). What immediately caught my attention was the man in the foreground, both due to his position with his hand on his head, and the fact that he is not looking directly at the camera. These two instances of body language imply the idea of the family having no hope from the drought, as well as adding to the man’s entire body showing despair. In addition, the wound on his hand implies that the lack of water doesn’t just affect crops, but also sanitary conditions for the family. The same can be said for the rest of the man’s [left] hand, which appears to be covered with filth. Nevertheless, the man’s overall slouched position indicates a gloomy mood as the family cannot take advantage of the drought, but rather struggle and fight to survive in terrible conditions. Also, the woman next to him (most likely his wife) portrays the same body language as the man: hunched over, eyes away from the camera, and overall hopeless facial expression. This indicates that while the drought might be devastating, the family has empathy for one another and can rely on each other to help out each other during this time of need.
However, some elements of the photo were a little harder to perceive at first sight. One example was the child the woman is holding, not only because of the size, but due to the portrayal of different body language from the parents. The child appears to cling on to the mother for support as he/she may not know what is going on and may seek a parental figure for guidance. This further assures the family working together to try to better themselves after the drought. Looking further in the photo, I was able to notice many background details. These details include the coat hanging in the trees, and the tent in the top-left corner. These adjustments display the idea of the family having to relocate and start over as they now have to adjust to the outside and make the most of it. Also, the table on the far left with the various containers, as well as the extra foot at the far right, made me wonder who else is in the family and how much the family actually has to survive. Still, the entire photograph of the suffering family made me feel sympathetic for them and made me hope that they can find better living conditions in the nearby future.
