Happy Hit Men

Jill Freedman is an American photographer, who started off her career in the most unlikely way. Born in Pittsburg in 1939, Freedman followed the generic path of going to college but found herself unsure of what she wanted to do after graduating. After wandering around Europe and singing for her meals, she finally got her hands on a camera and instantly fell in love with the art of photography. Although she was self taught, she found inspiration through many groundbreaking photographers such as André Kertész, W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange, and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Freedman has published many photography books, in which she showcases her diverse photographic collections. Her collections include topics like photographs about New York City, circuses’, Ireland, people and animals and cops and firefighters. A particular collection that I found interesting was titled, “boys’ club”. Included in this collection displayed on her website, was a note that explained the purpose of the collection. Freedman wanted to capture the essence of a man, through his candid interactions with other men, women, children, animals and when they are by themselves.

A particular photo titled, “Happy Hit Men” captured my attention because it shows a group of well-dressed men standing in front of an Episcopal church, presumably after mass or some other religious ceremony. What’s interesting is that these men, although they are dressed formal and are serious-looking, they are all applauding and cheering on one of their own as he dances for the other’s amusement. It looks like everyone is genuinely having a good time in this moment in time.

It is generally easy to see that studium of the photo is the group of five, well-dressed men celebrating on the front steps of an Episcopal church. It is important to understand that the cause of celebration is not very clear and there is no date of when this picture was taken. Considering this, the punctum can be believed to be the main man standing in the middle of the other four men, as he purses his lips in a comical way with hands raised and snapping. He is dancing, presumably for the amusement of the other men as they applaud and cheer him on. I believe this is the punctum because it calls the most attention to the picture, as the other four men are looking directly at him and that man is standing almost in the center of the photo.