In this photo you see Sierra Barber, a junior at Seton Keough High School admiring a prom dress that she will be wearing this year at prom. Behind her you can recognize her purple room with old stuffed animals she received over the years as a child that she still enjoys today. When you look at the prom dress you can notice a few things immediately, the plunged neck, the cut out sides, and it is fairly tiny. When I asked her why she picked this dress she explained, “my best friend told me how hot I looked wearing it and how my date will love it. It is a tad bit tight but I have about two months to lose a few pounds. I will do just about anything to fit into this dress.” As soon as she told me that she bought a dress that didn’t fit her comfortably I instantly thought of beauty is a beast (p. 240). A 16 year old girl, who is beautiful, average weight, and already athletic is going to push herself no matter what it takes or the consequences that could follow. Girls will do just about anything to fit in the appropriate appearance that society has determined or the need to constantly impress peers even though it could affect their health, identity, or morals. I chose to take this picture in her room to show a sense of childhood still in Sierra. A girl who still has stuffed animals all over her room and who would not normally picked such a revealing dress. I chose to take the picture from behind to show a sense of how naive she is for buying a dress she didn’t feel comfortable in just because her friend said she had liked it. Also, her back being turned admiring the dress and not the camera shows a sense of obsession with the dress. Even when I wasn’t taking the photo she continued to stare at the dress. I asked her if she was excited for prom and she exclaimed, “Of course! This is my first prom and I can’t wait for everyone to see me in my dress. I hope everyone likes it.” I told her that as long as she is happy with herself, she should not worry about other people’s approval.
1 comment:
From: Clare
When I view the photo, my eye is instantly drawn to the curtains in the background. They are dark and help frame the photo so the viewer focuses on the teenage girl, and the dress itself. Also I find the angle of the photo helpful as well, not only is the picture taken from behind like previously stated, but it also looks down upon the girl. In the same sense, the dress is higher in the photo symbolizing the dress is more important than the girl wearing it. The white comforter in the corner symbolizes innocence and purity, both being lost when the girl is more focused on fitting into social restraints, than accepting her own body.
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