Response to Sally Mann Images

I found many of Sally Mann's images very interesting. They are well lit, well composed, and aesthetically interesting. However, many of them were also somewhat disturbing. Knowing that these are her children does take away some fear of child pornography, but some of the situations in which she posed them was questionable. Probably my favorite shot out of those I have seen is "Emmett, Jessie, Virginia 1989." We discussed this one thoroughly in class and studied it mainly focusing on the fact that all three children (but most obviously the girls) are shirtless. This is a very interesting aspect to the photograph, but it is not what initially draws me to it. I'm sure that on some level it does effect my thoughts toward it, but the fact that the girls are not wearing shirts does not obviously strike me as the reason I find it interesting. The stern look on the children's faces which are staring back at me is what, to me, draws my attention. The lack of shirts does play an important factor in the image. The fact that the girls do not have on shirts portrays them on an equal plain with their brother. You are better able to see their confident stances and their muscles/bones to compare them with their brother. Under "social norms," the boy does not necessarily need a shirt on in this situation, but most people would prefer that the girls be fully clothed. If this were the case, the photo would not be near as dramatic and powerful and the girls would be hidden behind their clothing; therefore dimenishing the attitudes expressed through their facial and body language.