(As a sidenote for anyone in the class checking this page out: I try not to provide many guidelines on purpose. A "C" for our class is doing the absolute minimum to accomplish the assignment, so "A" and "B" grades come from making the assignment your creation rather than a response.)
Ha. Word to the wise: if you're ever going to do a post update like this, don't rely on your browser to keep a tab open all day.
So, the pictures to work from in the alternate version of the assignment are below:
Original. That kid looks so freaking happy.
Black and white. Classy.
Sepia. Classic.
High-contrast. Artsy.
Those descriptions are only sort of joking. Black & white and sepia pictures have that kind of aged, old time-y look to them. It generates an ethos of something that matters. Matters more than a low-resolution cell phone photo, anyway. It's a really simple change, but the black and white version in particular looks like it could just as easily be 1913 as 2013. The kid isn't wearing any identifying clothing, so looking at the black and white before color is a little like looking at colorized versions of old photos. This might not be what hops into everyone else's mind (a very real danger when we rely on pathos). But, those first two alterations are simple changes that have the power to add a lot of gravity to an image.
Which is why the high-contrast one is so interesting to me -- whether we're talking about this image or any other. Changing the contrast on a picture is something cameras come equipped with these days, not to mention cell phones and photo-posting websites like Instagram. High-contrast filters are a great way to bring out colors, even if you lose definition in the picture. The high contrast one really makes me focus on the kid's hands. They've got the most actual definition still, and his face is a close second (the eyes and mouth are dark lines across a very light space). But, there's always been something about people using that filter when they post things to Facebook...
It's the apocalypse. Shows like Survivors and movies like The Book of Eli (what I was able to see of it) really abuse that high-contrast lens (or a polarized lens; I'm not 100% up to date on my editing skills) to achieve a harsh, grainy look to the world. And, it works. Changing the contrast on that picture really makes me worry about that kid. The background is all faded away. I can't tell if he's smiling. The only clear portion of the picture is below the watermelon; hands that look like they haven't been washed in weeks. The watermelon also has the color and marbling of raw beef. Something terrible has happened, and this watermelon is his only solace.
Or, at least that would be my argument if I was using this to create a logo for post-apocalyptic survival melons.
