Alfred Stieglitz's Venetian Boy, reminded me of a photo that Sonia complemented me on. This is a portrait similar to one of my photos. It was on my best friend little brother. I see it similar in the sense of taking the picture to capturing a person's personality. It is not only the person's face expression to tell a story but also the background and what it says about the person.Going back to the portrait, it is of a boy living in the ghetto having to work to provide money for his family. The wooden doors give a vibe of hardship and struggle in trying to survive to the next day. I personally understand this portrait as a sign of working for survival.
This also reminds me of a black and white photo that I found of my father when he was a little boy living in Dominican Republic. He was younger than the boy seen here but the clothes and the background seem all similar. It takes me back to the stories he told me about his rough lifestyle. He mentions he was the youngest of eight without a father and having to walk in the early mornings to school. In the afternoon he would have to work by making shoes at a house. The little money he made he would save half to pay for school and the other half to his mother to help buy food to feed eight mouths. This is the story I believe that Venetian Boy is telling me.
