New York Tenements
Dublin Core
Title
New York Tenements
Subject
Photography
Description
Jacob Riis' How the Other Half Lives was one of the first works of photojournalism. His photography revealed the horrible conditions of New York tenements. This photo illustrates the cramped, dirty condition of a New York tenement. I chose this photo because it is one of the most popular photos from Riis' book, but also because it is moving.
The longer one looks at the photo, the more people seem to "appear" in it. This is a small space, and there are more people than can possibly fit into it. It is also clear that this room is not clean: everything seems coated in a layer of dust and dirt.
Riis' choice of angle is also interesting. Photography is often praised for its unique and interesting way of showing something, but Riis chose a modest, normal camera angle. It is as if the viewer simply walked into the room and saw it at eye-level. This choice makes the viewer really think about the fact that these people actually lived in these conditions. It is not a piece of art. It is a depiction of something real.
The longer one looks at the photo, the more people seem to "appear" in it. This is a small space, and there are more people than can possibly fit into it. It is also clear that this room is not clean: everything seems coated in a layer of dust and dirt.
Riis' choice of angle is also interesting. Photography is often praised for its unique and interesting way of showing something, but Riis chose a modest, normal camera angle. It is as if the viewer simply walked into the room and saw it at eye-level. This choice makes the viewer really think about the fact that these people actually lived in these conditions. It is not a piece of art. It is a depiction of something real.
Creator
Jacob Riis
Publisher
Sarah Hartsell
Format
Digital Image
Files
Collection
Citation
Jacob Riis, “New York Tenements,” COM/ENG 395, accessed December 4, 2024, https://com395.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/items/show/192.