1. General Description This visual shows a couple dressed in a traditional Korean costume in front of a traditional Korean house, depicting a scene of a loving couple in the olden days in Korea. This photograph was taken in South Korea, at the Namsangol Hanok Village. Some of the restored traditional Korean houses in Korea are located at this traditional Korean village, Namsangol Hanok Village. The couple were dressed in traditional Korean costume and the photo was taken at a traditional Korean village helped to showcase the culture of Korea. The couple were wearing hanbok, hanbok was worn daily until about a century ago and it remains as an important icon of Korea. Hanbok is also categorised into different varieties, hence this also allows one’s social position to be identified. The upper classes usually wear hanbok which were made of high-grade materials and in a variety of colours.
Commoners were restricted to only wearing hanbok made of just cotton and were required to only wear white. In the photograph, the couple were wearing hanbok made in high grade materials and were in a variety of colours, showing that they were preferably in the upper class. The photo also includes a Korean traditional house, known as Hanok as a background. Most Hanok are built with wood, stone, straw, clay and paper that were readily available in nature. Hence, not many old buildings have survived into present times. Therefore, some hanok are restored at Namsangol Hanok Village making it as similar as it was in the past, as the walls behind the couple seemed to be made of clay/cement and stones. This picture also shows that they are a married couple or a couple who is going to get married, as intimacy between normal couples are not publicly shown in the olden days of Korea.
2. Analysis This photograph consists of 3 different composition.Firstly, the photographer used the “Rule of Third”.
The Rule of Third refers to placing points of interest on the imaginary lines or intersection points of the lines in the picture, as studies have shown that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points naturally rather than the centre of the picture when viewing images. In the photograph, the couple was placed on one of the intersection points, this is because the main focus of the picture should be the couple. The use of this technique naturally helps people viewing the picture to focus on the couple.Secondly, the photographer also used the “Framing” technique. Framing is the technique whereby the photographer uses elements which were originally at the scene to create a frame within the frame of the picture, hence allowing the viewer to know exactly where they should be focusing on. In the photograph, the photographer made use of the natural environment, which is the tree branches to frame the couple.
This has then helped to gain the viewer’s attention on the couple.Lastly, the angle of the picture taken was an eye-level angle. The eye-level angle is best suited for this situation.
A high angle would make the couple look vulnerable or small, while a low angle would make the couple look more powerful. Hence, it was taken at an eye-level angle as this angle allows the viewers to feel comfortable as this is the most common view and we are all used to this angle. In addition, this angle also allows the Hanok behind the couple to be seen as a background.
Hence, this makes the overall picture look more realistic as it is supposed to be a setting in the olden days in Korea.3. Interpretation The message or story behind this image is that this is the first step they are making together as a couple, starting the next phase of their lives, which refers to them being a married couple. And that they are ready to face the problems they will face as a couple together. Not just taking care of their own needs but taking care of each other’s needs and worries. Mainly showing the romance and love between them, which is important between a married couple.
The photographer’s purpose is to be able to capture the couple’s loving moments, in order to allow the audience to feel the love between them just by looking at the picture. Not only that, but also for the couple to look back and reminisce these moments as they overcome obstacles and grow old together. The photographer is Jungyeol, he is a Korean wedding photographer. He has a photography style that is of dreamy, vintage and romantic.
Hence, this helped me determine the meaning behind the photo, as it showcases the love and romance between the couple. In addition, his K-style photos look just like scenes from Korean movies. Korean movies are mostly known for their romantic storyline, hence this has also helped me determine the meaning of highlighting the love and romance in the picture. I believe the target audience is the people around the couple, couples who are planning to get married or people who needs assurance in marriage. 4. Judgement There are a few reasons why I honestly like this image.Firstly, it showcases the genuine love between the couple.
Secondly, there are lots of photographs of this couple which were taken at the same location. But this photograph also highlights the culture of Korea.Lastly, this is not emphasised in the photograph, but after some research, the couple is actually from Japan. Hence, the photographs of this specific couple caught my attention more as it shows the acceptance between cultures. It shows that the Japan couple is accepting the Korean culture and making to effort to understand more about it by trying on the Korean traditional costumes and experience them personally. This image makes me feel the positiveness of marriage.
People around me has always been talking about how negative marriage is and the problems they face as a marriage couple, and complain about one another. Which some may end up getting a divorce. But this photo gave me a new perspective, which is before a marriage people have to think through about it before making a decision and not make a decision to marry someone without considering the problems they may face as a couple.
This is because through this picture, I can truly feel the love and that they accept each other for who they are. Through the actions of the couple, such as the slight embrace the male is giving his wife, I feel that they are prepared to face problems that may come their way during their marriage as one. The target audience are the people around the couple, couples who are planning to get married and people who needs assurance in marriage. The people around the couple will attend their wedding where these photos will be shown, feeling the love between the couple through the pictures will allow the people to congratulate them wholeheartedly. When the couples who are planning to get married see these love filled pictures, they would also want their wedding photos to be taken by the same photographer.
This photograph also shows the positiveness in marriage, positive and negative things may happen during a marriage, but a couple can overcome them together. This may also encourage those who feel uncertain in marriage to get married. ReferenceAnon, N.d.
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com/video/camera/angles/ Accessed 6 Nov 2018Onethreeonefour, 2016. #WOTD: Travel Back in Time With a Traditional Hanbok Photoshoot in Seoul Online. Available from: https://www.onethreeonefour.com/blog/traditional-hanbok-photoshoot-seoul-korea/ Accessed 6 Nov 2018Onethreeonefour, N.
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