Girl on Park Bench-Emmanuel's Print

Print Analysis

I have Emmanuel’s portrait of the girl on the park bench. A few things stand out from the photo right away. The girl is situated slightly off center and her head is turned to the right, she is not looking at her photographer. Her hands are inside her jacket pocket and she is sitting very erect. She doesn’t look relaxed. Instead she appears to have something on her mind.

Also noteworthy is that to her right is just enough bench space for another person. She is not in the center of the bench, there’s a great deal of room to her left. But to her right, the space is more limited, more intimate. Someone is missing from the photo that should be sitting on the bench to her right. Did that person just walk away and she is looking at their departure? Is this person on the way to meet her and she is looking in the direction from which they should be arriving? Based on the controlled emotion showing in the girl’s face, I would have to say the person is one she if very close to, in a relationship with, such as a boyfriend. And the relationship is in a turbulent state. She is now not sure what to do or where to go….so she just sits and stares at nothing, seeking control. Maybe the argument happened days ago and they are meeting for reconciliation….and she is trying to keep her emotions stable.

This photo could be the beginning of a relationship or the end of one…or one of the many low points that accompany most long-term ones. Her lack of eye contact with the photographer is very telling. She chooses not to engage, has effectively locked out anyone from seeing inside her head, knowing what she is thinking. The photo is very low key, the only bright spot is her slacks and sneakers, her legs and feet, that can stay immobile, paralyzed by her emotions. Or they can enable her, free her to move on.

At first glance Emmanuel’s photo is a very nicely crafted print of a young girl sitting on a bench. Upon further reflection, I see a deeply emotional and telling photograph of young woman at an emotional crossroad.