Dorothea Lange

Dorothea Lange was an American documentary photographer and photojournalist.  She is best know for photographs of the great depression.  Lange’s photographs influenced the development of documentary photography and humanized the consequences of the Great Depression.

In 1936 Lange was employed by the U.S. government’s Farm Security Administration (FSA) program, formed during the Great Depression to raise awareness of and provide aid to impoverished farmers.

 

Lange’s most famous image is Migrant Mother

 

You will be watching a short video about Dorthea Lange and the story behind Migrant Mother

Following the video you will answer the questions below by copying them to google doc and complete the answers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgZPQMyzKiE

Answer the Following Questions:

1. Before the depression, what did Lange take photos of?

2. What was a Pea Pickers Camp?

3. Why did Lange originally pass by the camp and not stop?

4. How long did she stay taking photos?

5. Why was the photograph of the oldest daughter in the front not a good photo choice for Lange’s assignment?

6. How many photos did Lange take before she took the final Migrant Mother photo?

7. Why did Lange have the Mother touch her face?

8. Why was Lange’s Migrant Mother chosen to represent a lesson on migrant workers?

9. What did the photograph of Migrant Mother come to define and represent during the depression and afterward?

10. Now that you know this famous photograph was staged, why do you feel it does or does not diminish it’s emotional power? Explain your answer.

11. Do you think the image that was widely published was the most successful choice? Why or why not?

12. Which of the images would you have chosen? Consider the framing, cropping, angle, and composition of the image.